[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/at_midnight_1148.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:"Website/TVTropes, you are the funniest website on Earth for the next 23½ hours!"]]

->''"It's 11:59 and 59 seconds, and '''this''' happened on [Insert Website Here] today..."''
-->--'''Creator/ChrisHardwick''', OnceAnEpisode to open up the show

''@midnight'' is a PanelGame on Creator/ComedyCentral hosted by Creator/ChrisHardwick, in which three celebrities compete for the coveted title of Funniest Person on Earth... [[CosmeticAward for the next 23 and a half hours.]]

The show primarily deals with internet pop culture and content trending on social media platforms (such as Website/{{Twitter}}). While most of the "rounds" are topical and change nightly, there are some common rounds, such as "Rapid Refresh" (multiple-choice questions), "Hashtag Wars" (a SpeedRound where the celebrities give responses that fall within a specific theme, e.g. "[=#RejectedTVTropes=]"), the "Live Challenge" (a task which is done by the contestants over the commercial break; it usually involves writing a long-form answer for a certain prompt), and then another speed round, after which the lowest scorer is eliminated.[[note]]In case of a tie, Hardwick will ask the comedians to name off one last item pertaining to that final SpeedRound and have the audience decide whose response was better.[[/note]] The game concludes with "FTW", where the final two (or sometimes, [[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem still all three]]), have to perform one more task (it's another "Live Challenge"); the two responses (but not who wrote them) are shown to the StudioAudience, and the contestant whose response garners the most applause wins the Internet.

The show premiered on October 21, 2013 as a lead-out for ''Series/TheColbertReport''; after becoming Comedy Central's EnsembleDarkhorse, it returned for a full run in January 2014. The show came to an end with its 600th and final episode on August 5, 2017.

In February 2023, it was reported that Creator/{{CBS}} was considering [[UnCancelled a revival]] of ''@midnight'', executive produced by Creator/StephenColbert (whose [[Series/TheColbertReport previous show]] had served as its lead-in), as a replacement for ''Series/TheLateLateShow'' after Corden concluded his run on the show and the network considered alternative formats for the timeslot. Delayed to early-2024 due to the WGA strike, CBS officially announced the series on November 1, 2023 as ''Series/AfterMidnight'', with Colbert subsequently revealing comedian Taylor Tomlinson as its host on ''[[Series/TheLateShowWithStephenColbert The Late Show]]'' that evening. The series premiered on January 16, 2024; it maintains most of the overall format of the original (including the core rounds of Rapid Refresh -- here renamed "Group Chat", Hashtag Wars, and FTW).

!!Comedians, you have 60 seconds to name as many #tropes that fit the hashtag and go!:
* AccidentalMisnaming:
** Doug Benson once calls Creator/BenedictCumberbatch "Benedict Cumbersnatch", then claims he meant to say something else. Chris gives him points anyway.
** Bryan Callen called [[Music/{{Maroon 5}} Adam Levine]] 'Chris Levine' (last name pronounced 'Le-vyn' instead of 'Le-veen'). Chris Delia in particular [[OnceDoneNeverForgotten let him have it throughout the show after that]].
* TheAce: An appearance by Doug Benson or Ron Funches typically turns the episodes into a second place contest for the other finalist.
* ActuallyADoombot: On the 9 November 2015 episode, when Judah Friedlander lost he claimed to be a clone, thus preserving the real Friedlander's title as World Champion.
* ActuallyPrettyFunny:
** Chris will give out points to riffs or one-liners fired off by contestants even when no question was being asked of them, as long as Chris thinks they're funny enough.
** He also gives points when the comics make a joke at his expense, [[SelfDeprecation hell, he gives them]] ''[[TakeThatMe more]]''.
*** Rhysie Darby came up with a ''great'' zinger on the #badthemeparks Hastag Wars: "World War II Land: if Americans come in late they get in half price." Chris thought it was hilarious, but demanded Rhysie's green card.
* AffectionateParody: The February 18, 2014 episode featured "eBay [[Series/ThePriceIsRight Price is Right]]" as a round. Surprisingly, they didn't play it again when actual ''Price'' host Drew Carey was a guest.
