The Late Late Show with James Corden returns with a new look and vibe

After a long break, The Late Late Show with James Corden is back

It’s been a long time since late-night television fans have heard from one of the genre’s most popular shows. But that ends tonight as The Late Late Show with James Corden finally returns with a week of new episodes.

The Late Late Show with James Corden was last seen on June 25. Corden chatted with actor Russel Crowe as well as astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley. A musical performance by Charlie Puth wrapped up the show and The Late Late Show has been quiet ever since.

It was a much-deserved vacation for Corden and the rest of The Late Late Show crew. Like everyone else, the CBS show has been making the most of life during the pandemic. Corden has been broadcasting from his garage in Los Angeles. It was also the site of where Corden hosted HomeFest, a charity concert event that helped raise money at the start of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

But now Corden and company are back. It starts tonight when Corden welcomes actress Rachel Brosnahan as his interview guest while Anderson. Paak will be the musical act. Other guests to watch this week include Jamie Lee Curtis, Jason Sudeikis, and Don Cheadle.

The Late Late Show with James Corden will look and feel different

Fans tuning in to see the return of The Late Late Show will be in for something different. The show has moved from Corden’s garage back to its studio according to CEO Bob Bakish. The show’s official Twitter account confirmed the news over the weekend.

Things will follow the same example set by The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon at 30 Rock studios in New York City. That means the crew will be at a bare minimum, social distancing will be in place, and no studio audience will be in attendance. So say goodbye to monologues and interviews from Corden’s garage.

Fans may also notice a different vibe from Corden when he returns tonight. On the Los Angeles Times‘ podcast “Can’t Stop Watching” last month, Corden commented on what it was like to do a late-night television show during the age of COVID-19. His remarks suggest a turning point at The Late Late Show:

"When I took the job, my frames of reference were like Jimmy Fallon doing lip-sync battles, Jimmy Kimmel getting people to read mean tweets and shots of David Letterman covering himself in Rice Krispies and being lowered into a giant bowl of milk or doing like stupid pet tricks and I was like, ‘Yeah, I can do this.’ … I’m fundamentally, at my core, a performer, writer, and I really love making people laugh. That’s been a challenge in this, but the thing I’ve really, really, really loved is having our deeper, one-on-one conversations. The conversation we had with Dr. Michael Eric Dyson was profound and beautiful. Our interview with Joe Biden, again, I’m very proud of it. Talking with Nancy Pelosi. Talking with Gov. Gavin Newsom. Talking with all of these people, I’ve really, really enjoyed."

We’ll still get “Carpool Karaoke,” “Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts,” and absurd questions from Reggie Watts. That stuff isn’t going anywhere. But in addition to that entertainment, Corden will look to continue to add to the national discussion on important topics through more intimate conversations with people in the news. It is a sign of late-night’s evolution and where it’s heading in 2020 and beyond.

The Late Late Show with James Corden airs at 12:37 AM ET on CBS. Be sure to check in with Last Night On for all the highlights from this week.