Back from his hiatus, the hybrid comedian-reporter giant jumps back into the political arena with his sleeves rolled up and tongue sharper than ever. Jon Stewart’s show, “The Problem,” debuted on AppleTV+ on Sept. 30, launching his new project where he dives into specific problems plaguing America, exploring the harm they have caused, the people responsible and potential solutions. 

His sarcasm has never worked so well. Yet, neither has his earnestness come across so clearly.

On “The Daily Show,” which he previously hosted for 16 years, he rehashed the day’s headlines with wit and PG-13 jokes. However, he left that job because he had grown disillusioned. Retiring in 2015, right before Trump’s rise and the stark partisanship that Americans now know so well, he had lost his passion. Not all of his passion was lost though, as he has developed several other projects since. 

In 2014, right before he retired from “The Daily Show,” he released his directorial debut, “Rosewater.” Based on the true story of Maziar Bahari, the film follows the Iranian reporter as he smuggles video of the riots that took place in Iran after a brutal, contested election to the BBC, which lead to him being tortured by the incumbent regime for 118 days. This film breaks away from Stewart’s typical brand, as it leaves the story bare without comedy to sweeten it.

In 2020, going back to his comedian roots, Stewart wrote and directed “Irresistible.” This comedy depicts the story of a democratic political consultant, played by Steve Carrel, and a midwestern veteran trying to defeat the incumbent Republican mayor. Stewart, to his credit, sticks to what he knows. 

Along with that, the comedian has joined John Feal, a political activist who fights to ensure compensation for the 9/11 first responders now suffering from ailments they developed in the toxic environment of Ground Zero. The 2021 made for TV documentary, “No Responder Left Behind,” documents their efforts that lead to eventual victory. 

However, that’s not all he did. In his down time, he helped his wife, a veterinarian technician, transform their New Jersey house into a sanctuary for rescued farm animals. 

So, what has he done between “The Daily Show” and “The Problem?” He has made two movies and won financial support for American heroes, not to mention cared for the rescued goats in his backyard. 

In the interim, both Stewart and America have changed. Trump has shed light on problems brewing within the country for decades, and two generations are now coming of age in an economically stunted and politically gridlocked country. America isn’t satisfied with running through the more ridiculous topics of the day, but wants to address the nation’s problems. They can now discuss these problems with Stewart. 

The first difference between the two shows is the setting. Rather than an oversized desk and rolling graphics, Stewart sits at a table fit for a dining room in front of a single screen. In place of the suits and ties of his past, he wears casual clothing. This show is not trying to be anything other than what it presents: a stripped down space where Jon Stewart can crack wise and listen to people share their stories. 

The show’s tonal shift marks another divergence from his old work. Stewart makes no attempt to avoid satire, but he addresses the topics with much more gravity. He debuts the show with an episode about the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) ignoring the toxicity of waste management strategies and the soldiers who have lost their lives because of  those decisions. Not holding anything back, he invited a panel of people who either lost their job, their independence or their loved ones due to the military’s neglect. Then, at the end of the show, he interviewed the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Denis McDonough. Through it all, he never lightened the topic or shied away from their hurt with humor.  

Most shows of this kind — news,comedy or a hybrid of the two — offer the headlines an exploration of the situation and a lukewarm solution. Stewart interviewed the man with the most power to change the way that the VA treats veterans, the focus of this debut episode, refusing the secretary every inch he tried to take. When McDonough tried to shrug away a question with sympathetic posturing, Stewart refused to let him. In one way or another, the secretary had to address how his department had hurt veterans all across the country and how they planned on addressing that damage. Stewart brought accountability into a place that so often neglects it.

Comedy shows, like “The Daily Show,” offer brief catharsis, but like actual news programs they just bombard their audience with America’s problems. Rarely, they briefly express hope. “The Problem” does not promise hope, but it stresses accountability. It names the culprits, and it interviews them without tip-toeing around the issue. Hope for change cannot exist without accountability. That is where Stewart’s new show differs from the other. That is how it meets the current moment more than any other