There has been a seismic shift in the Late Night game over the past year or so, as a couple of legendary broadcasters have moved aside for the new breed of host. How the shows are consumed has also changed considerably since the late night wars of the '90s between David Letterman and Jay Leno; videos that go viral that get the most YouTube views are now seen as a huge part of a show's success, along with ratings.
Since the new guys have now settled in, we decided to examine the best of the best and take a look at the status quo of popular variety television.
5 - Stephen Colbert
He may be losing out in the ratings to the broader appeal of Jimmy Fallon, but Colbert took over from an icon in David Letterman and has very much put his own stamp on The Late Show. Gone is the classic 'big star, smaller star followed by musical guest' set-up that has been a mainstay of talk shows; instead, Colbert mixes it up and includes business men and women, politicians and celebrities. This is by no means a bad thing; his interviewing style is well researched and engaging and he's extremely sharp - rarely throwing soft balls. Colbert was handpicked by Letterman as his replacement, and has delivered strongly so far.
4 - Jimmy Kimmel
Unsurprisingly, Kimmel is more like his hero David Letterman than any other host. He is a pisstake artist and the proprietor for the best bit in late night, Mean Tweets - but is also a born prankster who embraces the laddish element of his personality for his show. Crucially, however, he balances it with a genuine sensitivity that makes him appealing to everyone. He never seems uncomfortable in an interview situation (in stark contrast to someone like Fallon), and he takes the most obvious leaf from Letterman's book by not being afraid to make fun of anyone to their face - be it Barack Obama or Justin Bieber. The ABC host has steadily risen in the ratings since his debut and could very well find himself the most popular guy in the time slot soon.
3 - Seth Meyers
The most surprising name on the list, perhaps, but Seth Meyers is a cerebral comedian who hasn't tried to follow the flock and bang out forced viral content for the sake of it. The former Saturday Night Live head writer seems extremely content in the post-Tonight Show slot, where he's emerged as an heir to the throne of the great Jon Stewart. Meyers isn't afraid to offer an opinion on current affairs, politics or politicians - he called out Donald Trump from early on, for instance. Above all else, he's an extremely funny man and has superb comic timing; he can also bang out a smash sketch when he wants to (check out the Boston Accent Trailer). The thinking person's host, who is always watchable no matter the guest line-up.
2 - Graham Norton
It's incredible how much of a cultural broadcasting mainstay Norton's Friday night show has become here and in the UK. Granted, unlike the US he has one show a week to fill - but he does so with such aplomb, grace and hilarity that it's easy to see why he's a weekly television highlight for so many people. Again, like the best hosts, Norton is perpetually at ease - nothing seems to rattle him. When your guests are comfortable, they're more likely to have fun and so too are the audience. It's unsurprising that James Corden took a similar multiple guest format to the US, but he pales in comparison to the Cork native. He's incredible at segueing between huge name guests and making it feel more like a group chat than a straight up interview.
1 - Conan O'Brien
Conan has a comedic brain like very few people who make a living out of being funny. It's worth bearing in mind that there was no one like him in late night when he took over from Letterman, after he moved to CBS. The groundswell of support towards him after the Leno/NBC debacle a few years back was testament to how much of a connection the Harvard graduate has with his fanbase. He is constantly innovative, self-effacing, uses his staff on the show superbly and is far edgier than any of his counterparts. While TBS has a smaller audience than the likes of NBC, what the move has done is allow Conan to flex his comedic muscle a lot more. Filming remotes from Cuba, beginning shows with superb SNL-style 'cold opens' and constantly delivering the best monologues the format has, he is the most entertaining and funniest man on late night television.
Shoutout to Trevor Noah who is getting better and better, having filled Jon Stewart's staggeringly big shoes, and to the genuinely incredible John Oliver, whose Last Week Tonight is more of a topical commentary than a talk show.