'The Problem With Jon Stewart' takes a serious leap into advocacy journalism

Emerging from his TV hibernation, Jon Stewart has taken John Oliver's deep-dive format into a single issue and gone a step further in "The Problem With Jon Stewart." If "The Daily Show" offered a satirical spin on the news, this Apple TV+ series is essentially a advocacy-based newsmagazine, one where the comedy bleeds out incidentally more than by actual planning.

Stewart -- who has already adopted this role with his crusade on behalf of 9/11 first responders -- has capitalized on the freedom that his reputation affords him in order to take this leap, doing something that's the equivalent of serving steamed vegetables to those fans who might have tuned in expecting salty snacks. He somewhat sheepishly acknowledges as much during segments in which he strategizes with his producers, some of whom hail from news backgrounds that speak to the program's hybrid nature.

Still, Stewart has always practiced a form of journalism, using comedy as the delivery system. At "The Daily Show," that meant reaching viewers who might not otherwise be heavy news consumers, dressing up current events in a more enticing package.