Rank the late night talk shows

1. What the Q2 2025 numbers actually rank

Quarterly Nielsen‑based reporting compiled by late‑night trackers shows ranking by average total viewers in measured time slots: Colbert tops the 11:35 p.m. hour with about 2.417–2.42 million viewers, Kimmel comes second (~1.77 million) and Fallon third (~1.188 million) in that hour ^{[1] [3]}. LateNighter’s Q2 wrap also highlights that Seth Meyers leads the later 12:37 a.m. hour across the key ratings metrics—so “best” depends on which hour and which metric (total viewers vs. 18–49 demo) you use ^{[2] [4]}.

2. Ratings vs. influence: two different rankings

Trade reporting emphasizes raw audiences; for cultural influence or awards the picture can differ. Screen Rant and LateNighter frame Colbert as the top ratings performer in 2025’s measured quarters, while noting other shows (like Seth Meyers) may punch above their slot in demos or cultural relevance ^{[4] [2]}. Opinion pieces argue late‑night’s cultural heft is shifting generally, but those are interpretive rather than numeric claims ^[5]. Use numeric ratings for a concrete rank, and qualitative coverage for influence — they won’t always agree ^{[1] [5]}.

3. Demographics and time‑slot nuance matter

Total viewers tell one story; advertisers prize the 18–49 demo. LateNighter and related writeups note Colbert led total viewers in his hour and edged up quarter‑over‑quarter, but in the demo Colbert and Kimmel were nearly even (Colbert 219,000 vs. Kimmel 220,000 in one report) while Fallon trailed in the demo ^{[1] [2]}. Likewise, Meyers’ strength after 12:30 a.m. is pronounced in some metrics, so a “ranking” that ignores time‑slot and demo differences is incomplete ^[4].

4. Bigger picture: shifting late‑night ecosystem

Multiple outlets point to audience declines compared with previous years and to the growth of nontraditional competitors (podcasts, streaming, and cable shows at earlier hours) as context for the numbers ^{[4] [6]}. LateNighter and commentary pieces emphasize that while Colbert is winning the traditional late‑night TV race, the genre’s overall audience is under pressure and other programs (e.g., Gutfeld! at 10 p.m.) have shown notable gains outside the broadcast late‑night window ^{[6] [2]}.

5. Where outlets agree and where they differ

Trade reports consistently agree that Colbert led the 11:35 p.m. slot in Q2 2025 and that Kimmel and Fallon followed in that order by total viewers ^{[1] [3]}. Differences arise in emphasis: some pieces highlight Colbert’s only‑show‑to‑gain‑over‑Q1 status ^[1], while others foreground Seth Meyers’ late‑night demo strength or Gutfeld!’s gains in an earlier slot ^{[4] [6]}. Opinion writers use the same data to arrive at more pessimistic conclusions about the format’s cultural relevance ^[5].

6. How to interpret a “rank” if you need one

If you want a simple, source‑backed rank for Q2 2025 by average total viewers in the 11:35 p.m. broadcast hour: 1) The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (~2.42M), 2) Jimmy Kimmel Live! (~1.77M), 3) The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (~1.19M) ^{[1] [3]}. For the later hour, LateNighter reports Late Night with Seth Meyers as the leader at 12:37 a.m. on key metrics ^[2]. Remember: that snapshot is a quarterly view; other metrics (demo, year‑over‑year change, cultural influence) will reorder priorities ^{[2] [4]}.

Limitations and sourcing note: This analysis uses Q1/Q2 2025 trade reporting and Nielsen‑based summaries compiled by LateNighter and cited by outlets including TV Insider, IMDb’s news summaries, Screen Rant, and Statista ^{[2] [1] [4] [3]}. Available sources do not present a single, industry‑wide “official” rank beyond these published ratings summaries and do not provide a comprehensive mid‑ or long‑term cultural ranking framework ^{[2] [1]}.