‘Late Show’ Finale Review: Stephen Colbert’s Goodbye to Late Night Was a Television Masterpiece
Stephen Colbert bid farewell to 'The Late Show' in a heartfelt and humorous finale that celebrated his 11-year run. The episode featured a mix of comedy, nostalgia, and gratitude, highlighting the joy of creating the show. As Colbert concluded his tenure, he reflected on the impact of late night television and the changing media landscape.
- ▪Stephen Colbert's final episode aired on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ on May 21, 2026.
- ▪Colbert thanked his audience and the show's staff during his farewell monologue.
- ▪The show's cancellation followed Colbert's criticism of CBS regarding a settlement paid to Donald Trump.
4 outlets in our directory ran this story, first to last over 4 hours. Coverage spans 2 points on the political spectrum — 2 lean left, 1 centre.
- ▪ 'Hello, Goodbye': 'Late Show' host Stephen Colbert bows out — France 24 (EN)
- ▪ Stephen Colbert hosts Late Show finale after controversial cancellation — South China Morning Post
- ▪ ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ Series Finale Was a Letdown: TV Review — Variety
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| Original publisher | TheWrap |
| Canonical URL | https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/reviews/colbert-late-show-ending-review/ |
| Publication time | Fri, 22 May 2026 05:54:51 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-22T06:02:00.658Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-22T06:02:00.658Z |
| Headline source | Publisher (no WeSearch rewrite) |
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| Citation coverage | Summary is a WeSearch-generated derivative; primary citation is the original publisher URL. |
| Cluster | EAXO2vTyAFJY · 4 stories |
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| Ranking reason | Story pages are not engagement-ranked. Hub feeds use recency, with optional source-diversified chronological ordering (cap consecutive stories per source). No personalized ranking. |
| Publisher visit | Yes — open original |
| Substitutes article? | No — link-out required for full text |
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Basis: Derived from the published RSS/Atom feed. Contact: [email protected]. Reviewed: 2026-07-24.
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Home > Creative Content > Reviews ‘Late Show’ Finale Review: Stephen Colbert’s Goodbye to Late Night Was a Television Masterpiece The host’s final hour on CBS perfectly mixed humor, heart and homage to stage more of a celebration than a funeral Krystie Lee Yandoli May 21, 2026 @ 10:54 PM Share on Social Media Share on Facebook Share on X (formerly Twitter) Share on LinkedIn Share on Email Stephen Colbert on the series finale of "The Late Show." (Scott Kowalchyk/CBS) After a meaningful and prolific goodbye tour, Stephen Colbert said good night to the viewers of “The Late Show” for the last time Thursday night with a perfect episode of television that felt more like a celebration than a funeral.
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