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The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

1962 – 1992Show31 seasons3777 episodesTV-PG

Talk
79
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb8.5Metacritic–7.7

A nostalgic, wholesome talk series about show business and pop culture, with standout performances and dialogue.

Good for date night · family movie night · friends night

Skip it if you want dark or edgy material

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for scares, brutality or suspense.

Shows with

Episodes

31 seasons · 3777 episodes · best: S1E107 "Skitch Henderson/Ed McMahon/Richard Chamberlain" 9.7

Episodes

6.5
7.4
8.1
8.3
8.5
8.6
8.5
8.1
8.8
7.7
8.5
8.2
8.8
8.3
8.0
7.5
7.9
7.6
8.7
7.8
7.6
8.0

Story

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under The Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night. For its first ten years, Carson's Tonight Show was based in New York City with occasional trips to Burbank, California; in May 1972, the show moved permanently to Burbank, California. In 2002, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was ranked #12 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.

Feels like

  • Classic Late-Night Talk Show
  • Cultural Institution
  • Witty & Charming Host
  • Vintage Television History
  • Comfort Viewing
  • Satirical Commentary
  • Iconic Pop Culture Archive
  • Improvisational Humor
  • Generational Bridge

Cast

24 of 1,572 · most episodes first

Crew

Directors
Howard Storm
Written by
Pat McCormick
Produced by
Rudy Tellez, Jeff Sotzing, Jim McCawley

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

October 1, 1962 · May 22, 1992 · Ended

First aired
October 1, 1962
Last aired
May 22, 1992
Status
Ended
Length
31 seasons · 3777 episodes
Age rating
TV-PG
Genres
Talk
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Available in
1 country

Tropes

Game Show Appearance, Christmas Episode, Award Show +9

  • Game Show Appearance
  • Christmas Episode
  • Award Show
  • By-the-Book Cop
  • Added Alliterative Appeal
  • Biting-the-Hand Humor
  • Casanova Wannabe
  • Ugly Slavic Women
  • The Shelf of Movie Languishment
  • Persona Non Grata
  • Vanity Plate
  • Taps

12 of 86 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

7 questions, like "Where can I stream The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson?"

Questions about The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson?

fuboTVThe RokuPluto TV

In the United States, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson streams on fuboTV, and it is free with ads on The Roku and Pluto TV.

Is The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson worth watching?

79
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 79 (IMDb 8.5). Season 1 is the weak spot, with an IMDb average of 6.5 against 8.8 for the best season.

Does The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson get better after season 1?

Yes: season 1 has an IMDb average of 6.5, and seasons 17 and 21 peak at 8.8. The highest-rated episode is Skitch Henderson/Ed McMahon/Richard Chamberlain (season 1, episode 107) at 9.7, and the lowest is Stanley Kramer, William Saroyan, John Gary (season 1, episode 265) at 1.3.

Is The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson okay for kids?

TV-PG

Yes: it's rated TV-PG in the United States, and the viewing guide lists it for kids.

How long does it take to watch The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson?

3777 h

About 3777 hours: 3777 episodes in 31 seasons of about 60 minutes each, aired from 1962 to 1992.

Can I half-watch The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson?

Easy watchDemanding

Yes: it's easy to follow, with meta narrative at only 5 of 10, and the viewing guide calls it good for background watching.

Will I feel good after watching The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson?

BleakHopeful

Yes, it's an uplifting series: the title analysis rates it 8 of 10 for wholesome and 7 for hopefulness.