** "Series/{{Wheel of|Fortune}} Website/FourChan" was also a topic one night.
*** "Wheel Of Batsh*t", after Pat Sajak went crazy on Twitter.
** They had "[[Series/{{Jeopardy}} @Jeopardy!]]" as a game once, with a full board and Chris doing an off kilter impression of Alex Trebek. The comedians had to answer in the form of a question.
** "[[Series/FamilyFeud Family Buzz Feud]]", complete with the theme song, the lights going crazy, and Hardwick pulling his best Richard Dawson and "kissing" the contestants.
** "[[Series/PressYourLuck Troll Your Luck]]" with authentic theme song, sound effects and graphics! Panelists had to troll a Twitter post from whatever celebrity they hit on the wheel, or one of '''their own''' Twitter posts if they hit a Whammy.
* ArsonMurderAndJaywalking: When showing a website by a chef who created a burger that tastes like [[IAmAHumanitarian human flesh]], Chris takes more offense to the spelling of flavour.
* ArtifactTitle: After the cancellation of ''Series/TheNightlyShow'', ''@Midnight'' moved to 11:30 p.m., but still kept its no-longer-descriptive title. Hardwick {{lampshaded}} this several times, often by arguing that the show would end with a winner ''at'' midnight. The 2024 reboot and its 12:35 a.m. timeslot justified a rename to '''''After''' Midnight''.
* AttractiveBentGender: On the May 2, 2017 episode, Chris uses [=FaceApp=] to see what he looks like as a woman. He, the contestants, and the studio audience all agree he makes a ''smoking hot chick.''
-->'''Chris''': You know you want some of this!
* AudienceParticipation:
** Of the social media kind; viewers are encouraged to tweet their own responses for the Hashtag Wars. Heck, every Thursday, the comedians play for one of the show's Website/{{Twitter}} followers.
** In a more immediate fashion, the live audience reaction is just as much a part of the show as the comedians, which is why quite a few [=YMMV=] tropes are listed here.
* AwesomeMcCoolname: One segment had the panel coming up with "badass names" for roles actor Michael Rooker can play in future works.
* BadBadActing: Chris and Ron Funches (especially Chris)'s deliberately wooden reading in "Fanfic Theater"
* BerserkButton: Young Mr. Hardwick doesn't like it very much when one [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUfPxlmu1p8 fails to pronounce "GIF" correctly]].
* BitingTheHandHumor: Contestants will take a few shots at canceled Comedy Central shows and some of Chris' other works. Chris is usually a good sport and awards points. Comedy Central must be, too, since they renewed the show.
** On one episode, [[{{Series/Maron}} Marc Maron]] appeared as a contestant where he received bonus points (along with a bell ringing) every time he made fun of Chris or the show.
* BraggingRightsReward: The grand prize of being "Funniest Person on Earth for the next 23 and a half hours". Or for the pilot month finale, "Funniest Person for the next 3 months." Crosses with AudienceParticipation as, on the last episode of the week, the winning comedian and his/her designated Twitter follower "win the internet" for the weekend.
** Really enforced on sponsored episodes. A couple of "Tag Team Thursday" episodes had the comedians playing for a [=PS4=] ''VideoGame/LittleBigPlanet 3'' package and a ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros for UsefulNotes/WiiU'' for their Tag Team partner.
* BroadcastLive: Alongside ''Series/TheDailyShow'', the show broadcast a live episode on the night of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. It went well enough that an entire week of live episodes was planned for the week of February 13, 2017.
* CatchPhrase: "Points!" and less commonly "Well played!" For the FTW round: "I'm gonna wipe away your scores--wipewipewipewipe ''(flails his hands at the podium displays)''
* CheatersNeverProsper: Always {{discussed|Trope}} when Executive Producer Tom Lennon plays, saying as EP, he could've changed the questions at any time [[AvertedTrope but doesn't]]... [[RunningGag He never wins]].
* CloudCuckooLander: Iron Sheik is frequently poked fun at, but the exploits of Creator/GaryBusey in the "O Say Can Busey" category are on a whole different level.
