Former The Daily Show host Jon Stewart is stepping back into the spotlight with a newly announced Apple TV+ series. That there is not yet a start date, a title, or much in the way of substantive information isn't that big a deal--Stewart coming back after ending his run as host of The Daily Show in 2015 is pretty colossal in itself.

　　According to Reuters, the one-hour show will "address a single issue and explore topics related to current events and Stewart's advocacy work." These issues will also be discussed further in a companion podcast. The length and new-media wrinkle to show both signify a bit of a sea change to Stewart's thinking: Throughout The Daily Show's run, Stewart was insistent on a short-and-sweet half-hour format, and not all that interested in exploring the internet as another outpost.

　　Although Stewart has been out of a job for half a decade, he has not remained out of sight. He's been outspoken through those years about the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund and has also gotten an intermittent soapbox via his former disciple on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. But it's no surprise that Stewart is back with a show like this--there had been steady rumors, reports, and then an announcement about an HBO planned project that never went past its pilot episode.

　　This past summer, Stewart gave a lengthy, full-throated interview to The New York Times ostensibly to support his political comedy film, Irresistible. Rather than touch on the film, Stewart spoke directly about the shifting climate of the United States since The Daily Show ended, the blurring of news and entertainment, and social media.

　　David Wolinsky on Google+