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Critic's Take

The Awful Optics of CBS Canceling ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert'

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'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' during Thursday's July 17, 2025 show.

CBS’ Colbert Axe and Late-Night’s Slow Death

It's difficult not to see how an ownership change impacted 'The Late Show' franchise, but the move also reveals stubborn truths about the cost of the programming vs. cheaper and infinite YouTube rivals.

By Alex Weprin

Latest News

Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Sarah Pidgeon, and Gabbriette attend the Los Angeles premiere of Columbia Pictures “I Know What You Did Last Summer” at The United Theater on Broadway on July 14.

‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ Returns, Rihanna Debuts ‘Smurfs’ and This Week’s Best Events

Adrianne Palicki

Adrianne Palicki to Star in Horror-Thriller ‘Remote’ (Exclusive)

Superman/DC Booth

DC’s Comic-Con Booth Unveiled as Publisher Hits the Road to 100th Anniversary

'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' during Thursday's July 17, 2025 show.

CBS’ Colbert Axe and Late-Night’s Slow Death

Maurene Comey

Epstein, Diddy Prosecutor Maurene Comey Speaks Out After Firing: “Fear Is The Tool of a Tyrant”

Callum Vinson

Peacock’s ‘Friday the 13th’ Prequel ‘Crystal Lake’ Finds Its Jason Voorhees

Superman, from left: David Corenswet as Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, 2025.

Box Office: ‘Superman’ Leaps Past $300M Globally, Nears $200M Domestically

Tina Fey Kimberly Belflower Sadie Sink Marc Platt

Tina Fey, Marc Platt Team for ‘John Proctor Is the Villain’ Movie at Universal (Exclusive)

Blue Bloods, Bridget Moynahan as Erin Reagan Boyle

Bridget Moynahan Sets ‘Boston Blue’ Guest Appearance, Reuniting With Donnie Wahlberg

Alan Bergman

Alan Bergman, Oscar-Winning Lyricist, Dies at 99

Alex Warren

With His New Album, Alex Warren Isn’t Broken Anymore

  • Person of Interest
'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert'

Trump Reacts to ‘Late Show’ Ending: “I Absolutely Love That Colbert Got Fired”

Kate Beckinsale with her mother, actress Judy Loe, at the 2004 afterparty for the premiere of 'The Aviator'.

Kate Beckinsale Announces Death of Her Mother, British Actress Judy Loe, at 78: “I Am Paralyzed”

Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers, and Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson

Netflix Results Draw Share Price Target Hikes, Muted Stock Reaction as Focus Turns to Second Half of Year

Mathilde Dratwa

Behind the Incendiary New Play Confronting David Mamet

(L-R) Paul Laverty, Ken Loach and Rebecca O'Brien at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.

Ken Loach Joins Edinburgh Film Festival Speaker Lineup Alongside Kevin Macdonald, Nia DaCosta

Fernanda Torres

Venice Film Festival Adds Fernanda Torres, Mohammad Rasoulof to Competition Jury

Sarajevo Film Festival 2025 jury

Sarajevo Film Festival Names Ukraine Director Sergei Loznitsa Jury President

THR's voice in the geek sphere

Superman/DC Booth

DC's Comic-Con Booth Unveiled as Publisher Hits the Road to 100th Anniversary

And get ready to see DC heads Jim Lee and Anne DePies in cosplay.

Box Office: 'Superman' Leaps Past $300M Globally, Nears $200M Domestically

Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Sells Out in Imax 70MM a Year Ahead of Film's Release

Inside the show and biz of TV

Callum Vinson

Peacock’s ‘Friday the 13th’ Prequel ‘Crystal Lake’ Finds Its Jason Voorhees

Callum Vinson will play the young version of the movie franchise monster in the series.

Bridget Moynahan Sets ‘Boston Blue’ Guest Appearance, Reuniting With Donnie Wahlberg

Trump Reacts to 'Late Show' Ending: "I Absolutely Love That Colbert Got Fired"

What We're Watching

Spoilers ahead!

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Madelyn Cline in I Know What You Did Last Summer

How ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ Rebooted the Millennial Cult Classic for Gen Z

Amy Bradley Is Missing on Netflix

‘Amy Bradley Is Missing,’ But the Netflix Docuseries Filmmakers Think They Know Where She Is

Olandria and Nic on 'Love Island USA' season 7.

‘Love Island USA’ Stars Nic and Olandria Can’t Wait for the “Messy” Reunion: “It’s Gonna Be a Cinematic Film”

James Marsden and Sterling K. Brown in The Day, Paradise.

‘Paradise’ Boss on How Their End-of-the-World Research Sets Up Season 2

Must Reads

This week's essential stories and interviews.

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Stephen Colbert on Thursday's live 'Late Show' from Chicago.

The Awful Optics of CBS Canceling ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’

Sarajevo Film Fest: Ukraine Director Sergei Loznitsa Jury President

Rise of the Machines: Inside Hollywood’s AI Civil War

From left: 'Moonlight,' 'Goodfellas,' 'Apocalypse Now' and 'Clueless.'

The 40 Greatest Needle Drops in Film History

Mr. Milchick (Tramell Tillman) in the season two finale.

2025 Emmy Nominations Take a Typically Shallow Dive Into TV’s Best

Featured Videos

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From left: Tramell Tillman in 'Severance,' Colin Farrell in 'The Penguin,' Kathryn Hahn in 'The Studio' and Natasha Rothwell in 'The White Lotus'

2025 Emmy Nominations Revealed

The 2025 Emmy nominations have been revealed, and Severance leads with 27 nods. The Penguin follows behind with 24 nominations, while The Studio and The White Lotus each received 23 nods.

