CBS's Unfairly Canceled The Tonight Show, With Over 5000 Episodes, Just Had Its Final Revenge

Published Sep 12, 2026, 11:03 AM EDT

Dani Kessel Odom (they/them) is an autistic lead writer and TV critic who covers sci-fi shows like Doctor Who and Pluribus, fantasy shows like The Magicians and Percy Jackson, and horror of all kinds. They also cover Marvel and DC TV shows and movies, with a robust knowledge of comic books. Their TV reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes.

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Far too many TV shows have been canceled long before they should’ve. Typically, this means a series getting cut short after just a season or two. Sometimes, it’s a program that lasts only 4 or 5 seasons. However, it’s virtually unheard of for a TV show to last 33 seasons with over 5000 episodes total yet still be canceled too soon. However, that is exactly what happened with The Late Show, a CBS series that has been a staple since 1993.

The Late Show began with host David Letterman, who held the mantle for decades before retiring in 2015. When he stepped down, they tapped the comedian Stephen Colbert, who led The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, as the next host. There is no question that the talent was the right choice. Colbert had a likable personality and a reputation for meaningful commentary. Unfortunately, after eleven years, CBS made the completely unfair decision to cancel The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

The decision led to plenty of outcry from audiences and other Hollywood folks. Even David Letterman called the cancellation "gutless." Unfortunately, this pushback wasn’t enough to save the show. The Late Show finale broke records, which was the first bit of revenge. However, Stephen Colbert pulled off a final bit of revenge four months after the show aired its final episode. At the 2026 Emmys, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert hit it big.

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Wins Big During The Emmys

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was unjustly canceled on July 18, 2025, and its last episode aired just four months ago, on May 21, 2026. However, Stephen Colbert just got his biggest revenge at nights 1 and 2 of the Emmys, previously called the Creative Arts Emmy Awards. As outlined on the Television Academy website, the comedian and former late-night host received 10 Emmy nominations and won six: five for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and one for Colbert Before Air. The sheer number of awards in his final season shows that CBS made a huge mistake in canceling the TV show.

Award	Status
Outstanding Production Design	Nominated
Outstanding Sound Mixing For a Variety Series or Special	Nominated
Outstanding Variety Series	TBD
Outstanding Music Direction	Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series	Won
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series	Won
Outstanding Technical Direction & Camerawork for a Series	Won
Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Series	Won
Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Programming (Segment)	Won
Short Form Comedy, Drama, or Variety Series*	Won
*Colbert Before Air

One win was particularly noteworthy because it broke an impressive winning streak. Before this year, Last Week with John Oliver won the award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series for ten years in a row. On top of that, Colbert on the Air snagged the Short Form Comedy, Drama, or Variety Series despite only airing ten episodes in the past year. Ultimately, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was, by far, the biggest winning variety series. Other strong winners in similar categories included Super Bowl LX Halftime Show for Variety Programming, and The Muppet Show for Variety Special.

All that said, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is still up for one more award at the Primetime Emmys. Unlike in previous years, Best Scripted Variety Series and Best Talk Series have been merged into one category called Outstanding Variety Series. Similarly, the award has been shifted to an “area award,” which means that, theoretically, all nominees could win. The nominees are The Daily Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and Saturday Night Live.

According to the Television Academy, the new voting for Outstanding Variety Series works like this: Each voter is asked whether a show deserves an Emmy. If 90% or more vote yes, the show gets an Emmy. If 89% or lower vote no, it doesn’t get an Emmy. The exception is that if none earn 90% or above, the show with the highest percentage wins the award.

With the new voting system in place, it’s hard to imagine that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert won’t win the Best Variety Series award, especially with the wins from nights 1 and 2. Even if Colbert somehow doesn’t win the award, though, the six wins are enough to potentially make CBS regret canceling him.

Why CBS Canceled The Late Show

The decision to cancel The Late Show after over 5000 episodes and continued positive ratings is, frankly, absolutely absurd. It was the highest-rated late-night talk show at the time of its cancellation. The wins at the 2026 Emmys just reaffirm this was a mistake. Still, the show is gone now. The explanation for the cancellation varies widely depending on who you ask. CBS's official explanation, according to CBS News, is that it was financial, and they're sad to see him go.

Question 1 of 3

However, there has been no shortage of speculation that the cancellation was politically motivated. Colbert has long been an outspoken critic of Donald Trump. Shortly before the decision, Paramount, CBS's parent company, settled a lawsuit with Trump for $16 million because of the editing on a “60 Minutes” interview. Colbert specifically criticized this settlement on his show. Plus, Paramount’s merger with Skydance Media needed federal government approval. On PBS New Hour, journalists from the company sat down with NPR’s Eric Deggans to break down the possibility further.

CBS denied on CBS News any connection between the cancellation and the settlement or merger, stating the show’s cancellation was “not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount.” Ultimately, individuals will have to decide for themselves who to believe. Either way, the cancellation was an absolute shame, and it’s good to see The Late Show with Stephen Colbert going out strong, sticking it to CBS one more time.