Comics Unleashed
| Comics Unleashed | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Also known as | Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen |
| Created by | Byron Allen |
| Presented by | Byron Allen |
| Narrated by | John Cramer |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Byron Allen Carolyn Folks |
| Camera setup | Videotape; Multi-camera |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company | Entertainment Studios |
| Original release | |
| Network | Syndicated (new episodes) |
| Release | September 2006 – January 2014 |
| Network | CBS (reruns) |
| Release | September 2023 – January 2024 |
Comics Unleashed is a half-hour comedy talk show produced by the Entertainment Studios production company and hosted by Byron Allen, with John Cramer as announcer and DJ Cobra or sometimes DJ A1 providing music support. It originally ran from 2006 to 2014 in syndication, and also ran on CBS from mid-September 2023 to mid-January 2024 to fill the former time slot of The Late Late Show with James Corden until its permanent replacement After Midnight could begin. It will fill the same time slot on CBS again starting in mid-September 2025 due to After Midnight being canceled.
Format
[edit]Each episode begins with Allen delivering a short, usually topical monologue, after which he introduces the night's DJ and the panel of four comedians. Allen sets each comedian up with a prescribed, usually generic premise, at which point the comedian delivers a monologue from their stand-up routine. The monologues by different comedians seldom tie into each other, but the structure of the show puts the monologues in the loose framework of a panel discussion talk show.
Several episodes of the series in first-run featured an all-Black panel under the title Comics Unleashed: Hot Chocolate, though they were eventually presented as regular episodes in subsequent airings.
Allen has described Comics Unleashed as his passion project.[1]
Broadcast history
[edit]First-run weekly episodes were originally produced from 2006–07, with repeats still airing in some markets, generally in the very late-night to overnight hours under arrangements made for the various series of Entertainment Studios, with some notable carriers having included CBS Television Stations (which scheduled it as a lead-out for The Late Late Show on CBS owned-and-operated stations).[2] Back-to-back episodes also aired in prime time on MyNetworkTV before it became a programming service.[3] The program continued to air on broadcast syndication despite not producing any new episodes after its original 2006–2007 run until new episodes were produced for the 2014–2015 season.[4][5]
In September 2023, CBS announced that it would air back-to-back episodes of Comics Unleashed on its late-night lineup beginning September 18, following The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The program served as a temporary replacement for The Late Late Show (which had ended following the series finale of The Late Late Show with James Corden) until the premiere of its replacement, After Midnight, in January 2024, as it had been delayed due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes. Roughly half of the run featured previously unaired first-run episodes.[6][7][8] Allen's company provided the program under a time buy arrangement where it purchased the time slot from CBS, and then aired the show and sold commercial time to advertisers.[9]
On May 27, 2025, CBS announced that it would again air back-to-back episodes of Comics Unleashed on its late-night lineup beginning September 22, as a replacement for After Midnight, which will end due to host Taylor Tomlinson resigning from the program to focus on stand-up comedy and other projects; reruns of After Midnight will continue until September 19.[1] The program is once again part of a time buy arrangement; prior to the announcement, CBS had indicated it might discontinue airing network programming in that time slot entirely.[9][10] The purchase agreement was announced shortly before a settlement in Allen's long-running lawsuit against McDonald's was announced, which included McDonald's accepting a mandatory purchase of airtime on Allen's programs.[11]
Variety reports that some new episodes will be produced for the CBS network run.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ a b White, Peter (May 27, 2025). "As 'After Midnight' Ends, 'Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen' Returns To CBS Late-Night Slot". Deadline. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
- ^ Block, Alex Ben (March 13, 2013). "'Comics Unleashed' Renewed on CBS Stations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
- ^ 'Comics Unleashed' lands on MyNetworkTV, The Hollywood Reporter, April 1, 2009. Archived April 19, 2013, at archive.today
- ^ "Comics Unleashed renewed for two "seasons" despite no new episodes since 2007?". The Comic's Comic. August 5, 2011. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
- ^ "Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen taped new episodes for Fall 2014!". The Comic's Comic. August 25, 2014. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
- ^ Knolle, Sharon (September 11, 2023). "CBS Bringing Back Byron Allen's 'Comics Unleashed' to Late Night". TheWrap. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
- ^ Petski, Denise (September 11, 2023). "'Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen' Joins Fall CBS Late-Night Line-Up". Deadline. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
- ^ White, Peter (November 1, 2023). "'After Midnight': CBS Sets Showrunners & Team For 'The Late Late Show With James Corden' Replacement". Deadline. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Carter, Bill (May 30, 2025). "Inside the Unusual Deal That Brought Byron Allen to CBS' Post-Colbert Slot". LateNighter. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
- ^ White, Peter (March 26, 2025). "'After Midnight' Canceled After Two Seasons On CBS; Network Will Stop Programming 12:30am Slot". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
- ^ Franklin, McKinley (June 13, 2025). "McDonald's Settles $10B Discrimination Lawsuit Brought by Byron Allen's Media Company". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
- ^ Steinberg, Brian (May 27, 2025). "'Comics Unleashed' Returns to CBS Late-Night Schedule Following 'Midnight' Cancellation". Variety. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
External links
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