Screenshot: HBO
HBO Last Week Tonight with John Oliver It’s dark tonight, October 19, 2025. The series is taking a week-long hiatus before returning for the first of its final four episodes of the season.
The season 12 finale is scheduled for November 15, capping what has been one of Oliver’s most politically charged series in years. The series is expected to launch its thirteenth season in February 2026.
Over the past eight months, Last week tonight covered a wide range of topics, starting with an episode on the influence of DOGE and Elon Musk on Donald Trump’s presidency, and then tackling topics such as online content moderation, tipping culture, ICE detention centers, and AI-generated “slop.”
The show’s most recent episode, airing October 12, examined Bari Weiss, David Ellison and CBS News, continuing a season-long focus on media influence and threats to free speech in the United States.
While much of Season 12 reflected the turbulence of Trump’s second term, Oliver and his team also made space for sillier diversions, including a May segment about the absurd names of minor league baseball teams that led to a multi-episode arc featuring dozens of clubs competing for the chance to be renamed by Last week tonight. The Erie Seawolves ultimately won, unveiling their new identity, the Erie Moon Mammoths, in July, with Oliver and crew in attendance for their debut.
Last week tonight returns next Sunday, October 26 on HBO and HBO Max.
