Late Night with Seth Meyers

Late Night with Seth Meyers
Show name	Late Night with Seth Meyers
Genre	Talk show
Presenter	Seth Meyers
Country	United States
Language	English
Network	NBC
Last aired	present

Late Night with Seth Meyers is an American late-night talk show hosted by Seth Meyers that airs on NBC and is produced by Universal Television Alternative Studio and Broadway Video. The program blends monologue, desk segments, field pieces, and interviews with guests from film, television, politics, and music, drawing on influences from Saturday Night Live, The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

Overview

The series premiered following Meyers' tenure as head writer and cast member on Saturday Night Live alongside contemporaries from SNL Digital Unit, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Fred Armisen, and Bill Hader, establishing a late-night presence comparable to hosts such as Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O'Brien, and Jon Stewart. The show features a signature opening monologue and the recurring desk segment "A Closer Look," which commentators and critics have compared to features on The New York Times, segments from The Washington Post, and analyses echoing cable programs on MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News. Production elements reference studios used by NBC Studios in Rockefeller Center, with creative personnel who previously worked on projects by Broadway Video, Lorne Michaels, Universal Television, and writers who contributed to Late Night and SNL.

Production and Format

Episodes are taped at NBC's facilities in Studio 8G and sometimes at remote locations in association with franchises like Saturday Night Live Weekend Update, collaboration with writers from The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and field producers familiar with segments seen on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. The typical format begins with a cold open, streamed promos for NBCUniversal, an opening monologue referencing stories from The New York Times, The Washington Post, Politico, and headlines on The Wall Street Journal, followed by desk pieces, pre-taped correspondent bits, live interviews, and a musical or stand-up performance often booked through agents connected to CAA, WME, ICM Partners, and UTA. Executive producers have included figures associated with Broadway Video and production teams that worked on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and The Tonight Show franchises; technical crews include directors and editors who have credits on Saturday Night Live and variety shows such as SNL: The Best of Live.

Recurring Segments and Characters

Recurring segments leverage satirical and political parody traditions established by shows like Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. "A Closer Look" dissects policy and speeches from figures such as Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Bernie Sanders with research akin to segments on Meet the Press and commentary seen on CNN Tonight; other recurring bits have included topical sketches reminiscent of work by Tina Fey, character pieces drawing on improvisation techniques associated with UCB Theatre, and collaborations with comedians who have appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and Real Time with Bill Maher.

Notable Guests and Interviews

The guest roster spans actors from Marvel Cinematic Universe films, directors associated with Sundance Film Festival and Cannes Film Festival, musicians signed to labels such as Columbia Records and Republic Records, authors published by Penguin Random House and HarperCollins, and political figures who have appeared on panels on Meet the Press, Face the Nation, and 60 Minutes. High-profile interviews have included conversations with entertainers like Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio, and politicians such as Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton; the show also booked guests from streaming platforms including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO.

Reception and Ratings

Critical reception has compared Meyers' approach to long-form segments on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and the satirical commentary of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver; reviews in outlets like The New York Times, Vulture (magazine), Variety (magazine), and The Hollywood Reporter have discussed the show's blend of politics and comedy. Nielsen ratings place the program in competition with The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the late-night audience, with viewership fluctuating in response to political cycles such as the 2016 United States presidential election, 2020 United States presidential election, and major cultural events like the Academy Awards and Super Bowl.

Awards and Nominations

The series and its staff have received recognition from institutions including the Primetime Emmy Awards, Peabody Awards, Writers Guild of America Awards, and nominations from Critics' Choice Television Awards and Television Critics Association Awards for writing and segments such as "A Closer Look." Individual guests and musical performances have been associated with nomination seasons of the Grammy Awards and Academy Awards when promoting eligible work.

Category:American television talk shows Category:NBC late night programming Category:Television shows filmed in New York City