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The Best Episodes of The Colbert Report Season 1

Every episode of The Colbert Report Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Colbert Report Season 1!

The Colbert Report is an American satirical late night television program that airs Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. It stars political humorist Stephen Colbert, a former correspondent for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. The Colbert Report is a spin-off from and counterpart to The Daily Show that comments on politics and the media in a similar way. It satirizes conservative personality-driven political pundit programs, particularly Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor. The show focuses on a fictional anchorman character named Stephen Colbert, played by his real-life namesake. The character, described by Colbert as a "well-intentioned, poorly informed, high-status idiot", is a caricature of televised political pundits. The Colbert Report has been nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Awards each in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012, two Television Critics Association Awards Awards, and two Satellite Awards. In 2013, it won two Emmys. It has been presented as non-satirical journalism in several instances, including by the Tom DeLay Legal Defense Trust and by Robert Wexler following his interview on the program. The Report received considerable media coverage following its debut on October 17, 2005, for Colbert's coining of the term "truthiness", which dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster named its 2006 Word of the Year.

Genres:NewsComedy

Season 1 Ratings Summary

The best episode of "The Colbert Report" season 1 is "Stone Phillips / Truthiness", rated 8.3/10 from 45 user votes. It was directed by Jim Hoskinson and written by Rob Dubbin, Stephen Colbert, Frank Lesser, Jay Katsir, Eric Drysdale, Peter Gwinn, Michael Brumm, Laura Krafft. "Stone Phillips / Truthiness" aired on 10/17/2005 and is rated 0.2 point(s) higher than the second highest rated, "Lesley Stahl / Bacchanalia".

  • Stone Phillips / Truthiness
    8.3/10 45 votes

    #1 - Stone Phillips / Truthiness

    Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 10/17/2005

    In the premiere episode of The Colbert Report, Stephen starts off the show with a segment called The Word coining the term "Truthiness". Other segments include: The Threat Down rating avian flu, basketball, babies, hurricanes and James Brady. Stephen interviews Stone Phillips, an Emmy award winning journalist and host of Dateline NBC. At the end of the interview, Stephen and Stone Phillips have a competition of gravitas.

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: Rob Dubbin, Stephen Colbert, Frank Lesser, Jay Katsir, Eric Drysdale, Peter Gwinn, Michael Brumm, Laura Krafft

  • Lesley Stahl / Bacchanalia
    8.1/10 27 votes

    #2 - Lesley Stahl / Bacchanalia

    Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 10/18/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes 60 Minutes correspondent, Lesley Stahl!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: N/A

  • Fareed Zakaria / Disappointed
    8.1/10 28 votes

    #3 - Fareed Zakaria / Disappointed

    Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 10/19/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes journalist, Fareed Zakaria!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: Jay Katsir, Rich Dahm, Eric Drysdale, Peter Gwinn, Laura Krafft, Allison Silverman

  • Jim Cramer
    7.6/10 24 votes

    #4 - Jim Cramer

    Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/20/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes host of Mad Money, Jim Cramer!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: N/A

  • Lou Dobbs
    7.6/10 24 votes

    #5 - Lou Dobbs

    Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/24/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes host of Lou Dobbs Tonight, Lou Dobbs!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: Jay Katsir, Rich Dahm, Eric Drysdale, Peter Gwinn, Laura Krafft, Allison Silverman

  • Greg Behrendt
    7.4/10 24 votes

    #6 - Greg Behrendt

    Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 10/25/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes author of "It's Called a Breakup Because It's Broken: The Smart Girl's Break-Up Buddy", Greg Behrendt!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: Jay Katsir, Rich Dahm, Eric Drysdale, Peter Gwinn, Laura Krafft, Allison Silverman

  • Neil DeGrasse Tyson
    7.8/10 27 votes

    #7 - Neil DeGrasse Tyson

    Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 10/26/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes astrophysicist and author of "Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution", Neil DeGrasse Tyson!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: Jay Katsir, Rich Dahm, Eric Drysdale, Peter Gwinn, Laura Krafft, Allison Silverman

  • Jeff Daniels
    7.2/10 25 votes

    #8 - Jeff Daniels

    Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 10/27/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes actor, Jeff Daniels!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: Jay Katsir, Rich Dahm, Eric Drysdale, Peter Gwinn, Laura Krafft, Allison Silverman

