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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!

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...
Genres:TalkComedy
Network:CBS

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".

  • Debra Messing, Josh Hutcherson, Oberhofer
    9.0/1013 votes
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    #1 - Debra Messing, Josh Hutcherson, Oberhofer

    Season 19 Episode 44 - Aired 3/21/2012

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

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Martin Short, The Ting Tings
    8.4/1014 votes
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    #2 - Martin Short, The Ting Tings

    Season 19 Episode 41 - Aired 3/14/2012

    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).

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Kathy Griffin; Chris Pratt; Big Boi
    8.3/1016 votes
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    #3 - Kathy Griffin; Chris Pratt; Big Boi

    Season 20 Episode 1 - Aired 1/2/2013

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

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Sen. John Edwards, Diablo Cody, Josh Ritter, David "Fathead" Newman
    8.0/10204 votes
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    #4 - Sen. John Edwards, Diablo Cody, Josh Ritter, David "Fathead" Newman

    Season 15 Episode 49 - Aired 1/22/2008

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

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Jack Hanna, Steven Tyler
    8.0/1015 votes
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    #5 - Jack Hanna, Steven Tyler

    Season 18 Episode 11 - Aired 1/17/2011

    No description available

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Martin Short, Father John Misty
    7.8/1013 votes
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    #6 - Martin Short, Father John Misty

    Season 22 Episode 35 - Aired 11/3/2014

    No description available

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Steve Carell, Martha Stewart, OK Go
    7.4/1012 votes
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    #7 - Steve Carell, Martha Stewart, OK Go

    Season 22 Episode 40 - Aired 11/11/2014

    No description available

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Stephen Colbert, Kristen Stewart, Super Diamond
    7.1/1020 votes
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    #8 - Stephen Colbert, Kristen Stewart, Super Diamond

    Season 16 Episode 47 - Aired 11/20/2008

    Stephen Colbert and Kristen Stewart are the scheduled guests.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Joan Rivers, Jeff Caldwell, Wintersleep
    6.6/1019 votes
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    #9 - Joan Rivers, Jeff Caldwell, Wintersleep

    Season 18 Episode 10 - Aired 1/14/2011

    No description available

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Craig Ferguson, Kristin Chenoweth, and Snow Patrol
    6.2/1030 votes
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    #10 - Craig Ferguson, Kristin Chenoweth, and Snow Patrol

    Season 17 Episode 13 - Aired 9/24/2009

    No description available

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Demi Moore, Bev Tanner, Spin Doctors
    6.0/101 votes
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    #11 - Demi Moore, Bev Tanner, Spin Doctors

    Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 9/1/1993

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

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Tom Hanks, Matt Medenweldt, Scott Weiland
    6.0/101 votes
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    #12 - Tom Hanks, Matt Medenweldt, Scott Weiland

    Season 5 Episode 123 - Aired 4/3/1998

    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.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Natalie Portman, Travis Pastrana, Ted Alexandro
    6.0/101 votes
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    #13 - Natalie Portman, Travis Pastrana, Ted Alexandro

    Season 7 Episode 43 - Aired 11/11/1999

    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.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Paul Newman, Counting Crows
    6.0/101 votes
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    #14 - Paul Newman, Counting Crows

    Season 9 Episode 183 - Aired 7/11/2002

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

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Roseanne Barr, Rachel Weisz
    6.0/101 votes
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    #15 - Roseanne Barr, Rachel Weisz

    Season 12 Episode 103 - Aired 2/18/2005

    No description available

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Paul Newman, Danica Patrick, Adam Savage & Jamie Hyneman
    6.0/101 votes
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    #16 - Paul Newman, Danica Patrick, Adam Savage & Jamie Hyneman

    Season 12 Episode 152 - Aired 5/23/2005

    No description available

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Anthony Hopkins
    6.0/101 votes
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    #17 - Anthony Hopkins

    Season 13 Episode 86 - Aired 1/23/2006

    No description available

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • David Spade, Teddy Geiger
    6.0/101 votes
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    #18 - David Spade, Teddy Geiger

    Season 13 Episode 117 - Aired 3/22/2006

    No description available

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Kevin Spacey, The Streets
    6.0/101 votes
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    #19 - Kevin Spacey, The Streets

    Season 13 Episode 168 - Aired 6/26/2006

    No description available

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Rachel Weisz, David Rakoff, Morningwood
    6.0/101 votes
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    #20 - Rachel Weisz, David Rakoff, Morningwood

    Season 14 Episode 37 - Aired 10/31/2006

    Tonights guests include Rachel Weisz, David Rakoff and Morningwood.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Bill Maher, Ellen Page, the cast of Broadway's "Young Frankenstein"
    6.0/1051 votes
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    #21 - Bill Maher, Ellen Page, the cast of Broadway's "Young Frankenstein"

    Season 15 Episode 36 - Aired 1/3/2008

    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."

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Tom Hanks, Gov. Mike Huckabee
    6.0/101 votes
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    #22 - Tom Hanks, Gov. Mike Huckabee

    Season 15 Episode 38 - Aired 1/7/2008

    Tom Hanks and Mike Huckabee are the scheduled guests.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Morgan Freeman, Tom Brokaw, Chuck Prophet
    6.0/101 votes
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    #23 - Morgan Freeman, Tom Brokaw, Chuck Prophet

    Season 15 Episode 40 - Aired 1/9/2008

    Morgan Freeman and Chuck Prophet are the scheduled guests.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Denzel Washington, Don Rickles
    6.0/101 votes
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    #24 - Denzel Washington, Don Rickles

    Season 15 Episode 44 - Aired 1/15/2008

    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.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Kid Scientists, Natalie Portman, Kenna
    6.0/101 votes
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    #25 - Kid Scientists, Natalie Portman, Kenna

    Season 15 Episode 75 - Aired 2/27/2008

    "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."

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A