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The Best Episodes of Late Show with David Letterman

Every episode of Late Show with David Letterman ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Late Show with David Letterman!

The Best Episodes of Late Show with David Letterman

Late Show with David Letterman is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and...

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  1. 9.0/10(13 votes)

    #1 - Debra Messing, Josh Hutcherson, Oberhofer

    S19:E44

    Dave welcomes actress Debra Messing, actor Josh Hutcherson, and musical guests Oberhofer. The "Smash" star discovers a lot of fake Debra Messings on Twitter.

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  2. 8.4/10(14 votes)

    #2 - Martin Short, The Ting Tings

    S19:E41

    Dave welcomes actor Martin Short and musical guests The Ting Tings. Martin upsets a famous female broadcaster and her husband (but it's not Connie Chung and Maury Povich).

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  3. 8.3/10(16 votes)

    #3 - Kathy Griffin; Chris Pratt; Big Boi

    S20:E1

    Comic Kathy Griffin; from "Zero Dark Thirty", actor Chris Pratt; Big Boi performs.

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  4. 8.0/10(204 votes)

    #4 - Sen. John Edwards, Diablo Cody, Josh Ritter, David "Fathead" Newman

    S15:E49

    Senator John Edwards, Diablo Cody, and Josh Ritter are the scheduled guests.

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  5. 8.0/10(15 votes)

    #5 - Jack Hanna, Steven Tyler

    S18:E11

    No description available

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  6. 7.8/10(13 votes)

    #6 - Martin Short, Father John Misty

    S22:E35

    No description available

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Late Show with David Letterman

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  8. 7.4/10(12 votes)

    #7 - Steve Carell, Martha Stewart, OK Go

    S22:E40

    No description available

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  9. 7.1/10(20 votes)

    #8 - Stephen Colbert, Kristen Stewart, Super Diamond

    S16:E47

    Stephen Colbert and Kristen Stewart are the scheduled guests.

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  10. 6.6/10(19 votes)

    #9 - Joan Rivers, Jeff Caldwell, Wintersleep

    S18:E10

    No description available

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  11. 6.2/10(30 votes)

    #10 - Craig Ferguson, Kristin Chenoweth, and Snow Patrol

    S17:E13

    No description available

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  12. 6.0/10(1 votes)

    #11 - Demi Moore, Bev Tanner, Spin Doctors

    S1:E3

    A very pregnant Demi Moore is given the honor of throwing the first pencil through the backdrop windows of the Late Show.

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  13. 6.0/10(1 votes)

    #12 - Tom Hanks, Matt Medenweldt, Scott Weiland

    S5:E123

    Tom Hanks interrupts the monologue because he and Dave are dressed alike; throughout the night, spelling bee champ Edmund Gillette stands next to Rob's desk and spells words; during Mailbag, Alan Kalter reacts badly to a letter asking if he's a freak by visiting the letter-writer (Jay Johnson) and punching in his face; Tom gets a new suit.

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  14. 6.0/10(1 votes)

    #13 - Natalie Portman, Travis Pastrana, Ted Alexandro

    S7:E43

    Dave shows a tape of stunt biker/scheduled guest Travis Pastrana's mishap that afternoon, and the injured daredevil later hobbles onstage. By the end of the show, the Hi-Ho Girls are helping Travis repair his bike.

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  15. 6.0/10(1 votes)

    #14 - Paul Newman, Counting Crows

    S9:E183

    Dave plays "Know Your Current Events" with the audience. Later, Paul Newman talks about auto racing while promoting "Road to Perdition."

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  16. 6.0/10(1 votes)

    #15 - Roseanne Barr, Rachel Weisz

    S12:E103

    No description available

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  17. 6.0/10(1 votes)

    #16 - Paul Newman, Danica Patrick, Adam Savage & Jamie Hyneman

    S12:E152

    No description available

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  18. 6.0/10(1 votes)

    #17 - Anthony Hopkins

    S13:E86

    No description available

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  19. 6.0/10(1 votes)

    #18 - David Spade, Teddy Geiger

    S13:E117

    No description available

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  20. 6.0/10(1 votes)

    #19 - Kevin Spacey, The Streets

    S13:E168

    No description available

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  21. 6.0/10(1 votes)

    #20 - Rachel Weisz, David Rakoff, Morningwood

    S14:E37

    Tonights guests include Rachel Weisz, David Rakoff and Morningwood.

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  22. 6.0/10(51 votes)

    #21 - Bill Maher, Ellen Page, the cast of Broadway's "Young Frankenstein"

    S15:E36

    Dave's beard gets a key to the city, courtesy of Mayor Bloomberg; a wayward WGA picketer wanders around in the backdrop; Hal Gurnee's latest Network Time Killer is a "balloon drummer"; Ellen Page plugs Juno; Roger Bart, Sutton Foster, and Chris Fitzgerald perform a song from the musical "Young Frankenstein."

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  23. 6.0/10(1 votes)

    #22 - Tom Hanks, Gov. Mike Huckabee

    S15:E38

    Tom Hanks and Mike Huckabee are the scheduled guests.

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  24. 6.0/10(1 votes)

    #23 - Morgan Freeman, Tom Brokaw, Chuck Prophet

    S15:E40

    Morgan Freeman and Chuck Prophet are the scheduled guests.

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  25. 6.0/10(1 votes)

    #24 - Denzel Washington, Don Rickles

    S15:E44

    An audience member claims to know Dave's ex-wife, who apparently now lives in Florida; the show is again interrupted by radio transmissions from Lt. Len Easton of the California Highway Patrol; Mike McIntee and Harold Larkin play "Can Two Guys and Their Dead Friend In An Office Chair Hail a Cab?"; Don Rickles plugs his DVD Mr. Warmth and throws a few zingers at Dave and fellow guest Denzel Washington.

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  26. 6.0/10(1 votes)

    #25 - Kid Scientists, Natalie Portman, Kenna

    S15:E75

    "AMPTP President Nick Counter" and "Writers Guild Executive Director David Young" call a truce... and make out; in tonight's remote, Andy Kindler visits a toy convention; the latest Kid Scientist experiments from Naperville, IL include gravity-defying water and a crudely-built hovercraft; Kenna (featuring N.E.R.D.) performed "Say Goodbye to Love."

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Best Episodes Summary

"Debra Messing, Josh Hutcherson, Oberhofer" is the best rated episode of "Late Show with David Letterman". It scored 9/10 based on 13 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 3/21/2012. This episode scored 0.6 points higher than the second highest rated, "Martin Short, The Ting Tings".