  • Monica Crowley
    7.5/10 23 votes

    #9 - Monica Crowley

    Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 10/31/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes co-host of Connected: Coast to Coast, Monica Crowley!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: N/A

  • Ken Burns
    7.9/10 23 votes

    #10 - Ken Burns

    Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 11/1/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes filmmaker author, Ken Burns!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: N/A

  • Bruce Feiler
    7.5/10 23 votes

    #11 - Bruce Feiler

    Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 11/2/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes author of "Where God Was Born: A Journey by Land to the Roots of Religion", Bruce Feiler!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: Jay Katsir, Rich Dahm, Eric Drysdale, Peter Gwinn, Laura Krafft, Allison Silverman

  • Bradley Whitford / Shhhh!...
    7.7/10 25 votes

    #12 - Bradley Whitford / Shhhh!...

    Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 11/3/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes star of The West Wing, Bradley Whitford!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: Rich Dahm, Allison Silverman

  • Eliot Spitzer
    7.3/10 23 votes

    #13 - Eliot Spitzer

    Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 11/7/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes the New York State Attorney General, Eliot Spitzer!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: Jay Katsir, Rich Dahm, Eric Drysdale, Peter Gwinn, Laura Krafft, Allison Silverman

  • Catherine Crier / T.O.
    7.5/10 23 votes

    #14 - Catherine Crier / T.O.

    Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 11/8/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes CourtTV anchor, Catherine Crier!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: Jay Katsir, Rich Dahm, Eric Drysdale, Peter Gwinn, Laura Krafft, Allison Silverman

  • Mary Roach / Willy Loman
    7.5/10 23 votes

    #15 - Mary Roach / Willy Loman

    Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 11/9/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes author of "Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife", Mary Roach!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: N/A

  • Cokie Roberts / Armistice
    7.6/10 24 votes

    #16 - Cokie Roberts / Armistice

    Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 11/10/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes anchor and newswoman, Cokie Roberts!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: N/A

  • Bob Kerrey / Testosterone
    7.4/10 23 votes

    #17 - Bob Kerrey / Testosterone

    Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 11/14/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes former Senator Bob Kerrey!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: N/A

  • Rev. Al Sharpton
    7.2/10 23 votes

    #18 - Rev. Al Sharpton

    Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 11/15/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes Reverend Al Sharpton!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: Rich Dahm, Allison Silverman

  • Matt Taibbi / Information
    7.6/10 23 votes

    #19 - Matt Taibbi / Information

    Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 11/16/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes author of "Spanking the Donkey", Matt Taibbi!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: Stephen Colbert, Jay Katsir, Rich Dahm, Eric Drysdale, Peter Gwinn, Laura Krafft, Allison Silverman

  • Tim Robbins / McConaughey
    7.0/10 27 votes

    #20 - Tim Robbins / McConaughey

    Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 11/17/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes star of Zathura, Tim Robbins!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: Stephen Colbert, Jay Katsir, Rich Dahm, Eric Drysdale, Peter Gwinn, Laura Krafft, Allison Silverman

  • Brian Greene
    7.4/10 24 votes

    #21 - Brian Greene

    Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 11/28/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes the author of The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality, Brian Greene!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: N/A

  • Richard Preston
    7.5/10 22 votes

    #22 - Richard Preston

    Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 11/29/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes the author of several science books, Richard Preston!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: N/A

  • Katrina vanden Heuvel / Gay Gay Gay Gay Gay
    7.5/10 24 votes

    #23 - Katrina vanden Heuvel / Gay Gay Gay Gay Gay

    Season 1 Episode 23 - Aired 11/30/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes author of The Dictionary of Republicanisms, Katrina vanden Heuvel!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: N/A

  • Richard Clarke / Spectacle
    7.4/10 23 votes

    #24 - Richard Clarke / Spectacle

    Season 1 Episode 24 - Aired 12/1/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes the author of The Scorpion's Gate, Richard Clarke!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: N/A

  • Maureen Dowd
    7.4/10 23 votes

    #25 - Maureen Dowd

    Season 1 Episode 25 - Aired 12/5/2005

    TONIGHT: Stephen Colbert welcomes the author of Are Men Necessary?, Maureen Dowd!

    Director: Jim Hoskinson

    Writer: N/A