* ConscienceMakesYouGoBack: On the September 23, 2015 episode, Chris red-lighted Sara Schaefer... then promptly reversed himself and took her to FTW, remarking on how there aren't enough women in late night.
* CringeComedy: {{Invoked}}, with "Make Me Cringe" aka "Cringe Worthy", in which contestants must make Chris cringe using only three words.
* CurbStompBattle: Rarely, but Doug Benson did pull it off once.
** Ron Funches dominated the early part of the game in his first appearance back since winning the 100th episode, but averted when he lost FTW in a stunning upset.
* DarkHorseVictory: Happens on occasion when a lesser-known comedian upsets one of the fan favorites (Ron Funches, Doug Benson, etc.) or one of the special guest stars (Music/WeirdAlYankovic, Drew Carey, etc.) in FTW.
** The ultimate dark horse winner may be ''musician'' Music/NekoCase.
* {{Defictionalization}}: {{Invoked}}. Somebody defictionalized the "16 Squirrels That Look Like Music/{{Radiohead}}" list that was given by Tom Lennon in a round of Buzz Speed (although not on [=BuzzFeed=] itself).
* DirtyCoward: Chris blatantly admits to being this when instead of risking Music/IceCube[='s=] wrath, he just declares him the winner during FTW
* DoubleTheDollars: After the first commercial break, the minimum points value given seems to increase from 100 to 250.
* DudeNotFunny: {{Invoked}} frequently. Crosses with CringeComedy. If gone too far, the audience starts booing/groaning and Chris will not award points.
** One instance of "going too far" happened on the 3/26/14 show where they showed [[http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/kurt-cobain-john-lennon-and-tupac-shakur-star-in-dutch-beer-ad-20140325 a beer commercial]] for the Dutch brewing company "Bavaria" which "stars" several famous dead musicians. One panelist made a joke that Music/KurtCobain isn't a beer guy and is more of a "shot guy". Chris and the audience groaned loudly and the panelist was not awarded points.
** Anytime a joke where being a nerd is the punchline. One contestant even lost points for saying he was undateable because... he "bought 4,000 dollars worth of ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' cards."
** Making a joke about ''Film/SchindlersList'' during Rosh Hashanah did not receive points for this reason.
** One contestant made a joke about a bald attorney having chemotherapy problems. The whole audience groaned, and he didn't get the points.
** On the February 11th, 2015 episode, which featured Lauren Cohan, Josh [=McDermitt=] and Robert Kirkman on a [[Series/TheWalkingDead Walking Dead]]-themed panel, the category was "Walking Dead Spoilers." Kirkman- author of the comic the show is based on- responded to the question using the synopsis from an actual storyline from the comics, causing a HORRIFIED reaction from the audience to the point where many thought he wasn't kidding. Kirkman had to remind them it was a comedy show.
* FakeCrossOver: With ''Series/{{Reno 911}}''. The actors were in-character as contestants to help promote the release of the ''Reno 911'' series box set.
* FauxHorrific: Chris spoofed the outrage that ensued about whether Franchise/HelloKitty is or is not a cat:
-->'''Chris''': Are you telling me that ''Anime/SailorMoon'' is [[NonIndicativeName neither a sailor OR a moon]]? Does [[Anime/PokemonTheSeries Ash Ketchum]] not actually want to catch 'em all?! WHERE DOES IT END?!
* FoodSlap: July 22, 2014: A clip from the Korean drama ''Everybody, Kimchi!'' is featured in Rapid Refresh, [[http://kotaku.com/kimchi-slap-looks-incredibly-painful-and-gross-1608828090 in which a character]] gets slapped in the face with kimchi. At the end of the episode, the winner also got kimchi thrown at them as a bonus prize. As if Tom Lennon hasn't been through enough already.
* ForegoneConclusion: Happens quite a bit with the responses in "FTW", as they will often contain a BrickJoke or RunningGag from earlier in the episode that makes it obvious who wrote it. For instance, Kumail Nanjiani's "#butt" running gag in the very first episode.
* FromTheMouthsOfBabes: The "Thugs Not Hugs?" round, in which contestants must decide whether a child is about to swear or say something cute. Usually the former.
--> '''Grace Helbig:''' Why are babies so angry?
