The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Season 8
Season 8 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Season 7.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Episode Guide
Season 8 Progress Shield
Alex Wagner, Roy Wood Jr.
Sep 6, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes journalist Alex Wagner and comedian Roy Wood Jr.
Gayle King, Tony Dokoupil, Nate Burleson, Betty Gilpin
Sep 7, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes journalists Gayle King and Tony Dokoupil and actress Betty Gilpin.
Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney, James Taylor
Sep 8, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes actor Ryan Reynolds, actor Rob McElhenney and a musical performance by James Taylor.
Robert De Niro, Ethan Hawke, St. Vincent
Sep 13, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen invites actor Robert De Niro and actor Ethan Hawke to take "The Colbert Questionert" and welcomes a musical performance by St. Vincent.
Steve Carell, Phoenix
Sep 14, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes actor Steve Carell and a musical performance by Phoenix.
Queen Latifah, Nina Totenberg
Sep 15, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes actress Queen Latifah and legal correspondent Nina Totenberg.
Ana de Armas, Ken Burns, Sudan Archives
Sep 19, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes actress Ana de Armas, director Ken Burns and a musical performance by Sudan Archives.
Billy Eichner, Samantha Power
Sep 20, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes actor Billy Eichner and USAID Administrator Samantha Power.
Olivia Wilde, Dmytro Kuleba
Sep 21, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes actress Olivia Wilde and Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Phil Rosenthal
Sep 22, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and writer Phil Rosenthal.
Sigourney Weaver, Zeeko Zaki
Sep 26, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes actress Sigourney Weaver and actor Zeeko Zaki.
Samuel L. Jackson, Clarissa Ward
Sep 27, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes actor Samuel L. Jackson and journalist Clarissa Ward.
Anderson Cooper, Sosie Bacon
Sep 28, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes journalist Anderson Cooper and actress Sosie Bacon.
George Clooney, Alex G
Sep 29, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes actor George Clooney and a musical performance by Alex G.
Nancy Pelosi, Armando Iannucci, Dermot Kennedy
Oct 3, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes Madam Speaker Nancy Pelosi, writer Armando Iannucci and a musical performance by Dermot Kennedy.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, Cody Keenan
Oct 5, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes immunologist Dr. Anthony Fauci and political adviser Cody Keenan.
Cate Blanchett, Domhnall Gleeson
Oct 6, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes actress Cate Blanchett, actor Domhnall Gleeson, and “First Drafts With Evie Colbert.”
Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Paul Mecurio
Oct 10, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes actor Colin Farrell , director Brendan Gleeson and comedian Paul Mecurio.
John Lithgow, Wendell Pierce
Oct 11, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes actor John Lithgow and actor Wendell Pierce.
George Stephanopoulos, Marcia Gay Harden
Oct 12, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes anchor George Stephanopoulos and actress Marcia Gay Harden.
Jeremy Strong, Ed Sheeran
Oct 13, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes actor Jeremy Strong and singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran and a musical performance by Ed Sheeran.
Pete Buttigieg, Ina Garten
Oct 24, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and author Ina Garten.
Eddie Redmayne, George R.R. Martin
Oct 25, 2022 · 45 min
Stephen welcomes actor Eddie Redmayne and novelist George R.R. Martin.
Aubrey Plaza, Nikole Hannah Jones
Oct 26, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes actress Aubrey Plaza and journalist Nikole Hannah Jones.
Kerry Washington, Joe Walsh
Oct 27, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes actress Kerry Washington and a musical performance by Joe Walsh.
Jennifer Hudson, Zosia Mamet
Oct 31, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes actress Jennifer Hudson and actress Zosia Mamet.
Elizabeth Warren, Ernest Moniz
Nov 2, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes Senator Elizabeth Warren and Secretary Ernest Moniz.
Bono
Nov 3, 2022 · 41 min
Steven welcomes singer-songwriter Bono, and a musical performance by Bono.
Jon Oliver, The Lion King Broadway Cast
Nov 7, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes television host Jon Oliver and a musical performance by the cast of The Lion King.
John Dickerson, Mike Birbiglia
Nov 8, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes journalist John Dickerson and comedian Mike Birbiglia.
Emily Blunt, George Saunders
Nov 10, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes actress Emily Blunt and author George Saunders.
