Stephen Colbert's Late Show finale was a bittersweet, star-packed goodbye. Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, Bryan Cranston, and Tig Notaro were among the guests to see off both host and talk show in an 80-minute finale.
An Unusual Series Finale
Series finales for late-night shows are rare; usually, it is the host's final episode, not the show's. However, CBS made the decision to cancel the Late Show, which began in 1993 as David Letterman's new home. Under Letterman and later Colbert, the show became an institution and a strong competitor to The Tonight Show.
The CBS Late Show leaves the air as the No. 1 show in network TV late night. Its time slot will be filled by Comics Unleashed. The decision, as echoed by a dolphin in a finale gag, was purely financial, not political. Colbert had nearly a year to come to terms with the decision and focused on a cheerful final installment.
Star-Studded Finale
With guests like David Letterman, Bruce Springsteen, and Jon Stewart having already appeared, the supersized finale made a running gag of a delayed reveal. Throughout the first half-hour, Bryan Cranston, Paul Rudd, Tim Meadows, Tig Notaro, and Ryan Reynolds interrupted Colbert's bits, assuming they might be the final guest. Instead, Colbert welcomed Paul McCartney, highlighting the show's home at the Ed Sullivan Theater, where McCartney performed with the Beatles in 1964.
An 83-year-old rock star might seem an odd choice for a last interview, but Colbert's warm style and McCartney's sharpness made it work. They discussed McCartney's Sullivan Show memories, accepting change, and McCartney's iPhone struggles. Their segments were interrupted by an eerie green light glitching into view, which led to a mysterious green portal and prerecorded moments with Jon Stewart and the Strike Force Five (Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver). They bantered about the wormhole swallowing Colbert's show and mused about the collapsing network model.
Colbert revealed his desired ending: performing with Elvis Costello on an obscure B-side called Jump Up. He had mentioned this song in a 2012 NPR interview, praising its satirical lyrics. The show returned to McCartney, with Colbert, Costello, and the audience singing Hello, Goodbye, followed by a prerecorded bit of Colbert and McCartney shutting off the lights.
A Fitting Farewell
Colbert's insistence on doing the usual monologue and Meanwhile segment made sense, as the dissolution was better understood from within the format. He spoke to the audience, describing his approach as doing the show with them, not for them. His goodbye was a reminder of what many will miss: the nightly hello.
