Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
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Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

"Please hold."

7.8
Yr 2014
Status Returning Series
Talk Comedy News
Your Verdict
Unrated

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Series Brief

Overview

A half-hour satirical look at the week in news, politics and current events.

Status

Latest

  • Last Week Tonight Renewed Through 2027 — July 31, 2026 (avclub.com)
Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 75 /100

Initial critical reception for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver leaned positive, with reviewers praising the host's capacity to blend sharp humor with substantive investigative commentary. Critics highlighted Oliver's distinct ability to tackle complex, underreported global issues and offer meaningful media criticism, with some enthusiasts finding his deep-dive segments compelling enough to warrant an expanded running time.

At the same time, early reviews identified minor format hurdles and inevitable comparisons to Oliver's previous work. Some commentators felt the solo desk setup could feel breathless or repetitive without supporting correspondent segments to break up topics, while others cautioned that the show initially felt like an uncensored extension of The Daily Show rather than a wholly reinvented satirical wheel.

“Oliver’s unique ability to use humor and parody to offer intelligent explanations, commentaries, and of course, criticisms of the way the United States articulates what is important and relevant in today's society.”

“It didn’t just point out stupid TV news-packaging decisions... it’s an example of media criticism that could truly make a difference in people’s lives.”

““Last Week Tonight” was perfectly fine but did nothing to deflect being construed as a “Daily Show” knockoff – the fifth episode Stewart doesn’t do, only with F-bombs.”

“The first newscast did feel simultaneously long and breathless, maybe because there was little to vary it or break up the topic segments.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Spectrum On Demand
US
Crave Amazon Channel
CA
HBO Max Amazon Channel
US
Show 2 more
Crave
CA
HBO Max
US
Why fans love it

Since launching in 2014, *Last Week Tonight with John Oliver* has established a distinct presence in late-night television by blending comedy, talk, and news. The show uses political satire to unpack global politics, giving attention to topics that might otherwise be ignored or reduced to media cliché. Rather than shying away from dense or uncomfortable subject matter, the series leans directly into stories that feel dubious or desperate.

Fans appreciate the show for turning complex current events into clear, engaging late-night commentary. By applying a sharp comedic lens to global politics, John Oliver transforms complicated news cycles into memorable television. The result is a political satire show that makes sense of chaotic world events without relying on standard talk show tropes.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 1
Longest run 377 eps
John Oliver
John Oliver
as Self - Host
377 episodes
David Kaye
David Kaye
as (voice)
20 episodes
Keith B. Alexander
as Self
1 episode
Simon Ostrovsky
Simon Ostrovsky
as Self
1 episode
Fareed Zakaria
Fareed Zakaria
as Self
1 episode
Alison Sweeney
Alison Sweeney
as Sami Brady
1 episode
James Scott
James Scott
as E.J. DiMera
1 episode
Sarah Baker
Sarah Baker
as Allison
1 episode
Show 67 more
Anita Hill 1 episode D'Arcy Carden as Homeowner 1 episode Bill Nye as Self 2 episodes Hugh Bonneville as Self - Guest Star 2 episodes Alex Webb as CEO / Ladybucks 2 episodes Seth Meyers as Self - Guest Star 2 episodes Angela Struck as Miss 1st Contestant 2 episodes Anthony Miale as Voice Over (voice) 2 episodes Nate Begle as Puppeteer 2 episodes Alberto Bonilla as Al (Amazon Employee) 4 episodes Rachel Dratch as Wanda Jo Oliver 6 episodes Stephen Colbert as Self 2 episodes Richard Kind as Blobfish (voice) 3 episodes Kahan James as Maternity 2 episodes Kyle Ploof as Space Gecko 5 episodes Ashley Blankenship as Model 3 episodes James Wojtal as Cat Puppeteer 6 episodes Michael Schupbach as Puppeteer 3 episodes Stephanie D'Abruzzo as Puppeteer 5 episodes David Fino as Mascot 2 episodes Cassandra Lee Morris as (voice) 2 episodes Allison Wardwell as Pole Dancer 2 episodes Adam Newman as Gecko 4 episodes Will Ferrell as Self 2 episodes Frances Mitchell as Average American (Woman 50 shades of grey) 2 episodes Leslie Jones as Self 2 episodes George Clooney as Self 6 episodes Noel MacNeal as Unicorn Puppeteer 19 episodes Henry Leyva as Voice Over (voice) 3 episodes Connor Ratliff as Suspect 4 episodes Becky Ann Baker as Voice Over (voice) 2 episodes Moujan Zolfaghari as Jackie (Amazon Employee) 3 episodes Haley Jenkins as Dog Paws Puppeteer 4 episodes Jack McBrayer as Colonel Sanders 5 episodes Austin Michael Young as Joe Fresh Model 2 episodes Gilbert Gottfried as Jared Kushner (voice) 3 episodes Kumail Nanjiani as Self 2 episodes Paul McGinnis as Cat Puppeteer 5 episodes Steve Buscemi as Chief Dam Inspector 2 episodes Mike Carlsen as Bar Patron 2 episodes Rob Corddry as Trucker 2 3 episodes Susan Evans as (voice) 4 episodes Matt Vogel as Kermit the Frog (voice) 2 episodes Matt Pavich as Perp 2 episodes Nick Offerman as Self 5 episodes H. Jon Benjamin as Ben 11 episodes Corey Burton as Voice Over (voice) 2 episodes Christian Lanz as Voice Over (voice) 2 episodes RuPaul as Self 2 episodes Michael Torpey as Steve 5 episodes Michael Bolton as Self 3 episodes Lara MacLean as Sesame Street Muppet Performer 2 episodes Ryan Barger as (voice) 24 episodes Chris Parnell as (voice) 2 episodes Rob Riggle as Voice Over (voice) 3 episodes Jill Twiss as Voice Over (voice) 2 episodes Jennifer Barnhart as Reddy Kilowatt (voice) 2 episodes Megan Mullally as Self 2 episodes Sean Modica as (voice) 3 episodes Tim Bagley as Todd 2 episodes Adam Pally as Self 3 episodes Eugene Mirman as Butternut Squash (voice) 2 episodes Molly Brown as (voice) 2 episodes Peter Grosz as Employee 3 2 episodes Ronny Chieng as Consultant 2 2 episodes Cecily Strong as Facebook Employee 2 episodes Bobby Moynihan as Joe Bailey 2 episodes
Production Board

Crew

Director
Joe Perota Christopher Werner Paul Pennolino Elliot Mendelson Jim Hoskinson
Producer
Marian Wang Catherine Owens Kate Mullaney Matt Passet
Supervising Producer
Christopher Werner
Stunt Coordinator
Luke Lesko Chazz Menendez
Graphic Designer
Todd Rutt
Editor
Anthony Miale Cori Wapnowska Jon Higgins
Art Direction
Amanda Carzoli
Schedule Coordinator
Hannah Crane
Script Coordinator
Hannah Crane
Makeup & Hair
Patricia Longo
Set Designer
David Korins
Wardrobe Designer
Vanessa Porter
Wardrobe Master
Dana Covarrubias
Assistant Director
Jeremy Robert Hardwick
Lighting Design
Christopher Landy David Weiner
Production Manager
Jeremy Tchaban
Executive Producer
Tim Carvell
Lighting Director
Michael Scricca
Creator
John Oliver
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Last Week Tonight with John Oliver overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

political satire global politics late-night show informative
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
April 27, 2014
Status
Returning Series
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
840