* FunnyForeigner: Invoked by rounds such as "Konichi''WHAT?''" (weird things from Japan) and "Europe Be Funny" (Which one of these was an actual Series/EurovisionSongContest act?)
* GenreBlindness: For Rapid Refresh, if the answer to one of the questions is "all of the above", the rest of the questions will not have this answer. Tom Lennon, an Executive Producer and writer, [[HoistByHisOwnPetard got caught on his own trap]].
* ImHavingSoulPains: Chris can be brought to physical pain from some of the weirder images and/or videos they show (see also the [[spoiler:Nazi-themed cafe]] below)...
-->'''Chris''': ''(showing an image of [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext two men holding baby apes in dresses from a page called]] [[BestialityIsDepraved "Barnorama"]])'' ...I don't feel so good...
** Then during the #dongfoods Hashtag Wars round (after a Japanese chef published recipes for food prepared in condoms), one answer was "a la chode." Chris gagged/dry heaved for a few moments.
* InexplicablyIdenticalIndividuals: One segment had video of a man with a beard and shaved head. Chris accused him of being Brody Stevens with a fake name. Brody Stevens then comes on stage to deny this, then tries to interview the screen. Chris then explains that Brody Stevens is their warm-up comedian and was not simply standing off-stage for no reason.
* LoopholeAbuse: Remember those bonus points from being ActuallyPrettyFunny? Doug Benson took full advantage of it until Chris took note of that and put and end to that.
** One comedienne asked Chris if she can get points for being "offended". Chris gave her 100 sympathy points.
** Matt Besser used hyphenated words to get away with what would've been four word phrases for the category "Cringeworthy". See "CringeComedy" above.
* LuckyCharmsTitle: Which can pose a few problems for any wiki. For this wiki, you have to use [=AtMidnight=] if you want to link to this page. However, using "@midnight" to search for this page is perfectly fine.
* MeaningfulName: The show actually ''was'' on at 12:00 a.m ET (as @ is pronounced as "at", the show literally starts "at midnight"), and the @ sign is usually used on sites like Twitter to indicate posts directed to or mentioning someone.
** Subverted and lampshaded when the show was temporarily moved to 11:30 p.m. ET ([[OfferVoidInNebraska except in Canada]]) to replace ''Series/TheColbertReport'' between its series finale and the premiere of ''Series/TheNightlyShow''. Chris remarked that they would still be declaring their winner ''at midnight'', so the title still made sense. For two weeks in September 2015, the show aired at 11 p.m. ET as a lead-up to the premiere of ''Series/TheDailyShowWithTrevorNoah''. The show returned to the 11:30 p.m. ET slot permanently after the cancellation of ''The Nightly Show'' in August 2016.
* NippleAndDimed: [[http://hazelgracelancaster.tumblr.com/post/72712917827/chris-hardwick-talks-about-censorship-of-womens Apparently]], they can show "a cross-section of a woman with a cat coming out of her vagina", but not her breast.
* OffTheRails: Regularly. You will know if it has gotten off the rails if Chris has to pause himself after laughing too hard. Additionally, the comedians will sometimes get way off the rails in regards to the topic, usually making jokes off of each others' jokes. Chris allows it and will keep giving points regardless, as long as it's still funny.
** One episode turned into a pretend gunfight between Chris and the panelists for a while.
* OldShame:
** {{Invoked}} One of the items featured on "eBay Price is Right" was a promotional package from the 1990s... of Chris Hardwick, including headshots. Hardwick was embarrassed, and all the contestants overbid.
** On the episode with Creator/WilWheaton, Aisha Tyler and Creator/KevinPereira, Chris apologized to the latter for killing [[{{Creator/G4TV}} G4]].
* OnceAnEpisode: Rapid Refresh is always the first category. Hashtag Wars is always the second.
** "This happened on Website/{{Twitter}}[=/=]Deadspin[=/=]Website[=/=]Website/YouTube[=/=]Gawker[=/=]Random Website today..." At the start of the Rapid Refresh.
** Averted starting in summer 2015, when Rapid Refresh began to be replaced once a week by "Panderdome", a segment covering the latest happenings in the race to the 2016 presidential elections.
