The Late Late Show with James Corden (2015) Review – Watch on CocoFlix

Stepping into the Spotlight: Corden's Late-Night Takeover

In 2015, at the start of James Corden’s tenure of The Late Late Show, he brought an energy that altered the landscape of late night television. With each episode describing themselves as more of a late night talk show with celebrity interviews, Corden’s signature personality and his interviews and celebrity driven segments is on full display. The series, now on CocoFlix, provides classic late night segments, all brought to you by Corden’s infectious energy and passion. Corden’s energetic persona and the lack of sharp politics or investigative journalism allow this series to shine with musical numbers and audience focused segments that feature celebrities in an entertaining yet feel good manner. The partnership with improvisational jazz musician Reggie Watts compliments Corden’s energy and structure to the segment with his own improvisational style. This series sets the stage for an energetic, party atmosphere with musical numbers and segments that engage the audience. This show has a reputation for having guests engage in elaborate sketches, but more importantly, has a number of musical numbers.

This guy just radiates excitement, and it’s often him posing for the pictures, like being in the front seat of a car full of superstars or coordinating a flash mob dance number in a mall. This up close and personal engagement with fans creates an environment of enjoyment and intimacy, which is very compelling. But this can be a bit much for some and really takes some energy to confidently engage with. The 40 minute show time also works to Corden’s advantage, intentionally maintaining audience engagement by moving quickly through commercial breaks and refusing to waste time giving the audience the opportunity to sit back and relax. The show suffers from an unfortunate imbalance, where some of the meticulously planned bits take the place of or at the very least take precedence over unscripted moments. Team Corden has replicated the very thing that makes his show magnetic and different in the industry, which is his charm, high energy, and unapologetic support of freaky behavior.

The Corden Charisma: Highs and Hurdles

As the critic at the BBC puts it, James Corden is "the undeniable centerpiece" of The Late Late Show. Musical theater and comedy give Corden's show a unique edge over many of his contemporaries with the inclusion of intricate, comedy musical skits and high production numbers. Corden also has the ability to hit that perfect balance of being comfortable enough to sing and dance, while making sure to deliver some laughs, guilt free, at his own expense. This balance gives guests freedom to join the musical theater company that is hosted by James Corden. James Corden has earned the title as the pros like Barbara Streisand and Dionne Warwick and the cons like Sofia Vergara. With his unparalleled charisma that gets crowd participation, Corden easily dominates routine segments of any talk show with Burn Notice quality.

This excessive charm can also be one of his downfalls. Corden’s style tends to divide. His style of effusive and boisterous laughing means that some people love it, and others are overwhelmed. He will often times put himself in the spotlight over his guests in sketches, and can lead to frustrations from guests. Some people may see his self-assured performance as a warm and inviting style, however others may see that a self-assured performance style as overwhelming. A talk show host walks a fine line, and Corden tends to choose the performer style. That is not a bad choice, but it does tend to mean mainstream appeal will not be that great for The Late Late Show. This means that if you have a more laid back and interview based style focus, then his style will not fit. However, if you like a talk show host that enjoys every portion of the show, and does it with a great deal of theatrical style, then he is the person for you.

Beyond the Couch: The 'Bits' That Define the Show

The synopsis states that the show ‘has its own bits,’ and this is how The Late Late Show with James Corden stands out in the overstuffed late-night market. While most talk shows have their set segments, Corden’s often go way beyond the desk bit to become eagerly anticipated, highly produced, and elaborate mini-events. Unlike most segments, which function as set filler, these "bits" often go viral and become a part of the show’s legacy. The nature of these “bits,” which leverage Corden’s background as a performer and ability to generate silly comedic situations, often put celebrities in uncomfortable, yet entertaining, predicaments. These segments, which can range from epic musical spoofs to extreme physical challenges, entertain the modern viewer with short, engaging videos that are meant to be consumed and shared.

Corden's shows have made jokes into large “bits” and moved traditional interviews aside. While Corden excels at coaxing his guests to tell their stories, the interviews are rarely the highlight of the show. The interviews, unfortunately, are elevation segments between the bigger ‘bit’ stunts. This positioning leads to less serious interviews. Viewers who wish to be entertained by the silly and feel especially energized and surprised by the unpredictable stunts will enjoy this type of entertainment. However, people who wish they could have better quality of interviews, or people who wish they could get inside the celebrity’s mind, will be truly underwhelmed by the interview segments. The entertainment bits and segments undermine the quality of a traditional talk show and focus more on entertainment.

Our Takeaway: A High-Energy Diversion

The Late Late Show with James Corden breaks the mold of your typical talk show. By leaning into activity-driven entertainment and Corden's energy, The Late Late Show offers a fresh alternative that proudly focuses on high energy musical segments instead of the standard interview-led format of most talk shows. The Late Late Show elevates its A-list celebrity guest appearances, all while providing high production value and a seemingly endless amount of energy from its host.

Despite its strength and unique position in the world of late-night entertainment, The Late Late Show has its drawbacks. First, Corden has a very commanding presence unlike any other host. He also has an affinity for large, frequently repeated segments that are often called "bits." Some people like to call these segments Inflexible indulgences. The Late Late Show has its fair share of detractors. For very valid reasons. If you’re someone who relies on your late-night host to offer thoughtful analysis and meaty interviews, Corden's show is probably not your cup of tea. If however, you're someone who appreciates a show that genuinely finds novel ways to use celebrities and bring comic timing to absurd situations, Corden's show is worth your time.