Last Night’s TV: Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Zoo, and More (SPOILERS!)

VIEW IN BROWSER THIS ISSUE: Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Zoo, and America's Got Talent TOP MOMENT OF THE NIGHT Colbert Makes History CBS BECAUSE: Stephen Colbert took his first official seat in the Late Show hosting chair Tuesday night, but the new guy made sure to pay respects to his predecessor David Letterman. He reminded viewers that he's not replacing the OG Late Show host, but simply trying to "honor his achievement by doing the best show we can… and occasionally making the network very mad at us." READ OUR RECAP Late Show with Stephen Colbert CBS WHAT HAPPENED: Though we've been told to expect a more "real" brand of Colbert on The Late Show, the host showed a hint of everyone's favorite former "narcissistic pundit" in his opening lines: "Hello, nation …you are witnessing TV history, and like all history, it's not on the History Channel." This premiere had it all: conference calls with fellow late night host Jimmy Fallon; a switch controlled by CBS chairman Les Moonves that triggers the return of The Mentalist anytime Colbert verges on disaster; some prime product placement for—mm-mmm—Sabra hummus in exchange for Colbert's soul; and, of course, George Clooney (and less of course, but more Colbert, Jeb "Jeb!" Bush). As EW critic Melisaa Maerz said in her review: "Long ago, [Colbert] and his fellow Daily Show alums made the networks' late-night programming seem outdated… now it's up to Colbert to make intellectual late-night programming relevant again." No pressure, new guy! WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING: Well, Jimmy Fallon certainly welcomed his new late night little bro with open arms over on NBC, offering congratulations to his "pal Stephen Colbert and his buddies over at the Late Show" during The Tonight Show and wishing him "all the luck in the world." And the positive sentiments seem to be spreading! Variety called the debut "mostly terrific," and of Colbert's ability to get back in front of an audience, The A.V. Club was quite impressed: "Stephen Colbert picked his instrument back up, and with it he made a joyful sound. A joyful, weird, distinctly Stephen Colbert-like sound." READ OUR RECAP Zoo CBS WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING: If you've been waiting for Zoo to finally ante up and show the hostile animal takeover of a hospital with crocodiles attacking on the ground level, leopards patrolling the Hematology department, and lions roaming the roof, then Tuesday night's two-hour installment is for you. It was a productive but dramatic night for the five animal experts tasked with saving the world; as EW recapper Jodi Walker said in her recap, "the Animal Avengers did manage to capture a Zambian leopard, create a cure with the Mother Cell, and get the U.S. government on their side… but there's also the small detail that four out of five of them might be totally dead." With the cure for the animal apocalypse floating in the depressurized cabin of a plane being attacked by birds somewhere between Zambia and Washington, D.C., being a pet owner is about to get just a little more stressful. WHAT HAPPENED: Plenty of Zoo-watchers on Twitter were happy to have a cuteness break from all the drippy-pupiled killer animals in the form of a very adorable leopard cub. But TV.com was more a fan of the cub's dangerous adult counterparts, saying this double dose of episodes "finally offered some wild paw-on-flesh slaughter we've been jonesing for all season long." READ OUR RECAP America's Got Talent NBC WHAT HAPPENED: In the second round of AGT's semi-finals, Howie told each of the 11 acts that they have what it takes to make it to the finals. But EW recapper Lincee Ray helpfully reminds, "This is statistically impossible since the official rules state only five can go to the finals." Let's keep it real, Howie. The riskiest moment of the night came when free ladder performer Uzeyer Novruzov tried the same trick that put him in a coma for two days with two broken wrists the last time he tried it—and it nearly did the same on Tuesday night! Novruzov fell from his ladders once more, but managed to hop back up, only to have Nick Cannon inform him that his two minutes were over. And if we can't abide by the steadfast rules of AGT, what would this world come to? WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING: Nick Cannon assured us on Twitter that Novruzov was medically fine, but everyone agrees that his disappointment was heartbreaking to watch… and that might just garner him enough votes to give it one more try on the semi-finals! Buddy TV adds that though she might not get the votes, Daniella Mass should probably also be there as the standout singer from the semi-finals. READ OUR RECAP One More Thing... Playing House Plays with Cliffhangers USA HAPPILY EVER AFTER?: In the season 2 finale of Playing House, Emma and Mark were finally ready to address all that built-up romantic tension only to be interrupted by one untimely conga line and one epic but equally procrastination-inducing Kenny Loggins concert. When the two potential love birds did come together face-to-face on Emma's doorstep, the episode ended before fans got any answers… meaning they're all probably currently donning their best Bosephus wigs and heading to the USA Network headquarters to demand a well-deserved season 3. READ OUR RECAP Copyright © 2015 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. WANT MORE? To subscribe to any of EW.com's email products, please click here. PRIVACY POLICY Please click here for our privacy policy. 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