CBS renews ‘After Midnight’

CBS has renewed its freshman late-night show “After Midnight.”

‘After Midnight’ packs open set design with nods to the wild world of the web

The show debuted in January 2024 as a replacement for “The Late Late Show” and notably marked CBS’s exit from broadcasting two late-night talk shows back to back.

“After Midnight” is formatted as a comedic quasi-game show with rotating guests playing a series of games centered around pop culture and internet trends. A segment called “The Talk Show Portion” was later added in response to viewer requests to bring back a more traditional light night talker to the timeslot.

Taylor Tomlinson hosts the show and is slated to return for Season 2.

CBS has continued to air “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” at 11:35 p.m. eastern but, when James Corden exited “The Late Late Show,” opted to replace the show entirely with a different format.

“After Midnight” typically airs at 11:37 p.m. eastern and goes up against “Late Night with Seth Meyers” on NBC and ABC News’ “Nightline,” though schedules do vary from market to market.

Many in the industry saw “After Midnight” as a way for CBS to program an often-challenging timeslot with a comparatively low-risk and lower-cost option than continuing to produce a full-scale talk show in the vein of “Late Late” or “Late Night.”

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