Late night shows no longer serve the role they once did — especially for generations raised on social media who don’t subscribe to TV packages. Waiting until 11:30 p.m. to hear the hot takes on the day's news is antiquated.

TV shows come and go, but rarely is there a cancellation this surprising: On Thursday, CBS announced it is axing The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, effective May 2026. And they won’t be looking for a replacement host,

The network has called the cancellation “purely a financial decision”—but it feels like only the beginning of the end for an entire genre.