Jon Stewart’s Highly Anticipated Return to the ‘Daily Show’: A Troubling Sign for Late-Night Television

Jon Stewart, the iconic host of “The Daily Show,” is set to make a comeback to the show that made him famous. After Trevor Noah’s seven-year run and a revolving door of guest hosts in 2023, Stewart will return as the host of “The Daily Show” on Mondays starting from February 12. He will also serve as an executive producer, guiding the rotating cast of comedians who will fill the anchor’s seat from Tuesday through Thursday. This news comes as a pleasant surprise for Stewart’s fans who were disappointed when his talk show on Apple TV+, “The Problem with Jon Stewart,” was abruptly canceled in October.

However, Stewart’s return raises questions about the future of “The Daily Show” and the late-night genre as a whole. Despite being hailed as the voice of a generation by Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios head Chris McCarthy, Stewart is now twice or three times the age of the traditional late-night target demographic. While other hosts like Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel are not significantly younger, it was the freshness of Stewart’s voice that made his show a refreshing alternative to the politically cautious hosts of the early 2000s.

When Noah, a biracial millennial comedian, took over from Stewart in 2015, it felt like a passing of the torch to a new generation. The decision to hire a fresh face was seen as an act of optimism, and the show continued for a decade after Stewart’s departure, albeit in a somewhat diminished form. However, the television landscape has changed significantly since then, with cable viewership declining as more viewers, especially millennials and Gen Z, turn to streaming platforms.

Late-night shows have also seen a decline in viewership, partly due to cord-cutters. Streaming services have struggled to attract subscribers to watch timely talk shows hosted by well-known comedians. In recent years, several hosts, including Conan O’Brien, Samantha Bee, Desus and Mero, and James Corden, have either had their shows canceled or left without replacements. This contraction in the late-night genre has also resulted in a lack of diversity, with shows becoming whiter and more male-dominated.

Given these challenges, “The Daily Show” producers spent last year quietly auditioning comedians to potentially replace Noah. However, no frontrunner emerged, and last week, it was reported that there would be no new host. In this precarious moment for the show, Stewart’s return may be seen as a godsend, as his presence could potentially attract more viewers and save the institution. However, it remains to be seen how long the nostalgia factor will keep audiences engaged.

While it is encouraging that other comedians will rotate through the show, it is important for the producers to take risks on rising talent. Stewart’s comeback is reminiscent of Bob Iger’s return to Disney, which raised concerns about the state of the company. Similarly, the eagerness to revisit the glory days of “The Daily Show” may indicate that the show’s best days are behind it.