Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
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Late Night with Conan O'Brien

7.3
Yr 1993
Status Ended
Comedy Talk
Your Verdict
Unrated

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Series Brief

Overview

Stepping into the late-late slot vacated by David Letterman, Conan O'Brien stars in a show that far outdoes its competition in sheer strangeness. Along with the celebrity interviews and musical numbers typical of late-night talk shows, this program make frequent use of odd walk-on characters and frequent "visits" from celebrity guests.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 75 /100

Early critical reception of Late Night with Conan O'Brien was mixed, characterized by a recognition of the host's potential alongside critiques of his initial nerves. Reviewers noted that while the show’s debut was not an immediate success, it displayed a unique voice that distinguished O’Brien from his contemporaries like Jay Leno and David Letterman.

Over time, the program evolved from its rocky, awkward beginnings into a widely recognized critical success. It eventually established itself as a "dorm favorite," celebrated for a smart, whimsical, and irreverent comedy style that successfully defined its own niche in the late-night landscape.

“Host has his own distinctive style, and is more viewer-friendly than Jay Leno, less acerbic than David Letterman.”

“It was obvious that O’Brien was intelligent, but there was all that camera awkwardness to put up with.”

“Smart-alecky, ribald and whimsical, this series rose to become a critical darling and dorm favorite after a rocky start in 1993.”

Why fans love it

Late Night with Conan O’Brien arrived in 1993 with a commitment to absurdity that separated it from the standard late-night formula. While the show retained the traditional structure of celebrity interviews and musical performances, the segments between those beats leaned into the unpredictable. The humor thrived on a low-budget, DIY aesthetic where the comedy felt spontaneous rather than polished for mass appeal.

The recurring presence of various characters and surreal guest appearances turned the studio stage into a playground for odd ideas. With Andy Richter helping steer the chaos, the program proved that late-night television could prioritize eccentricity over prestige. It remains a notable departure from the buttoned-up approach of its peers, favoring uncomfortable silences and strange visual gags that defined its decade on the air.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 2
Longest run 2724 eps
Conan O'Brien
Conan O'Brien
as Self - Host
2724 episodes
Joel Godard
as Self - Announcer (voice)
2724 episodes
Andy Richter
Andy Richter
as Self - Guest
1150 episodes
Rachel Dratch
Rachel Dratch
as Self - Guest
5 episodes
Martin Short
Martin Short
as Self - Guest
6 episodes
Martin Lawrence
Martin Lawrence
as Self - Guest
5 episodes
Alyson Hannigan
Alyson Hannigan
as Self - Guest
6 episodes
Tom Cavanagh
Tom Cavanagh
as Self - Guest
5 episodes
Show 67 more
Kevin Nealon as Self - Guest 7 episodes Susie Essman as Self - Guest 5 episodes Richard Lewis as Self - Guest 5 episodes Carson Daly as Self - Guest 7 episodes Jimmy Fallon as Self - Guest 5 episodes Barbara Walters as Self - Guest 6 episodes Alan Cumming as Self - Guest 6 episodes Sarah Michelle Gellar as Self - Guest 8 episodes Ben Folds as Self - Guest 5 episodes Amy Poehler as Self - Guest 8 episodes Jennifer Esposito as Self - Guest 5 episodes Sarah Vowell as Self - Guest 6 episodes Rachel Weisz as Self - Guest 5 episodes Jeff Goldblum as Self - Guest 8 episodes Drew Barrymore as Self - Guest 6 episodes Juliette Lewis as Self - Guest 6 episodes Jennifer Love Hewitt as Self - Guest 5 episodes Kevin Pollak as Self - Guest 8 episodes Paul Rudd as Self - Guest 10 episodes Gisele Bündchen as Self - Guest 5 episodes Caroline Rhea as Self - Guest 9 episodes Donal Logue as Self - Guest 5 episodes Jeff Garlin as Self - Guest 9 episodes Seth Green as Self - Guest 8 episodes Patton Oswalt as Self - Guest 13 episodes Paul Giamatti as Self - Guest 5 episodes Tyra Banks as Self - Guest 6 episodes Christopher Walken as Self - Guest 8 episodes Bob Costas as Self - Guest 8 episodes Will Ferrell as George W. Bush 9 episodes Peter Gallagher as Self - Guest 7 episodes John Pizzarelli as Self - Musical Guest 6 episodes Jim Gaffigan as Self - Guest 19 episodes Alec Baldwin as Self - Guest 8 episodes Jimmy Carr as Self - Guest 6 episodes Kristin Davis as Self 6 episodes Bob Saget as Self - Guest 6 episodes Harland Williams as Self - Guest 9 episodes Tina Fey as Self - Guest 7 episodes Tom Selleck as Self 6 episodes Louis C.K. as Self - Comedy Guest 9 episodes Bill Bellamy as Self - Guest 7 episodes Ethan Hawke as Self - Guest 6 episodes Denis Leary as Self - Guest 6 episodes William Shatner as Self - Musical Guest 14 episodes Darrell Hammond as Self - Guest 14 episodes Tom Arnold as Self - Guest 10 episodes Brian Williams as Self - Guest 12 episodes Donald Trump as Self - Guest 8 episodes Al Roker as Self - Guest 10 episodes Sheryl Crow as Self - Musical Guest 6 episodes Martha Stewart as Self - Guest 7 episodes Colin Quinn as Self - Guest 9 episodes Demetri Martin as Self - Guest 6 episodes Janeane Garofalo as Self 8 episodes Marc Maron as Self 14 episodes Dave Chappelle as Self - Guest 7 episodes John Leguizamo as Self - Guest 12 episodes Matthew Broderick as Self 6 episodes John Mayer as Self - Musical Guest 8 episodes Al Franken as Self - Guest 9 episodes Artie Lange as Self - Guest 6 episodes Lewis Black as Self - Guest 13 episodes Tom Brokaw as Self - Guest 10 episodes Robert Smigel as Self - Guest 7 episodes Abe Vigoda 10 episodes Dwayne Johnson as Self - Guest 8 episodes
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Similarity

Where Late Night with Conan O'Brien overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

talk show late-night show irreverent music hilarious
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
September 13, 1993
Status
Ended
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
167