Here's what to expect as the late-night talk shows finally return this week
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Cue the canned laughter and studio audience applause: Late-night TV is finally back!
Jimmy Fallon (The Tonight Show), Jimmy Kimmel (Jimmy Kimmel Live!), Seth Meyers (Late Night), and Stephen Colbert (The Late Show) announced last week that their respective series will return this week following the conclusion of the writers' strike. (For his part, Last Week Tonight host John Oliver marked his return Sunday night.)
As a refresher, after 148 days on the picket lines, the Writers Guild of America reached a tentative agreement for a new three-year contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), thus ending the second-longest strike in the union's history on Wednesday, and effectively allowing writers, like those at the late-night shows, to go back to work. (The agreement will officially be voted on by membership from Oct. 2 to Oct. 9.)
Late-night shows were some of the first to shut down after the WGA called its strike on May 2. Given the months-long hiatus, what can viewers expect from the returning shows? And, given that actors' SAG-AFTRA strike is still ongoing, who can appear as guests on the shows and what can they discuss?
Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'
SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP will meet on Monday to resume strike negotiations in hopes of reaching a deal soon. However, for now, this means any actors who appear on the late-night shows will still not be allowed to promote or plug struck work per strike rules (unless its a project with an interim agreement). This likely means more musicians or people in other entertainment fields will appear as guests, or actors will plug other work (for instance, Matthew McConaughey will likely be promoting his new children's book, Just Because) or they will simply avoid talking about their work altogether.
So, which shows will have starry guests? And what's the plan for the shows who won't have guests? Read on for what we know so far.
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Monday, Oct. 2: Arnold Schwarzenegger; musical guest Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit
Tuesday, Oct. 3: Kathy Griffin; Luenell; musical guest Glen Hansard
Wednesday, Oct. 4: Wanda Sykes; Cassidy Hutchinson; musical guest LANY
Thursday, Oct. 5: Dax Shepard; Nicole Avant; musical guest BoyWithUke
Friday, Oct. 6: TBD
Late Night With Seth Meyers
Monday, Oct. 2: Special hour-long edition of "A Closer Look" segment; Craig Reynolds sits-in with the 8G Band
Tuesday, Oct. 3: Tracy Morgan (stand-up tour); Chris Hayes (All in With Chris Hayes); Reynolds sits-in with the 8G Band
Wednesday, Oct. 4: Nick Offerman (Where the Deer and the Antelope Play); Siobhan Fallon Hogan (Shelter in Solitude); musical guest Jungle; Reynolds sits-in with the 8G Band
Thursday, Oct. 5: David Byrne (Here Lies Love); Reynolds sits-in with the 8G Band
Friday, Oct. 6: Matt Damon; Kristin Chenoweth (rerun from April 6, 2023)
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Monday, Oct. 2: Neil deGrasse Tyson; musical guest Louis Cato
Tuesday, Oct. 3: John Oliver; musical guest boygenius
Wednesday, Oct. 4: Anderson Cooper; musical guest Japanese Breakfast
Thursday, Oct. 5: Bob Odenkirk
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Monday, Oct. 2: Matthew McConaughey; John Mayer; musical guest John Mayer
Tuesday, Oct. 3: Taraji P. Henson; Geri Halliwell-Horner; musical guest Jelly Roll
Wednesday, Oct. 4: Chelsea Handler; musical guest Carly Pearce
Thursday, Oct. 5: Maluma; musical guest Maluma
Friday, Oct. 6: Killer Mike ft. Robert Glasper and Eryn Allen Kane; musical guest Killer Mike ft. Robert Glasper and Eryn Allen Kane
Additionally, Comedy Central has also revealed that The Daily Show is slated to return Monday, Oct. 16th, continuing with all-star guest hosts for the rest of 2023. A new permanent host will take over the desk in 2024.
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