Conan O’Brien’s time as the funniest late night host on television is coming to an end. TBS was O’Brien’s home for the last ten years. The show underwent changes during that time, including the loss of his band and a second interviewee. Again, O’Brien is changing up his style, but this time, it’s for HBO Max.
The host is staying in the WarnerMedia family. Conan (aka Coco) is now working on a weekly variety show for HBO Max. The change comes after 28 years in late night television, including the ten years on TBS. Conan’s late-night show will come to an end in June, 2021. “In 1993 Johnny Carson gave me the best advice of my career: ‘As soon as possible, get to a streaming platform,’” Conan joked in a statement. I’m thrilled that I get to continue doing whatever the hell it is I do on HBO Max, and I look forward to a free subscription.”
Nobody is as naturally funny as Conan on late night. Conan’s silliness has gravitas. Conan’s late-night presence will be missed, but 28 years is a legendary run. “28 years is a monumental achievement in late-night television,” said Brett Weitz, who’s the General Manager for TNT, TBS and truTV. “We’re incredibly proud of the groundbreaking work that Conan and his team have accomplished during the 10 years at TBS and are so glad that we will continue to have his presence on our air with the ‘Conan Without Borders’ specials. We celebrate his success and are glad to see it grow across our WarnerMedia family.”
Conan Without Borders has been a fan favorite for a long time. The late night show host travelled to countries around the world, crossed paths with entertaining characters and explored different cultures a little. The episodes are delightful, so thankfully, they will continue on TBS.
As for HBO Max, it’s a huge pickup for the streaming service. Another reason to sign up for the streaming service, which this week, is finally available on Amazon. “Conan’s unique brand of energetic, relatable, and at times, absurdist, comedy has charmed late-night audiences for nearly three decades. We can’t wait to see what he and the rest of Team Coco will dream up for this brand new, variety format each week,” said Casey Bloys, Chief Content Officer, HBO and HBO Max.
It’s another exciting chapter for Conan O’Brien. It’s sad to see the end of his late night career, although he’s arguably going out on top. He didn’t overstay his time at the party. O’Brien has never shied away from evolving. It was unfortunate when Conan left NBC and when he changed his format on TBS without his band, but in both instances, he changed up the formula for the good. Over recent years, it’s been great to see Conan having more time with guests and producing more relaxed interviews, especially on his fantastic podcast, “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend.”
Instead of being available to watch almost every night, too, there will be something more special about a weekly dose of Conan. There won’t be unlimited content and jokes, but a select few. Sometimes less is more, especially in comedy. A weekly show from Conan does sound like can’t-miss television, plus a sure-fire way for HBO Max to land more subscribers. It wouldn’t be surprising if Conan gets more eyeballs on the streaming service. Wherever he goes, whatever the format, we know Conan O’Brien will bring the laughs. The entertainer’s transition to HBO Max is the end of an extraordinary chapter in late-night television, but the beginning of a new and exciting chapter in Conan’s career.
