It’s been five and a half years Jon Stewart left The daily show, ending a tenure that, in the eyes of some fans, saw him rise to the level of a minor god in the world of political comedy. In the intervening years, Stewart has tried his hand at a number of new callings: Movie director recurring Late show prophet cattle wranglerBut we always knew that one day he would probably be back in the comforting bosom of television, where he came from, and now we know when that day will be. At least a little. (It will be sometime this fall.)
This is per Apple, which today announced that Stewart’s new series, The problem with Jon Stewart, hits streaming TVs this fall, returning Stewart to a world of comedy and commentary that he and his disciples helped shape. It is not for nothing that The problem—Described as ‘a multi-season, one hour, one song series’ – sounds a lot like the last Daily show correspondents such as John Oliver Hasan Minaj, and Wyatt Cenac all of which have organized, over the years, in-depth dives into topics that deserve more than the time afforded to a simple monologue joke. (It’s not clear, meanwhile, whether that single-issue descriptor means Stewart is tackling one issue per episode or per season, but regardless, the intention to mix journalism and comedy in a familiar package is evident.)
Apple signed a first-look deal with Stewart last year after a previous deal with HBO fell through a number of promised projects, including an animated series and a few stand-up specials. Apple is clearly counting on Stewart’s ongoing call, but there’s a clear question here: Is that love still active? The Trump era, which Stewart usually looked like, was extraordinarily harsh on the idea that political satire in itself had the power to bring about real change – once a core part of the Daily show appeal. Is Stewart’s specific and once powerful blend of sharp comedy, moral outrage and deliberate absurdity still in demand? We will probably find out when this fall The problem with Jon Stewart arrives.
[via The Verge]