After jumping ship on the whole “let’s use informational comedy to solve the world’s problems” thing, Jon Stewart returned to a quiet life of defending the rights of 9/11 first responders and buying a farm to house abused animals. He may still have had to navigate the odd presidential run question. Still, he disappeared into a quiet life, with the occasional comment about how Donald Trump really isn’t that bad when you consider Nixon.
But after a couple of years and a few streaming revolutions later, he returned to daily shows (well, weekly shows) with The Problem With Jon Stewart. This edutainment series devotes whole episodes to a specific issue. And would you look at that? The fine folks at AppleTV+ are letting him solve his problems with another season.
Read more
[embedded content]
The Problem with Jon Stewart – Get ready for Season 2! | Apple TV+
The trailer for The Problem With Jon Stewart’s second season, released earlier today, promises a show that’s more Last Week Tonight than Daily Show. But Stewart still has that knack for controlled, relatable rage. Using his famous friends, including Susan Sarandon and LaVar Burton, Stewart hopes to highlight under-discussed or overcomplicated topics that don’t seem to break through into the mainstream, such as anti-transgender legislation and economic globalization.
Our reviewer Stephen Robinson was mostly positive in our review of The Problem’s premiere last September. But unfortunately, Stewart is no longer the innovator, ceding his established format for one closer to Jon Oliver’s. Robinson writes, “The Problem With Jon Stewart is ultimately more advocacy than activism, and while that’s consistent with Stewart’s past work, it lacks bite.”
Will Jon Stewart be able to overcome the problem of a lack of jokes? We’ll find out for ourselves when the show returns to AppleTV+ on October 7.
