Colbert Replacement Indicates a Reboot TV Trend
Byron Allen’s “Comics Unleashed” will replace CBS late night host Stephen Colbert. (CBS/TNS)
On July 17, 2025, it was announced that the long-running CBS talk show “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” is set to end on May 21, 2026, following an 11-year run. The late show has been on the air since 1993, originally with David Letterman. Through the cancellation, CBS is taking action before Colbert pulls a possible Jimmy Kimmel.
In the announcement, CBS stated the cut of the show was “purely a financial decision.” Since the announcement, people have been wondering what will replace “The Late Show.”
It was announced on April 7 that Byron Allen’s show “Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen” would replace “The Late Show.”
“Comics Unleashed,” which aired intermittently on CBS from 2006 to 2016, is a talk show with Allen and four famous comedians. Each episode takes center stage to tell stories, joke around, and bring laughter to the audience.
One advantage of putting “Comics Unleashed” in place of “ The Late Show” is that it is not as politically centered. This is a perk because of the reason for the gaps in between seasons. The gaps are a result of sporadic production, a marketing strategy that produces goods in segments rather than a continuous flow.
The second advantage is the evergreen design, also known as the timeless design, which is a marketing choice used for relevance. The final advantage is finances. Allen is paying CBS to rent a time slot, coming with a part-time agreement as part of the 2026-2027 TV season.
This old show’s return indicates something bigger in pop culture: the epidemic of reboots. Some previous reboots are “Rosanne/The Conners,” “Girl Meets World,” and “Fuller House.” Having many old shows come back says two things about the state of television.
First, the state of TV is that people are stuck in the past and are running out of ideas on how to fill the schedule. In the case of “Comics Unleashed,” the show was first used in 2023 after the ending of “James Corden’s Late Late Show.” Interestingly, this same show is replacing another late-night show three years later.
Secondly, the state of TV indicates that Gen Z is not into talk shows as much as the older generations. This is the case because they are mainly interested in the entertainment on TikTok or Instagram. Even though I never watched Colbert’s show regularly, I am still sad to see a well-loved show get discontinued. CBS is probably trying to appeal to all audiences.
As a result, they are using breaks in production. With breaks in production, Gen Z won’t get bored with seeing things that they are not interested in. Regardless of viewership, it is clever that CBS is using the trend of old shows coming back to its advantage.
“Comics Unleashed” will air on CBS starting on May 22 at 11:35 p.m.