THR's TV critics pick their top Emmy choices

And the Emmy Nominations Should Go to…

Jay Ellis

Jay Ellis Breaks Down Scenes From ‘Insecure,’ ‘The Game,’ Top Gun: Maverick,’ ‘Running Point’ & Talks New Off-Broadway Show ‘Duke & Roya’

Jonathan Bailey

Jonathan Bailey on His Close Collabs With ‘Wicked’ Co-Stars Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Talks ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ & More

Bella Ramsey

Bella Ramsey Talks Sustainability, ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2, Friendship With Pedro Pascal & More

(L-R): Cooper Koch, Jeffrey Wright, Diego Luna, Adam Scott, Walton Goggins and Eddie Redmayne

Adam Scott, Cooper Koch, Diego Luna, Eddie Redmayne, Jeffrey Wright and Walton Goggins at the THR Drama Actor Roundtable

THR's TV critics pick their top Emmy choices

And the Emmy Nominations Should Go to…

Jay Ellis

Jay Ellis Breaks Down Scenes From ‘Insecure,’ ‘The Game,’ Top Gun: Maverick,’ ‘Running Point’ & Talks New Off-Broadway Show ‘Duke & Roya’

Jonathan Bailey

Jonathan Bailey on His Close Collabs With ‘Wicked’ Co-Stars Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Talks ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ & More

Bella Ramsey

Bella Ramsey Talks Sustainability, ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2, Friendship With Pedro Pascal & More

(L-R): Cooper Koch, Jeffrey Wright, Diego Luna, Adam Scott, Walton Goggins and Eddie Redmayne

Adam Scott, Cooper Koch, Diego Luna, Eddie Redmayne, Jeffrey Wright and Walton Goggins at the THR Drama Actor Roundtable

Most Popular

Emmys 2025: List of Nominees

By Hilary Lewis, Kimberly Nordyke

Inside the $3 Billion ‘South Park’ Fight That May Blow Up Its Future

By Winston Cho, Gary Baum, Alex Weprin

Tyler Perry Accuser Derek Dixon Speaks: “I Couldn’t Stay Silent Anymore” (Exclusive)

By Rebecca Keegan

Box Office: ‘Superman’ Saves the Day for DC Studios With $125M Domestic Opening, $220M Globally

By Pamela McClintock

Behind Dr. Phil’s Media Flameout

By Rick Porter

‘Superman’ First Reactions: “A Terrific Start for the New DC Studios”

By Mia Galuppo

Oscars: Mariska Hargitay’s Jayne Mansfield Doc ‘My Mom Jayne’ Has Qualified, Campaign to Come (Exclusive)

By Scott Feinberg

Justin Bieber to Release Seventh Album on Friday (Exclusive)

By Shirley Halperin, Ethan Millman

Critic’s Notebook: The Awful Optics of CBS Canceling ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’

By Daniel Fienberg

Reviews

Movies

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Still from No Sleep Till

‘No Sleep Till’ Review: A Tropical Storm Threatens a Florida Town in a Mesmerizing Debut

By Lovia Gyarkye
(L to R)Sarah Pidgeon, Madelyn Cline, Chase Sui Wonders Jonah Hauer-King, and Tariq Withers in Columbia Pictures I Know What You Did Last Summer

‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ Review: Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt Return for a Legacy Sequel Not Worth Screaming About

By Frank Scheck
Papa Smurf (John Goodman), No Name (James Corden), Smurfette (Rihanna) and Brainy Smurf (Xolo Mariduena) in Smurfs from Paramount Animation.

‘Smurfs’ Review: Rihanna and James Corden Lead All-Star Voice Cast in a Reboot That Chooses Chaos Over Charm

By Frank Scheck
Mimi Davila in 'The Scout.'

‘The Scout’ Review: Modest but Accomplished Debut Brings a New York Location Scout’s Routines to Lovely, Low-Key Life

By Lovia Gyarkye
'GEN_'

‘GEN_’ Review: A Compassionate Portrait of an Italian Doctor Treating Trans Patients and Women Trying to Conceive

By Jordan Mintzer

TV

See All
Stephen Colbert on Thursday's live 'Late Show' from Chicago.

Critic’s Notebook: The Awful Optics of CBS Canceling ‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’

By Daniel Fienberg
(L to R) Lily Santiago as Naya Vasquez, Eric Bana as Kyle Turner in episode 101 of Untamed.

‘Untamed’ Review: Eric Bana and Lily Santiago Anchor Netflix’s Intriguing but Rushed Yosemite-Set Mystery

By Daniel Fienberg
Mr. Milchick (Tramell Tillman) in the season two finale.

Critics’ Conversation: 2025 Emmy Nominations Take a Typically Shallow Dive Into TV’s Best

By Daniel Fienberg, Angie Han
Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan in 'Dexter: Resurrection.'

‘Dexter: Resurrection’ Review: Michael C. Hall Returns for Paramount+’s Entertainingly, Frustratingly Silly Franchise Reboot

By Daniel Fienberg
Megan Stalter in 'Too Much.'

‘Too Much’ Review: Lena Dunham’s Netflix Romantic Dramedy Has Some Intimacy Issues

By Angie Han

Shopping With THR

See All See All Shopping With THR Articles

Lifestyle

How Hollywood Lives

See all See All Lifestyle Articles
Mathilde Dratwa
Arts

Behind the Incendiary New Play Confronting David Mamet

By Caitlin Huston
Clueless and Mattel Release 30th Anniversary Barbie Dolls, Polly Pocket Set, Little People Figures and American Girl Outfits
Shopping

‘Clueless’ Turns 30: Cher and Dionne Get Dolled Up As Barbies, Polly Pocket Playsets and Other Nostalgic Toys

By Danielle Directo-Meston

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