For weeks, Stephen Colbert, the long-standing king of late-night satire, played the waiting game. No cryptic posts. No insider leaks. Not even the usual wry hint during his opening monologues. Viewers sensed something was brewing — but no one, not even CBS executives, expected the explosion that happened live in front of millions.

The Partnership That No One Saw Coming

CBS Caught Flat-Footed

A Message to the System?

Social Media Frenzy

Crockett’s Calculated Risk

A Turning Point for Late-Night

The Final Question