Jimmy Kimmel schedules rerun opposite Stephen Colbert’s Late Show finale
CBS announced on May 11 that Jimmy Kimmel will air a repeat episode of his 2015 “Late Show with David Letterman” tribute during the same time slot as Stephen Colbert’s planned series finale of “The Late Show.” The programming clash is set for Thursday night, the final broadcast of the long‑running talk‑show franchise.
Industry analysts note that the move reflects a broader trend of networks leveraging nostalgia to capture audiences amid a fragmented streaming landscape. Colbert’s finale, billed as a “celebration of late‑night television,” marks the end of an era that began with Letterman in 1993 and continued through Leno, Stewart, and finally Colbert.
The Hill reports that Kimmel’s team, citing internal memos, chose the rerun because the original episode featured a high‑profile interview with Letterman and a rare musical performance that resonated with late‑night fans. Meanwhile, Variety points out that CBS expects the repeat to draw a modest 3.2‑million‑viewer audience, compared with the projected 5‑million viewership for Colbert’s finale on CBS’s rival network.
Media commentators suggest the scheduling duel could boost live‑TV ratings, as advertisers vie for a demographic eager for “event television.” Media analyst Jennifer Liu of Nielsen predicts “a spike in simultaneous‑viewership metrics that could benefit both networks if they promote cross‑platform streaming options.”
The outcomes will be measured by Nielsen’s overnight ratings released on Friday, and both networks have indicated they will monitor social‑media engagement to gauge audience reaction. If Kimmel’s rerun outperforms expectations, it may encourage other networks to deploy vintage content as a strategic counter‑programming tool.