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A Grownup s Guide to Late Night TV

Can t sleep These talk shows news hours and classic reruns are worth staying awake for

Late-night TV has two Jimmies: ABC's Kimmel and NBC's Fallon. Michael Becker/PictureGroup/ AP Images Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine.

The Late Night Talk

on NBC and the on CBS top the talk show ratings, but the host most worth checking out right now is ABC's Jimmy Kimmel. In January, the network shifted from midnight to 11:30 p.m. to widen his appeal and compete with the kingpins. Kimmel, 45, grew up idolizing Letterman, but he may remind 50-plus viewers more of Letterman's mentor, . He has Carson's easy way with Hollywood's elite, many of whom he counts as friends. Fresh funny bits like his man-on-the-street "Lie Witness News" segments make Letterman's Top Ten List look ready for . Kimmel was recently named to the list of the world's most influential people. The only other to join Kimmel in the artists category was NBC's Jimmy Fallon, whose airs at 12:35 a.m. Fallon, 38 and a former cast member, will move to Leno's desk next year. NBC has high hopes for Fallon's success there. Of course, the network once hoped , 50, now doing his own thing on TNT at 11 p.m., would smoothly replace , and that lasted just eight tumultuous months. Also at 12:35, on CBS competes with Fallon.

News and Views

Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart will keep you informed, and laughing. Charles Sykes/AP Images All-news networks such as and make it easy for insomniacs to stay abreast of the headlines by re-broadcasting most of their prime-time programming during the overnight hours.
Only airs an original show between midnight and 5 a.m.: , an offbeat hour of political and pop culture punditry hosted by political blogger Gutfeld. It airs at 3 a.m. ET Tuesday through Saturday. But there's much to see elsewhere. The cable channel Comedy Central repeats its smart and sassy news and views programs, and at 1 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. ET. And at 2:05 a.m. ET, NBC re-broadcasts the feature-y fourth hour of the previous day's Today, with popular cohosts Hoda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford.
, , , and others also may be repeated overnight in your market so check your local listings. Next page: Flowers & Gifts 25% off sitewide and 30% off select items See more Flowers & Gifts offers >

Nightly Nostalgia

'Laverne & Shirley' (Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams) were primetime TV sweethearts from 1976 to 1983. Paramount Television/Everett Collection If you yearn for TV from decades past, you've got lots of options. On Antenna TV, you'll find , and from the '50s; on Me-TV you'll find '60s staples , and . Another cable net, The Hub, recreates ABC's '70s powerhouse pairing and at 2 a.m. nightly. Shows from the '80s, like , , and can be found on Channels like TV Land, Nick at Nite and Hallmark. In fact, the dedicated Golden Girls viewer who knows just when and where to click could take in six episodes of that classic show every night.

TV Marathons

Have a few hours? You can watch 'Law & Order' episode after episode after episode. Miranda Penn Turin/USA Networks/Everett Collection A few cable channels use the overnight hours to offer long programming blocks of their most popular shows. A&E, for example, airs three straight hours of its half-hour reality hit beginning at midnight on Thursdays. On other nights during the week, the network offers binge blocks of its popular reality fare, including and . TNT airs blocks of hit dramas like , and every night. And the USA network relies heavily on reruns. Bleary-eyed aspiring crime solvers can take in two nightly hours of CI at 4 a.m. And on Wednesdays, USA throws in two more hours of the original at 2 a.m. More on entertainment AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS