The Year in TV: How Late-Night Hosts Became the Resistance

2017 was the year that Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel finally came into their own — and talk shows became the frontlines for political accountability

How 2017 turned Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel into late-night TV resistance fighters and talk shows became the frontlines for political accountability. Credit: NBC, ABC, CBS

By Tim Grierson

In the world of late-night television, 2017’s biggest media story was the fact that, after initial stumbles — and even rumors that he might get replaced — Stephen Colbert’s much-hyped Late Show overtook Jimmy Fallon’s seemingly invincible Tonight Show in the ratings. (NBC’s boyish, game-loving host still has the advantage in the much-coveted 18-to-49 demo, but that lead keeps shrinking.) There were many reasons to cheer this news. From his time on The Daily Show to hosting The Colbert Report, Colbert has proved to be one of the best, most politically incisive comedians of our era. As for Fallon, if his playful tousling of Donald Trump’s hair during the 2016 campaign wasn’t irritating enough, then his repeatedly inane Tonight Show shenanigans served as a consistent reminder of how vapid a presence he is. Sure, he introduced the Roots to the world. If that means suffering through another “Thank You Notes” segment, however, was the trade-off really worth it?

But while much has been made of Late Show’s ratings ascendance being tied to…