‘The Problem With Jon Stewart’ Is Ending at Apple Amid “Creative Differences”

Some problems are not easily solved. The New York Times reports that Jon Stewart’s weekly talk series The Problem With Jon Stewart has ended at Apple TV+ after two seasons as a “result of creative differences” between the comedian and the streamer.

The decision to part ways was reportedly reached earlier this week, with the show’s staff finding out on Thursday that the show would not be returning for a third season, weeks before taping was set to begin. The tension reportedly stemmed from Stewart and Apple executives butting heads about topics the show would cover in its third season, including AI, China, and the forthcoming 2024 election. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Stewart insisted on having full creative control at the show, refusing to be “hamstrung” by Apple, ultimately choosing to walk away from the series “rather than have his hands tied.” However, a source with knowledge of the situation told Variety that the split between Stewart and Apple was an “amicable one.”

The Problem With Jon Stewart debuted in 2021 as a part of Stewart’s multiyear first-look deal with the tech giant. The series debuted six years after Stewart’s storied 16-year run as host of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, which saw the comedian transform the low-rated political comedy series into a cultural force, turning him into one of the nation’s leading voices in media and politics in the process. 

The Problem With Jon Stewart initially began as a biweekly show, later switching to a weekly format. Each episode centered on one hot-button cultural topic, ranging from globalization to climate change, racism, mass incarceration, and gun control, and often saw the comedian engage in intense debates surrounding the subjects. Over the course of its run,  The Problem With Jon Stewart earned five Emmy nominations, including outstanding talk series and outstanding writing of a talk series.

“One of the hardest things to do is take an objective look,” he told Vanity Fair ahead of the series second season. “A postmortem. Trust your discomfort when you’re seeing things that aren’t working or feel a little off.”