The BEST episodes of Late Show with David Letterman

Every episode of Late Show with David Letterman ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Late Show with David Letterman!

“Late Show with David Letterman” is an hour-long weeknight comedy and talk show broadcast by CBS from the Ed Sullivan Theater on Broadway in New York City and is produced and hosted by David Letterman. The show's music director and bandleader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is Paul Shaffer. The head writers are brothers Justin Stangel and Eric Stangel. The announcer is Alan Kalter, who replaced Bill Wendell as announcer in 1995. The show airs at night, but is recorded the afternoon of the broadcast.

Last Updated: 1/11/2024Network: CBSStatus: Ended
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Gordon Ramsay, Adam Devine, St. Paul and the Broken Bones
star
10.00
1 votes

#1 - Gordon Ramsay, Adam Devine, St. Paul and the Broken Bones

Season 22 - Episode 67 - Aired 1/12/2015

Alec Baldwin, Jay Thomas, Darlene Love
star
10.00
27 votes

#2 - Alec Baldwin, Jay Thomas, Darlene Love

Season 17 - Episode 65 - Aired 12/23/2009

Alec Baldwin gets intimidated by an acting legend. Also: Jay Thomas returns and Darlene Love sings "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).

Jason Sudeikis, Allison Janney, Damien Rice
star
9.67
3 votes

#3 - Jason Sudeikis, Allison Janney, Damien Rice

Season 22 - Episode 44 - Aired 11/17/2014

The Final Late Show with David Letterman
star
9.54
148 votes

#4 - The Final Late Show with David Letterman

Season 22 - Episode 138 - Aired 5/20/2015

6,028th broadcast

Watch Now:Amazon
Lena Dunham, Bobby Cannavale, Andy Kim with Kevin Drew
star
9.50
2 votes

#5 - Lena Dunham, Bobby Cannavale, Andy Kim with Kevin Drew

Season 22 - Episode 98 - Aired 3/12/2015

Show #0002
star
9.00
1 votes

#6 - Show #0002

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 8/31/1993

Dave's worst moment on last night's debut: his fake tooth fell out (the video is repeated several times in slow motion); a four-year-old geography expert and cheese lover names states on a U.S. map.

Directors: Hal Gurnee
Watch Now:Amazon
Reese Witherspoon, Nathan Lane, Mumford & Sons
star
9.00
3 votes

#7 - Reese Witherspoon, Nathan Lane, Mumford & Sons

Season 22 - Episode 127 - Aired 5/5/2015

Bill O'Reilly, Aubrey Plaza
star
9.00
2 votes

#8 - Bill O'Reilly, Aubrey Plaza

Season 22 - Episode 104 - Aired 3/24/2015

Kevin Bacon, Jimmie Walker, Airborne Toxic Event
star
9.00
3 votes

#9 - Kevin Bacon, Jimmie Walker, Airborne Toxic Event

Season 22 - Episode 99 - Aired 3/13/2015

Jamie Foxx, Robert Klein, Dan Penn
star
9.00
2 votes

#10 - Jamie Foxx, Robert Klein, Dan Penn

Season 22 - Episode 56 - Aired 12/12/2014

Chris Rock, Sting
star
9.00
2 votes

#11 - Chris Rock, Sting

Season 22 - Episode 55 - Aired 12/11/2014

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Ben Stiller, Olivia Munn, LaLa Brooks
star
9.00
1 votes

#12 - Ben Stiller, Olivia Munn, LaLa Brooks

Season 22 - Episode 53 - Aired 12/9/2014

Jessica Chastain, Lenny Marcus, Foo Fighters
star
9.00
27 votes

#13 - Jessica Chastain, Lenny Marcus, Foo Fighters

Season 22 - Episode 29 - Aired 10/17/2014

Martin Short, John Oliver, Spanish Gold
star
9.00
2 votes

#14 - Martin Short, John Oliver, Spanish Gold

Season 21 - Episode 79 - Aired 6/3/2014

Watch Now:Amazon
President Barack Obama
star
9.00
27 votes

#15 - President Barack Obama

Season 19 - Episode 124 - Aired 9/18/2012

President Barack Obama discusses the comments made by Mitt Romney in a recently released video. Dave wants to keep the vacant chair vacant . . . . just in case the President wants to speak to it. Dave and the President talked about the Conventions, the deficit, jobs, the divisiveness in politics, beer in the White House, the Romney tape, and the troubles in Libya, Egypt, and the Middle East.

Watch Now:Amazon
Rachel Maddow, Rose Byrne, Gavin Harrison
star
9.00
27 votes

#16 - Rachel Maddow, Rose Byrne, Gavin Harrison

Season 18 - Episode 115 - Aired 8/23/2011

Dave welcomes talk show host Rachel Maddow and actress Rose Byrne also a drum solo by Gavin Harrison.

Paul Rudd, Bill Burr, Interpol
star
9.00
1 votes

#17 - Paul Rudd, Bill Burr, Interpol

Season 17 - Episode 178 - Aired 7/29/2010

Actor Paul Rudd; comic Bill Burr; Interpol performs.

Howard Stern, Don Rickles
star
8.76
34 votes

#18 - Howard Stern, Don Rickles

Season 22 - Episode 131 - Aired 5/11/2015

Martin Short, Norah Jones
star
8.74
34 votes

#19 - Martin Short, Norah Jones

Season 22 - Episode 128 - Aired 5/6/2015

Watch Now:Amazon
Meryl Streep, Rebel Wilson, J. Cole
star
8.67
3 votes

#20 - Meryl Streep, Rebel Wilson, J. Cole

Season 22 - Episode 54 - Aired 12/10/2014

Meryl Streep (Into the Woods (2014)); actress Rebel Wilson (Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014)). Also: J. Cole performs, 'Be Free'.

Patricia Arquette, Will Butler
star
8.67
3 votes

#21 - Patricia Arquette, Will Butler

Season 22 - Episode 96 - Aired 3/10/2015

Jack Hanna, John Fogerty, John Popper
star
8.67
3 votes

#22 - Jack Hanna, John Fogerty, John Popper

Season 22 - Episode 123 - Aired 4/29/2015

Sen. Al Franken, Billy Eichner, David Sanborn
star
8.50
2 votes

#23 - Sen. Al Franken, Billy Eichner, David Sanborn

Season 22 - Episode 108 - Aired 4/1/2015

Kelsey Grammer, Stevie Wonder
star
8.50
2 votes

#24 - Kelsey Grammer, Stevie Wonder

Season 22 - Episode 97 - Aired 3/11/2015

David Duchovny, Josh Gad, Houndmouth
star
8.50
2 votes

#25 - David Duchovny, Josh Gad, Houndmouth

Season 22 - Episode 107 - Aired 3/31/2015