The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

I feel compelled to write this review just after US presidential elections because this last month changed dramatically my views on the program. I'm not an American citizen but an avid onlooker and political events happening there have such a great effect worldwide. To fully capture the feelings of the people there, late night shows are quite helpful while entertaining. Letterman's long career on this particular show was characterised by a sometimes cynical but always detached rapport with politics. That was a healthy if a bit too play-it-safe attitude.

I always found informative, funny and interesting Colbert's previous show and I thought he innovated the Late Night formula correctly. It was not as fun as the Report and guest- based shows tend to be boring product placement with exceptions on good nights but I felt Colbert's part was still enjoyable even if CBS restrained his comedy.

Then the election came to the last month run and the show was completely ruined.

The power of the jester is immense as he can freely mock the powerful without reprisal and spell more truth in a joke than a pundit can in long PC-ruled convoluted analysis. Colbert wilfully renounced this almost sacred role and destroyed this precious mask. He completely sided with HRC losing any comedic perspective, his bits became simply a ranting word by word repetition of what the outrageous Trump had said the previous day with some stitched on comedy remarks and nothing but that for weeks. NO JOKES on HRC but just false sounding and pandering praises, adding to the boring disgrace the guests were 99,9% HRC spokespersons or her fans/endorsers (all except Viggo Mortensen).

It ended up being ironical in his failure: Colbert's show has completely ceased to be funny while actually harming his political cause by amplifying Trump's message. Colbert's political attitude should not have been the main concern for the audience in the first place, at least not more important than quality entertainment. No wonder a poll taken few days before the vote shown that 75% of American public perceived the media to heavily favour HRC (that's far more than just Republican voters). Colbert was just part of the chorus and not the worst (Samantha Bee...ugh!) but he should have known better.

I've got nothing against Colbert's political ideas or his openness about those, I never particularly liked HRC and I find Trump quite dangerous, but the lack of comedy is unbearable and unjustifiable. It was a deceptively easy task to make fun of a man who surpasses his worst critics' expectations by almost daily announcements containing racial, gender and generic outlandish charged statements. Trump used the media and the media only wanted more in a circle of desperate addiction. Other hosts went with the flow and writers had a paid holiday. I judged Colbert's and Di Nello's wits to be superior and up to the task, alas they failed miserably.

How will the show fare in Trump-Land now? Will it become even more partisan and boring? Will it adapt to other themes? I'm not going to be there to watch, that's for sure.

I would not give him a 10, if he wasn't getting a 7,9 so far. But his last couple of shows where really good. He started of a little flat - but I think he is becoming better and better since the last couple of shows.

I see that most reviews that rate the show as lost potential (whatever the show will become... NO ONE can deny: Colbert is talented and smart as s**t!) are very early looks upon the show. I will just put these in the category of frustrated fans, and give him some time - but after the last couple of shows the reviews are just unfair - the dates show that some reviewers gave this guy 3-4 days before they judged.

He is in a new role - although it seems similar - he is human and made a show that was the perfect fit for 9 years! He will have to find activity bits that suit him, a rhythm in his approach to his guests as his "new" self, find a balance between sarcasm, sincereness, smart talks and maybe find that certain thing that will complete the experience.

I would say in general Colbert has gotten better and better in whatever he made. That also is a fact (also people of that generation are often late bloomers ;-). So I can just repeat myself: If CBS is not full of total retards and they let themselves be influenced by Colberts' genius, I think that the show has the potential to become THE best tonight show that you have ever seen. The last couple of shows had glimpses and hints in that direction: Joe Biden Interview, Pope Francis Show, Elizabeth Warren Interview.

Admitted a lot of bits still seem awkward and constructed (e.g. Stephen Curry Shootout), but if he gains backbone and comfort with time and influences the writing and ideas of the show with the right people I think he can get somewhere with this. Maybe even something great.

Due too what I owe this guy in joyful and interesting moments, he gets' a 10/10 from me until I am sure I am wrong and to counter the bad reviews he got so far. I hope I am not - although I am not the easy to convince type of guy and the place Mr. Colbert has in my heart is not written in stone. Well, I am after all German ;-)

PS.: John Batiste also still seems a bit awkward and not that comfortable and fit for his position. His answers are not that quick-witted and he seems a bit unprofessional at times (e.g. Duett with Stephen at the pope special) - plus his band seems a bit clowny sometimes - but it seems they have growing potential, too - although I am not sure in Colberts' category.

Colbert's Late Show is a major disappointment. The review written by DVD says it all for me. He's a grinning, prancing shell now. Was he bought out of his hilarious, cutting-edge, truth-seeking "Report?" Is he paid now to deliver vapid lines that don't expose political lies and hypocrisy? I miss you, too, bold,relevant Stephen. I counted on you to shine a light on important truths. I couldn't wait to laugh so hard I cried when you exposed fools with self-serving policies. How often I thanked God, and yes, I am a Christian, that you and Jon Stewart were delivering important news with humor that connected with our brains. I can no longer watch the "real" you, sitting beneath your massive ego dome, proud and smiling. About what?

Well, after 3 shows that were quite disappointing, it's clear that (i) Colbert is a fantastic host but (ii) being on CBS basically kills his potential.

This new show is passable, barely saved by Colbert's talent but offers pretty much no fun and no depth. In a nutshell, it's just another bland network TV show without much interest.

The inability to bring the best of the best TV host in the US on CBS demonstrates why it is way overdue that network TV shall disappear and cable shall take over. HBO has done it for TV and movies, Comedy central demonstrated it in reverse by letting Stephen Colbert go and lose most of his potential.

Stephen, please come back to cable and do what you do best instead of losing your soul and wasting your potential on CBS.

Okay, but incredibly disappointing after The Colbert Report.

I was skeptical when Stephen Colbert got offered the role of hosting The Late Show. The Colbert Report was one of the funniest, if not THE funniest, shows on TV. It was clever, edgy and didn't mind taking pot shots at politicians, esp right-wing ones and Fox News. Surely moving to a mainsteam show would mean Colbert would have to dumb it down and appeal to a wider audience?

Well, I gave it a fair chance but I fear I was right. The edginess has gone ("Oh, no, kids might be watching!") and his shtick has been dumbed down quite a lot.

Even worse, and something I did not see coming as I figured its is well beneath him, he is having to play all those stupid clickbait games that Jimmy Fallon does (and which makes Fallon's show such a waste of time). You know, get some major star in and instead of asking them intelligent questions, get them to do something stupid. Just so that there'll be dozens of clickbait posts the next day with "See Stephen Colbert get Victoria's Secret models to eat buffalo wings!", say.

There are occasional glimpses of the old Colbert. Some clever skits, biting satire and the pokes at right-wing politicians, but they are few and far between.

Best thing to do: watch the clever stuff, fast forward through the rest.