Prior to 1989, CBS aired the similarly formatted
CBS Late Night. The block was canceled to make way for
The Pat Sajak Show, a conventional
late-night talk show. After the shortening, and eventual failure, of
The Pat Sajak Show, a revamped
CBS Late Night block debuted, airing a variety of news, talk shows, reruns, and adult game shows. In March 1991, after a two-month hiatus due to
Gulf War coverage, CBS retooled the block by airing original series under the new umbrella title of
Crimetime After Primetime. Much like
CBS Late Night did in the late 1980s,
Crimetime After Primetime relied heavily on dramas that were imported from Canada, giving the programs (most of which were produced to meet
Canadian content quotas) an additional revenue stream. CBS also invested in producing some original series for the block. The block was dropped when CBS began broadcasting the
Late Show with David Letterman in August 1993. ==Series lineup==