Michelle Obama, Stromae
Nov 14, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes former First Lady Michelle Obama and a musical performance by Stromae.
Jon Stewart, LCD Soundsystem
Nov 15, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes television host Jon Stewart and a musical performance by LCD Soundsystem.
Michael Shannon, Tig Notaro
Nov 16, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes actor Michael Shannon and comedian Tig Notaro.
Michelle Williams, Dierks Bentley, The winners of Pickled
Nov 17, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes actress Michelle Williams and the winners of "Pickled".
Daniel Craig, Josh Johnson
Nov 21, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes actor Daniel Craig and a stand up performance by Josh Johnson.
Cate Blanchett, Paul Dano
Nov 22, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes actor Paul Dano and a musical performance by Holly Humberstone.
Jake Gyllenhaal, Elizabeth Debicki
Nov 23, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes actor Jake Gyllenhaal and actress Elizabeth Debicki.
Don Lemon, Gabrielle Union
Nov 28, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes television journalists Don Lemon and actress Gabrielle Union.
Sally Field, Maria Ressa
Nov 29, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes actress Sally Field and Nobel Prize-winning journalist Maria Ressa.
Janet Yellen, Rob Delaney
Nov 30, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and comic Rob Delaney.
John Krasinski, Sarah Polley
Dec 1, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes actor and director John Krasinski and actress and director Sarah Polley.
John David Washington, Naomi Osaka, Spoon
Dec 5, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes actor John David Washington, tennis player Naomi Osaka, and a musical performance by Spoon.
Red, White, & Greenland! Stephen Cold-Bear Is Lost in Space Force
Dec 6, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force Roger A. Towberman and karaoke with Sturgill Simpson.
Mariah Carey, Kumail Nanjiani
Dec 7, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes singer-songwriter Mariah Carey and actor Kumail Nanjiani.
Alicia Keys, Eddie Izzard
Dec 8, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes an interview with and musical performance by Alicia Keys, and comic Eddie Izzard.
Common, Lily Collins
Dec 12, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes rapper Common and actress Lily Collins.
RuPaul, Ed Sheeran
Dec 13, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes television host RuPaul and a musical performance by Ed Sheeran.
Jeff Goldblum, Emily Blunt, José Andrés, Carlota, Inés & Lucía Andrés
Dec 14, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes Jeff Goldblum, Emily Blunt takes “The Colbert Questionert”, and cooking with José Andrés & daughters Carlota, Inés & Lucía.
Andy Cohen, Anderson Cooper, Louis Cato
Dec 15, 2022 · 41 min
Stephen welcomes TV host Andy Cohen, journalist Anderson Cooper, and a musical performance by Louis Cato.
Michelle Obama, Quinta Brunson, Tom Papa
Jan 3, 2023 · 41 min
Michelle Obama, Quinta Brunson, Tom Papa
Danai Gurira, Jeremy Pope, Ingrid Andress
Jan 12, 2023 · 41 min
Danai Gurira, Jeremy Pope, Ingrid Andress
Trevor Noah, Stephanie Hsu
Jan 18, 2023 · 41 min
Talk show host Trevor Noah sheds light on his departure from The Daily Show and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; actress Stephanie Hsu talks about her 2022 comedy-drama film, Everyt
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, Meet Me @ The Altar
Jan 19, 2023 · 41 min
Rep. Adam Kinzinger, Meet Me @ The Altar
Audie Cornish, Tom Hanks, Elle King
Jan 26, 2023 · 41 min
Audie Cornish, Tom Hanks, Elle King
Rachel Brosnahan, Murray Bartlett
Jan 30, 2023 · 41 min
Rachel Brosnahan, Murray Bartlett
Patrick Stewart, Ke Huy Quan
Feb 14, 2023 · 41 min
Patrick Stewart, Ke Huy Quan, Boyz II Men
Jim Gaffigan, Jesse Williams
Feb 15, 2023 · 41 min
Jim Gaffigan, Jesse Williams, RAYE featuring 070 Shake.
Rev. Al Sharpton, Jessica Williams
Feb 16, 2023 · 41 min
Rev. Al Sharpton, Jessica Williams
Lin-Manuel Miranda, John Kander, a performance by the Broadway cast of "New York, New York"
Apr 4, 2023 · 41 min
Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen, Jodie Comer
Apr 5, 2023 · 41 min