Taylor Tomlinson Changes Up Late-Night With “After Midnight”

Taylor Tomlinson is inarguably one of the biggest comedians working today, with two Netflix hours under her belt and a third one coming out very soon. She also has managed to sell out theaters all throughout the country, including Radio City Music Hall. With all that in mind, that makes her a perfect choice to take over late night hosting duties. 

When James Corden left The Late Late Show in May of last year, CBS was already looking to change things up. As talk shows haven’t been getting as many eyeballs as they once were on TV, they decided to switch things up with a new format. They format they landed on was bringing back Comedy Central’s @midnight with a new name and a new host, Taylor Tomlinson.

The show premiered last night with a very familiar feel. Three panelists - in this case, Whitney Cummings, Aparna Nancherla, and Kurt Braunohler - are all commenting on the latest internet trends and videos for points that don’t mean anything. The best joke or commentary gets points. Tomlinson joked that the three comedians were all playing for her father’s approval. “It’s rare, but win-able,” she joked.

As a host, it didn’t take long for Tomlinson to start finding her own voice. At its core, the show is a great way to showcase the comradery that all comedians seem to share with one another. As an audience member, you do get a feel for what it’s like when a bunch of comics get together. They are trying to one-up each other in regards to how the game is played, but they’re also just as supportive when someone gets a really good joke out.

Tomlinson manages to do a solid job of helping navigate those waters. It’s the sort of show that can only work with the right voice. You need to have someone steering the ship that is super likable and funny, but also has a great affection for whatever the best joke is, even if it’s not their own. That’s what makes a good host. Even after just one episode, it’s already pretty clear that Tomlinson has those crucial elements at her disposal. It really has us looking forward to how she’s going to hone those elements further going forward. 

Yes, it’s definitely taken far too long for a female host to enter the late night arena once again. But you need to give both Tomlinson and After Midnight credit for what they’re doing. It’s not your standard talk show, and it’s not your standard game show, either. It sort of exists in this third category where it’s a bit of everything, while still being a really fun late night watch.