Before “Saturday Night,” this comedy-drama showed just how wild late-night TV can be.

The big picture

• In the past, late-night television programs had cultural significance, and hosts like Johnny Carson had enormous influence.
• The night shift
  describes the intense rivalry between Jay Leno and David Letterman in the 1990s at NBC.
• Despite its flaws,
  The night shift
  offers a glimpse into an era when late-night talk shows were essential media sources.

Today, late-night talk shows are virtually indistinguishable from the gluttony of content that spreads on social media, but in their heyday, they were a cultural touchstone. People didn’t just consume isolated clips of a host’s monologue or a celebrity interview; they ended their evenings watching them live. The host of Tonight’s show on NBC, the most watched and acclaimed late-night program in history, carried with it the influence of a President, at least that’s what was perceived when it came time to decide who would replace the King of Late Night, John Carsonin the early 90s. The palace intrigue of the night war at NBC between Jay Leno AND David Letterman Carson’s rise to the throne served as the basis for the 1996 HBO TV movie, The night shift, less of a narrative film and more of acinematic reimagining of a wild era of network television.

“Saturday Night” and “The Late Shift” both capture the behind-the-scenes drama of NBC’s iconic shows

Films about the behind-the-scenes details of a TV show or movie seem like a niche topic on paper, but the anticipation and hype surrounding the trailer for Saturday night suggests that there will always be a market for this genre. The new film by My friend Jason Reitman depicts the chaos unfolding on the set of Saturday night live before its episode premiered in 1975. The trailer’s reception was mixed, with much of the divisiveness stemming from questionable casting decisions and the need for a narrative feature film about a well-documented cultural event. In both cases, Saturday night will be released in theaters in October 2024, to great excitement. In many cases, the show behind the scenes is more interesting than the product on stage.SNLor any other adjacent network show, doesn’t have nearly the cultural hold it once had on society, but the cutthroat politics and quality of reality television surrounding the drama between talent and executives provide sparkling gossip. These docu-dramas are distant cousins ​​of traditional IP franchise entertainment, in that they are easily marketable thanks to the name recognition of characters likeJohn Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Chevrolet HuntAND Gilda Radner.

The night shift features performances by two 20th century comic icons: David Letterman (John Michael Higgins) and Jay Leno (Daniel Roebuck). The film of Betty Thomaswho later directed the story of Howard’s Stern‘s unorthodox rise to stardom in Private partsfollows NBC’s frantic scramble to replace Johnny Carson with his recurring guest, Leno, as Late show host Letterman lurks in the shadows to undermine their plan. This late-night war was sparked by Letterman’s attempt to negotiate his contract with NBC to host his talk show on the network’s competitor, CBS. Further complications arise when Leno’s manager, Helena Kushnick (My life is beautiful), enters into a chess game with both networks to capitalize on the high demand for his client from the bidding parties. Presiding over all the drama is the Chairman of NBC, Warren’s Little Field (Bob Balaban). Coincidentally, Balaban’s character in season 4 of SeinfeldNBC president Russell Dalrymple, who oversaw the failed Jerry and George sitcom, was based on Littlefield.

‘The Late Shift’ is a docu-drama with limited artistic ambitions

The night shiftbased on the book of the same name by The Carter BillIt’s a docudrama to the core. It traces history from point A to point B and shows no interest in subverting narrative tendencies. The direct approach to the narrative may force viewers to consider the validity of the film’s existence as a narrative feature film rather than a documentary. Despite the high stakes of the story, the film maintains a sober tone and a basic formalist approach that is made to be watched at home. With Private partsThomas channeled Stern’s iconoclastic personality on the radio by experimenting with storytelling, nonlinear storytelling and breaking the fourth wall. For better or worse, The night shift It’s run in autopilot mode, as its main goal is to scroll through the Wikipedia synopsis of the Leno-Letterman feud before Wikipedia existed.

Artistic expectations are moderate when analyzing a TV movie. They exist to be light viewing for viewers with a passion for a specific subject matter, but The night shift it is perhaps too low energy for its own goodAs cliché as it may seem on paper, the trailer for the upcoming Saturday night highlights the turmoil caused by drug use and unbridled creative mania inside the NBC offices in 1975. The two competing hosts express pain and frustration, particularly the neurotic Letterman, and Kushnick often becomes animated with network executives, but these hostile feelings are presented superficially. The night shift has shown that if you eliminate anger, aggression and combativeness from Netyou end up with a tepid film about executives discussing business deals. The film seems to rush to the epilogue that reveals the fate of Leno and Letterman without diving into their humanity.

“The Late Shift” represents a time when late night television meant everything

In addition to the performances of various NBC actors who indulge in stereotypes of corporate executives as corporate zealots, John Michael Higgins and Daniel Roebuck have resigned themselves to the simple work of imitations. Higgins captures the essence of Letterman’s punk-rock rebellion as a late-night host, as well as the witty, nervous sarcasm he’s brought to television for over 30 years. However, the performance repeats the same notes throughout, preventing any growth in the character. In Roebuck’s defense, Jay Leno’s distinct voice and acting make him ripe for impersonation. However, the performance is inextricable from the vast industry of Leno impersonations in pop culture and everyday life. These performances demonstrate the comedians’ personalities, but they are not used to enhance the film’s comic sensibilities. While the film sells itself on the dramatization of Leno and Letterman, it is much more concerned with the secret politics and business intrigues on the telephone inside the NBC officespreventing the public from getting a closer look at these larger-than-life figures.

Despite its obvious flaws, The night shift remains a fascinating insight into a bygone era when late-night talk shows were glamorous media rather than a relic of the past as they are today. In 1993, sitting on the throne of Tonight’s show made you one of the most popular and recognizable people in America, and your monologue and celebrity interviews were regular fixtures. Not only was the show noteworthy, but The behind-the-scenes drama reported in industry publications is a huge hit with the general publicand the rapid turnaround of this film’s release is a product of America’s fascination with Leno vs. Letterman. Even for viewers unaware of the outcome of the late-night war, the film indicates from the start that Leno will become Carson’s replacement, and no matter where his fate takes him, Letterman will certainly have a viable talk show, but the viewer should still be concerned about his standing with the higher-ups at NBC.

Because of the cultural fascination with media gossip and celebrity drama, there will always be an appetite for stories about the behind-the-scenes machinations of TV shows like Saturday night live AND Tonight’s show. As uninspired as The night shift Maybe, it’s still worthwhile entertainment that reminds older viewers of the craziness surrounding Leno vs. Letterman and gives younger ones a basic idea of ​​how much we cared about late-night wars.

The night shift is available for streaming on Max in the US

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