The Sea Captain’s song says goodbye to Seth Meyers at home

Changes are coming to Late Night with Seth Meyers but not before a proper farewell

Things have been strange in late-night television since the pandemic changed everything. Nowhere have they leaned into the strangeness more than on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

Late Night fans may have started off the spring concerned about Seth Meyers’ sanity but by the end of the summer, they were all-in. Things started off weird as Meyers shuffled around copies of The Thorn Birds, battled wasps, and discovered Ethan Hawke in his attic.

Things went to a new level when Late Night relocated from the attic to the in-law’s house or what became known as “The Captain’s Quarters.” A painting of a sea captain came to life thanks to Will Forte and quickly became a divisive figure among fans.

But after a number of interjections during “A Closer Look,” a spot co-hosting “Really!?!,” and the introduction of side characters, the Sea Captain became an intricate part of the Late Night team. Now with Meyers ready to return to the studio, fans are understandably concerned about the Sea Captain’s future.

If the song he serenaded fans with last week was any sign, it may be the end of the line for the Sea Captain. If so, he left Late Night audiences with a lot of memories and his song does an excellent job of recapping Seth Meyers’ long, strange summer.

The Sea Captain became a vital part of Late Night with Seth Meyers

There is no denying that the Sea Captain grew on Late Night fans as time passed. It also coincided with Seth Meyers and his writers getting better week after week. Each new segment of “A Closer Look” felt better than the last and late-night fans noticed.

There is also no denying that the subject matter increased in its severity. Covering the pandemic deaths, social unrest, protests, and violence that have happened over the past few months made it easy to forget that Late Night was a comedy show.

And that’s where the Sea Captain came through in a major way. By bookending “A Closer Look” segments on President Trump or the rising death toll, the Sea Captain character made the segments easier to digest. Meyers could ease in and out of “A Closer Look” by throwing to Will Forte’s character.

Late Night‘s return to its studio next week means that the painting and his nautical friends won’t be as necessary. But when the history of Late Night with Seth Meyers is written, there will surely be a note about the Sea Captain.

All week Last Night On will look back at the best at-home moments from late-night. The Sea Captain and Late Night with Seth Meyers have gotten things off to a great start.