Week of Oct. 14 Late Night Ratings: Colbert Regains Top Spot

Note: LateNighter generally posts late night weekly live-plus-three ratings on a three (business) day delay, which is how they are released by Nielsen.

Back with several new episodes after a (mostly) dark week, CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert quickly regained its No. 1 ranking in the 11:35 p.m. timeslot. The Late Show outperformed its late-night counterparts for the week starting October 14 not only in total viewers but also among the P18-49 demo.

The Late Show averaged 2,488,000 total viewers with 280,000 P18-49 this past week, per Nielsen live-plus-three-day data. That’s up +36% in total viewers and +29% among P18-49 from the week prior (week of Oct. 7). The Late Show also gained +74% in total viewers and +69% among P18-49 from the year-ago week (Oct. 16, 2023). The show’s week of Oct. 14 Nielsen averages are based on data from four new episodes and a Friday rebroadcast.

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! returned to second place at 11:35 p.m., finishing behind CBS but ahead of its NBC counterpart in all key audience measurements. JKL averaged 1,936,000 total viewers with 229,000 P18-49 for the week of Oct. 14, per Nielsen live-plus-three data. That’s down -4% in total viewers and -1% among P18-49 from the week before, +8% and -23%, respectively, from the year-ago week. Jimmy Kimmel Live!‘s week of Oct. 14 Nielsen averages are based on data from four first-run episodes and a Friday rebroadcast.

NBC aired reruns of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon this past week at 11:35 p.m., with the five telecasts averaging 1,097,000 total viewers with 184,000 P18-49, per Nielsen live-plus-three data. That’s down -13% in total viewers and -11% among P18-49 from the week before (featuring four new episodes), -21% and -26%, respectively, from the year-ago week.

After The Late Show, CBS’ After Midnight hosted by Taylor Tomlinson averaged 715,000 total viewers with 142,000 P18-49 for the week of Oct. 14. That’s up +20% in total viewers and +28% among P18-49 from the week prior (when the show was dark and aired repeats). After Midnight‘s Nielsen ratings averages for this past week are based on data from four first-run episodes and a Friday rebroadcast.

Like The Tonight Show, NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers was also dark last week. The show’s five reruns averaged 721,000 total viewers with 134,000 P18-49 at 12:35 a.m. That’s down -23% in total viewers, and -4% among P18-49 from the previous week, -16% and -14%, respectively, from the year-ago week. Meyers’ week of Oct. 14 Nielsen ratings averages are based on data from five rebroadcasts, whereas the show’s ratings from comparable weeks are based on data from four first-run episodes and a rebroadcast.

Following Kimmel, ABC’s late night news program Nightline averaged 931,000 total viewers with 131,000 P18-49 at 12:35 a.m. for the week of Oct. 14, per Nielsen live-plus-three data. That’s down -8% in total viewers but up +2% among P18-49 from the week prior, -6% and -24%, respectively, from the year-ago week.

Finally, Comedy Central’s The Daily Show aired only three new episodes last week (The Daily Show was dark on Monday, Oct. 14). With Desi Lydic as host Tuesday through Thursday, the show averaged 1,030,000 total viewers with 206,000 P18-49, per Nielsen live-plus-three data. That’s up +1% in total viewers and +16% among P18-49 from the week prior, +99% and +55%, respectively, from the year-ago week (pre-Jon Stewart’s return).

The week’s complete ratings charts follow below.

Weekly live+3 ratings (Viewers 2+)

Weekly live+3 ratings (P18-49 Demo)

Ratings Data © The Nielsen Company, used under license.