The Story of Late Night

At the dawn of the TV era in the 1950s, Steve Allen’s zany spontaneity turns Tonight into a hilarious and unexpected hit. But in the early 1960s, it’s Jack Paar’s captivating, quirky personality and Johnny Carson’s impeccably hip humor that transform late night from a shot in the dark into an enduring television staple.

Johnny Carson deftly navigates the turbulent 1960s to elevate The Tonight Show into a cultural touchstone, enshrining himself as the undisputed king of late night. But his success begets competition with the emergence of Dick Cavett, Merv Griffin, Saturday Night Live and an Indiana weatherman by the name of David Letterman.

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: will it be Leno, Letterman, Joan Rivers or upstart Arsenio Hall?

Carson’s 1992 retirement touches a nation – and touches off an epic late-night war between Jay Leno and David Letterman. But it’s network newcomers Conan O’Brien and Jimmy Kimmel – and the comic inspirations of cable upstart Jon Stewart – that introduce hilarious new comedy perspectives that could change late night’s sense of humor forever.

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. Thanks to cable’s rise, diverse voices like Chelsea Handler, Andy Cohen and George Lopez get their seat behind the late-night desk, while Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert take the news into their own hilarious hands.

Jimmy Fallon takes over for Jay Leno. Stephen Colbert inherits David Letterman’s desk. 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. It’s a late-night free-for-all as this hilarious American institution confronts its biggest identity crisis in a generation thanks to streaming television and a highly polarized political landscape.