Last Week Tonight with John Oliver is an American late-night talk show created and hosted by comedian John Oliver. The show premiered on HBO in April 2014 and is still currently running, with new episodes airing on Sunday nights.
The show follows a similar format to other late-night talk shows, with Oliver discussing recent news, politics, and current events with a satirical slant. Each episode focuses on a main segment where Oliver takes an in-depth, comedic look at a particular issue or news story. Some of the main segments over the years have focused on topics like net neutrality, multilevel marketing companies, tobacco industry marketing, and civil forfeiture abuse.
So what exactly has happened to Last Week Tonight in recent years and months? The show is still airing new episodes consistently, but there have been some minor changes and developments that dedicated fans may have noticed.
Has the show’s format changed?
For the most part, Last Week Tonight has retained the same general format since its premiere in 2014. Each episode still revolves around a main segment where Oliver dives deep into a topic, peppered with funny video clips and images to illustrate his points.
Some aspects of the format that have remained consistent include:
– Monologue at the start of the episode where Oliver discusses recent news headlines and events
– Focus on one main topic that gets a 15-20 minute comedic investigative segment
– Use of funny video clips, images, and graphics to visually enhance the main segments
– Closing segment where Oliver mentions a few quick updates or stories he didn’t have time for earlier
However, Oliver and his team have introduced a few minor formatting tweaks over the years:
– Occasional short interactive segments where Oliver asks viewers to go to the show’s website or social media
– Increased use of on-location main segments in recent years rather than always being studio-based
– More pre-taped remote interviews edited into main segments
– Longer main segments, with some now reaching over 20 minutes in length
But overall, the core format and style of Last Week Tonight remains intact years after its debut. Fans know they can still expect Oliver’s signature outrage over absurd news coupled with smart, thorough reporting each week.
Has the show’s production been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic?
Like many other late night and comedy shows, Last Week Tonight had to adjust its production due to the coronavirus pandemic. For the first couple months of the pandemic, Oliver recorded episodes in front of no studio audience from his home.
Since late May 2020, the show returned to the studio but still tapes without an audience. The lack of audience reactions and applause gives the show a slightly different tone, but has not impacted the writing or Oliver’s energetic delivery.
Some key ways Covid-19 affected the show’s production:
- No live audience since March 2020
- Oliver hosted from home for 9 episodes from mid-March to mid-May 2020
- Limited in-studio staff and crew
- Increased use of pre-taped field segments rather than in-studio guests
However, the show has adjusted well to the necessary changes, thanks in part to the writing and Oliver’s ability to entertain. Fans seem pleased that Last Week Tonight has found creative ways to continue producing new episodes despite the logistical challenges of the pandemic.
How has the show’s viewership changed?
Last Week Tonight viewership remains strong, averaging around 4 million viewers per episode across platforms in 2020. This is on par with previous years since its debut.
Some key trends in Last Week Tonight viewership:
- Viewership was highest in Season 1, averaging 4.1 million per episode
- Viewership dipped in Seasons 2 and 3, down to around 3.5 million viewers per episode
- Ratings rebounded in Season 4 back up to 4 million and have remained stable since
- About two-thirds of viewers watch the show through DVR, on demand, and streaming
Here is a table illustrating the average viewership per episode by season:
Season | Average Viewers (Millions) |
---|---|
Season 1 | 4.1 |
Season 2 | 3.4 |
Season 3 | 3.6 |
Season 4 | 4.0 |
Season 5 | 4.1 |
Season 6 | 4.2 |
So while total viewership has fluctuated slightly over the seasons, the show continues to average around 4 million viewers per episode. This stability indicates a consistent, loyal audience.
How has online engagement changed?
Engagement with Last Week Tonight’s social media accounts and YouTube channel has grown steadily since launching.
As of October 2023:
- Official YouTube channel has over 8 million subscribers
- Twitter account has over 5 million followers
- Facebook page has over 4 million followers
- Instagram account has over 2 million followers
Videos of the main segments from each episode consistently rack up 1-5 million views on YouTube. These numbers illustrate that online word of mouth and engagement with Last Week Tonight remains strong. Fans actively share and discuss clips from the show through social media, exposing it to new audiences.
Has the show’s tone or style changed over time?
The core of Last Week Tonight’s tone and style has remained intact through its 9 seasons on the air so far. The show continues to blend journalism and research with biting satire and silly humor.
However, astute fans have noticed subtle shifts in the show’s tone and Oliver’s delivery:
- In early seasons, the show focused more on lighter international news and cultural issues
- Recent seasons have taken on more weighty political and social issues happening in the US
- As Oliver has settled into the host role, his delivery has become more confident and smooth
- The writing has gotten sharper over time, with jokes increasingly tight and meticulously crafted
While the show has retained its cheeky, satirical tone, some critique Oliver and the writers for becoming too preachy or overly opinionated on issues in recent years. But much of the audience seems to appreciate Last Week Tonight using its platform to advocate for social causes and hold leaders accountable.
Have any new comedy segment styles been introduced?
The show’s comedy writers have gotten very creative over the years at dreaming up funny recurring segments to change up the pace between the main investigative pieces.
Some new segment styles include:
- “And Now This” – Highlights strange local news stories
- “Alex Jones Crazy Clip of the Week” – Shows absurd clips by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones
- “I Don’t Know How to Pronounce That” – Oliver mispronounces technical and foreign words
- “Wow…No Thank You” – Oliver responds to disturbing news stories
These short segments allow the show to diversify its comedic styles and keep introducing new running gags to entertain loyal viewers. The strength of the writing team in dreaming up fresh segment ideas keeps the humor feeling new even nine seasons later.
How has the show handled promoting activism and petitions?
One signature of Last Week Tonight is promoting real world activism andChange.org petitions related to issues covered in the main segments. Some examples over the years include:
- Creating a fake church to satirize televangelists and lobby for IRS reform
- Raising funds to wipe out $15 million in medical debt
- Creating a fictional children’s book to mock Mike Pence
- Requesting viewers bombard the FCC in support of net neutrality
The show has gotten more strategic over time in translating outrage over issues into meaningful Change.org petitions and calls for structural reforms. Some critique this activism as too political for a comedy show. But Oliver argues the show has a responsibility to harness its engaged following to try to affect change.
How has the show handled these calls to action?
When promoting petitions or political actions, Oliver generally:
- Explicitly states the specific change being requested and goal number of supporters
- Provides a link and clear instructions for how viewers can participate
- Follows up in future episodes on the results of the campaign
This transparent, strategic approach allows fans to opt in to causes they feel passionately about and then see the impact of their participation. Rather than vague slacktivism, Oliver gives viewers clear direction for effecting structural change on issues covered.
Conclusion
At its core, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver remains the same whip-smart, thought-provoking satire fans fell in love with when it premiered in 2014. Minor tweaks have been made to the format, delivery, and comedy segments to keep the show feeling fresh. But Oliver’s comically frustrated outrage coupled with incisive reporting continues to drive each episode.
While the pandemic temporarily shook up production, the show has adapted well and continues creating new content fans crave each week. Viewership and online engagement remain strong as existing fans remain loyal and new audiences discover the show through YouTube clips and social media sharing.
It will be interesting to see how Last Week Tonight continues evolving in coming years while retaining the elements that have made it so successful. But so far, the changes have been minor and the show’s tone and appeal remarkably consistent. John Oliver remains one of the most insightful, hilarious voices in late night.