* OnlyInFlorida: The topic "Florida Headlines," in which comedians are asked to come up with "headlines" that fit the trope.
--> '''Matt Besser''': "Illegal day care found in meth lab."
* PanelShow: The game show elements obscure this a little bit, but the rapidly-changing topics and similarly rapid answers bring to mind British shows like ''Radio/ImSorryIHaventAClue''.
* ProfessionalWrestling: A frequent topic on the show. It helps that Chris and many of the panelists are fans. They've even had Wrestling/ChrisJericho as a panelist. On his first appearance back after winning the 100th episode, Ron Funches wore around a Wrestling/RicFlair robe, had an "@midnight" title belt, and delivered a promo at the start of the show in the style of a pro wrestling {{Heel}}.
* PungeonMaster: Sort of a must for anyone doing [=#HashtagWars=].
* ThePointsMeanNothing: Well, they ''do'' get wiped for the FTW round.
** Sometimes, the comedians gets points out of ''nowhere''. In one episode, Chris said that fans would ask him where some of the "out of nowhere" points come from, and he admitted that they film too much to fit it into the half hour show, and some scenes where points are earned end up getting [[DeletedScene edited out]].
** In the first full season, Chris started giving out the bonus points mentioned above more often. In the pilot month, he barely gave out any.
** On the March 5, 2014 episode, the Sklar brothers were set to compete against each other in FTW. Chris gave one of them 5000 points for a joke just before wiping the points, mentioning that it didn't matter since he was just going to [[LampshadeHanging wipe the points anyway]].
*** He did it again on another episode, giving Joe [=DeRosa=] 5000 points right before FTW for a fat joke [[BitingTheHandHumor made at Chris' expense]] when showing footage of Chris' scene in ''Film/Terminator3RiseOfTheMachines''.
** There have been many occasions in which Chris has allowed all three comedians into the final round. Sometimes, all three have been playing that damn well. Other times, he just likes the third-place finisher too much to eliminate them. And a couple of those times, the third-place person who normally would have been eliminated ended up with the best "FTW" answer, winning the game.
* RightInFrontOfMe: Chris Hardwick noted that Lt. Jim Dangle plays the game much better than Tom Lennon right in front of Lt. Dangle. [[DontExplainTheJoke Jim Dangle is played by Tom Lennon]].
* RunningGag:
** Whenever the last place comedian is sent "in the red", there's usually a joke about the special powers of the red light, such as petrifying the comedian or burning the comedian.
** In April 2014, multiple contestants (particularly, those wearing tuxedos) began claiming that they were appearing on another show called ''Tuxedo Guys''. It's ([[SureLetsGoWithThat apparently]]) a game show. As the gag continued running, more and more (often bizarre) details about ''Tuxedo Guys'' were added by the contestants. With Tom Lennon's victory on ''Tuxedo Guys,'' it seems to have entered full blown ShowWithinAShow territory.
*** And now, it apparently has a spin off: ''Cowboy Guys''
*** There's another spin-off, ''Matador Guys'', in which twelve matadors are trapped in a house with a bull. [[{{Calvinball}} They haven't figured out how you win yet.]]
** Tom Lennon, an EP of the show, can ''not'' win at this game.
*** He finally did win on ''Tuxedo Guys''. He was covered in slime and carrying an award statuette. He was very happy about it.
*** On July 22, 2014, he finally won in his sixth appearance, and went over Music/WeirdAlYankovic in FTW to do it no less. He also got [[BrickJoke kimchi]] [[FoodSlap thrown at him]].
*** [[spoiler: November 13, 2014. He did it again, but in his Jim Dangle character.]]
** Doug Benson always being stoned on the show.
** Pierre the Pelican, mascot for the NBA's New Orleans Pelicans, gets blasted ''a lot'' on the show.
** Kumail Nanjiani and #butts.
* SarcasmFailure: Occasionally there will be things so out there, so bizarre, or so much of a MindScrew that he'll introduce something with a variant of "...j-just watch."
** Chris was visibly holding back the urge to vomit after reporting on [[spoiler: a [[ThoseWackyNazis Nazi-themed cafe in Indonesia]].]] "You're not going to be clapping for this one," indeed.
