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Late Night with David Letterman

1982 – 1993Show12 seasons1377 episodes

ComedyTalk
68
GoodGoodWatch score
IMDb7.5

A nostalgic, quirky comedy series about show business and pop culture.

Good for friends night · party vibe · teens

Where to watch

Set your services

Not streaming in any country yet.

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Not for scares, brutality or suspense.

Shows with

Episodes

12 seasons · 1377 episodes · best: S1E1 "Dave's First Late Night Show" 7.8

Episodes

7.2

Story

Late Night with David Letterman is a nightly hour-long comedy talk show on NBC that was created and hosted by David Letterman. It premiered in 1982 as the first incarnation of the Late Night franchise and went off the air in 1993, after Letterman left NBC and moved to Late Show on CBS. Late Night with Conan O'Brien then filled the time slot. As of March 2, 2009, the slot has been filled by Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. It will be filled by Seth Meyers in the spring of 2014, after Fallon becomes host of The Tonight Show.

Feels like

  • Iconic Late-Night Comedy
  • Absurdist Humor
  • Pop Culture Commentary
  • Host-Driven Variety
  • Retro TV Aesthetic
  • Witty Monologues
  • Cult Following
  • Satirical Interviews
  • Comfort Viewing
  • Media History Artifact

Cast

24 of 227 · most episodes first

Crew

Directors
Hal Gurnee
Written by
David Letterman, Chris Elliott, Andy Breckman
Produced by
Robert Morton, Barry Sand, Jude Brennan

Everyone

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

Facts

February 1, 1982 · June 25, 1993 · Ended

First aired
February 1, 1982
Last aired
June 25, 1993
Status
Ended
Length
12 seasons · 1377 episodes
Content
Nudity, Strong Language, Sexual Content
Genres
Comedy, Talk
Original language
English

Tropes

Too Incompetent to Operate a Blanket, Stylistic Suck, Missing Reflection +9

  • Too Incompetent to Operate a Blanket
  • Stylistic Suck
  • Missing Reflection
  • Fourth-Wall Mail Slot
  • Wants a Prize for Basic Decency
  • Award-Bait Song
  • Brick Joke
  • Obviously Evil
  • Didn't Think This Through
  • Long List
  • Affectionate Parody
  • Affectionate Parody

12 of 91 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

5 questions, like "Is Late Night with David Letterman worth watching?"

Questions about Late Night with David Letterman

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Is Late Night with David Letterman worth watching?

68
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 68 (IMDb 7.5).

How long does it take to watch Late Night with David Letterman?

1377 h

About 1377 hours: 1377 episodes in 12 seasons of about 60 minutes each, aired from 1982 to 1993.

Will Late Night with David Letterman make me laugh?

Funny

Yes: the humor is mostly situational comedy (8 of 10) and satire (8 of 10).

Can I half-watch Late Night with David Letterman?

Easy watchDemanding

Yes: it's easy to follow, with meta narrative at only 6 of 10, and the viewing guide calls it good for background watching.

What tropes does Late Night with David Letterman use?

Too Incompetent to Operate a BlanketStylistic SuckMissing ReflectionFourth-Wall Mail SlotWants a Prize for Basic DecencyAward-Bait SongBrick JokeObviously EvilDidn't Think This ThroughLong ListAffectionate ParodyAffectionate Parodyand 79 more

TV Tropes lists 91 tropes for it, including Too Incompetent to Operate a Blanket, Stylistic Suck, and Missing Reflection.