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The Story Of Late Night

Season 1
Over its 60-year history of engaging with, adapting to and influencing our society, late-night TV has grown from a "shot-in-the-dark" experiment into a thriving entertainment phenomenon and a vitally important, uniquely American cultural institution.
20238 episodes
TV-14
Subscribe to discovery+ or Max

Episodes

  1. S1 E1 - Inventing Late Night TV
    August 18, 2022
    42min
    TV-14
    At the dawn of the TV era, Steve Allen's zany spontaneity turns "Tonight" into an unexpected hit. But in the early 1960s, Jack Paar's quirky personality and Johnny Carson's impeccably hip humor transform late night into an enduring television staple.
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  2. S1 E2 - Carson: King of Late Night
    August 18, 2022
    42min
    TV-14
    Johnny Carson deftly navigates the turbulent 1960s to elevate "The Tonight Show" and become the undisputed king of late night. But success begets competition with the emergence of other hosts, including an Indiana weatherman named David Letterman.
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  3. S1 E3 - Eyes on the Throne
    August 18, 2022
    42min
    TV-14
    As the 1980s dawn, David Letterman reinvents late night comedy for a new generation, rescuing comedian Jay Leno's nearly flamed-out career in the process. But Johnny Carson's enduring comic appeal spawns endless speculation over his eventual successor.
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  4. S1 E4 - Letterman vs. Leno
    August 18, 2022
    42min
    TV-14
    Carson's 1992 retirement touches a nation, and touches off an epic late-night war between Jay Leno and David Letterman. But it's newcomers Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel and Jon Stewart who change late night's sense of humor forever.
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  5. S1 E5 - Making the Headlines
    August 18, 2022
    42min
    TV-14
    As the 2000s unfold, Jay Leno's monologue mastery captivates mainstream America. But his succession struggle with heir-apparent Conan O'Brien is no joke, making waves across the late-night landscape and bringing Jimmy Fallon's fresh voice to the front.
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  6. S1 E6 - Reinventing Late Night TV
    August 18, 2022
    54min
    TV-14
    Jimmy Fallon takes over for Jay Leno, Stephen Colbert inherits David Letterman's desk, and Trevor Noah becomes a surprise pick for Jon Stewart's replacement. Plus, new hosts James Corden, Seth Meyers and Samantha Bee join the late-night TV ranks.
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  7. S1 E101 - Story of Late Night Trailer
    October 10, 2023
    31sec
    TV-14
    A six-part docuseries featuring the funniest people on the planet that tells The Story of Late Night in all its gritty truth-from broken promises and backroom deals, to prime time egos and all-out succession wars.
    Free trial of discovery+
  8. S1 E101 - The Story of Late Night Trailer
    October 1, 2023
    29sec
    TV-14
    A six-part docuseries featuring the funniest people on the planet that tells The Story of Late Night in all its gritty truth-from broken promises and backroom deals, to prime time egos and all-out succession wars.
    Subscribe to Max for $9.99/month

Details

More info

Audio languages
English
Subtitles
English [CC]
Directors
John Ealer
Producers
Kate Harrison KarmanDavid Brady
Starring
Jimmy KimmelThe Kid MeroSeth Meyers
Studio
discovery plus Adventure & Documentaries
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