* ScreenToStageAdaptation: Hardwick, on his comedy tours, has done a few ''@midnight Live'' shows. Which is basically the same as the show, except [[WesternAnimation/SouthParkBiggerLongerAndUncut bigger, longer, and uncut]].
* ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem: Sometimes Chris forgoes eliminating a comedian in order to send all three to FTW.
* SharpDressedMan: Plenty of people wear nice suits -- and the occasional tuxedo -- but Brandon Johnson pointed out that wearing a suit was perfect for planning to drink all day; if you passed out somewhere, people would assume you were affluent and help you.
* SincerityMode: When a guy was recorded losing his shit over the results of the 2014 Wrestling/RoyalRumble (and Chris basically said now no guy has an excuse to not have a girlfriend), he recorded another video of him losing his shit at Chris Hardwick. Chris declared that his words might have been a little hurtful, and sent the guy a replacement lamp and one of his stand-up specials on DVD (knowing that the guy very well might break them anyway).
* SpeedRound: Hashtag Wars and the last game before [=FTW=].
* TheStoner: Every time he's on the show, Doug Benson is ''very visibly high''.
** Note that Benson is just about the only person who can play the show stoned and still win. Others, like Horatio Sanz and Reggie Watts, weren't up to the task.
* TakeThat: When they take shots at someone or something, they don't stop for anything short of swinging for the cheap seats.
** Chris blasted ''Magazine/SportsIllustrated'' for putting ''Franchise/{{Barbie}}'' on their cover. He also said that the Real Housewives seek this level of "perfection", but Barbie "has waaaay less plastic" on her.
** [[SelfDeprecation Take That Me]]: When David Spade was a contestant, one of the "Photobomb: Creepy or Cute" was of a pig-man-''thing'' standing behind Creator/ParisHilton. Spade says it's himself.
** "If you don't remember Music/LimpBizkit, good for you!"
* TakeAThirdOption: When asked whether "Stoney and Bill with Sara Mornings, or AM Mayhem" was the actual title of a radio morning show, Reggie Watts answered with "Or". He got 100 points.
* ThisIsGonnaSuck:
** [[InvertedTrope Inverted]] with the "Whitehouse.ugh" category, where Creator/PattonOswalt, Blaine Capatch and Creator/BrianPosehn are tasked with coming up with fake petitions on the White House's website. Chris goes, "I look forward to the answers you're about to give..."
** A straighter issue came when he warned the crowd to brace themselves; there was a Christian youth ministry group that put up a billboard [[ThoseWackyNazis that uses an "inspirational" quote]] from UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler in an example of GodwinsLaw.
** Then he discussed the 45th anniversary of ''Franchise/ScoobyDoo''. He then talks about the weird Website/DeviantArt dedicated to them...the very mention of dA ''immediately'' has the crowd groaning and moaning in response. As well as Creator/GregProops [[ICantLookGesture covering his face in fright]].
--->'''Chris''': I HAVEN'T SHOWED IT TO YOU YET.\\
'''John Hodgman''': [[NervesOfSteel Show it to me already. Show it to me]].
*** And when he suggested a ForcedMeme of "Hardwicking" goading people into doing what ''they think'' Hardwicking would entail. Chris points out that it would probably turn out badly for him.
* ThePointsMeanNothing: At the end of the final speed round before "FTW", Chris wipes away the contestants' scores and the winner is determined by the audience. Enforced when Chris decides to send all three comedians to "FTW."
** On rare occasions, when all three comedians give outstanding answers in the game before the second break, he gives them all 5,000 points. On one episode, one of the comedians noted that, though the reward was generous, their standings were exactly the same as if he had not awarded points at all.
* TitleDrop: Any time the comedians try for a cheap point.
* ToiletHumor: On the week of August 4, 2014, Comedy Central held "Shart Week", a week full of poop-related programming. As such, all of the Hashtag Wars topics were also excrement-related.
* TransatlanticEquivalent: AtElevenish
* TranslationTrainWreck: The WTFDA category, where food products' names are translated. The results are...disastrous.
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->''"[[ThePointsMeanNothing A thousand points for everyone!]]"''

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