Jon Stewart Could Be Back Relatively Soon

After what seems like entirely way too long, the former host of The Daily Show is making a return to television, but this time on premium cable. So, when will Jon Stewart be on HBO? Apparently, the comedic force will be coming back to TV with a new concept soon. Stewart signed a four-year contract last year with the premium cable network, and HBO's programming chief, Casey Bloys, is hopeful about a September or October premiere date, according to The Hollywood Reporter. According to the website, the beloved funnyman is already working on establishing an animation studio, and working on developing new concepts.

Now, it isn't like a premiere date has been set just yet, but if Bloys' time frame holds up, it is entirely possible that Stewart could be back in the mainstream consciousness just as the general election fight really starts to kick into high gear. Stewart has largely shied away from television since leaving The Daily Show last August. He's thrown himself into setting up an animal sanctuary in his home state of New Jersey, and spending more time with his wife and two children. But it looks like the promise of commenting on the absurdity of a Clinton vs. Trump showdown is too tempting to pass up.

One of the neat things about Stewart's new venture with HBO is that he'll be able to respond to the news a lot faster than when he was working on The Daily Show. Bloys told The Washington Post that the new format on HBO would allow Stewart "to comment, real time, on what's happening during the day's news events," with the end result of the day's news being packaged into a half-hour program to air in the evening.

As a millennial firmly in the middle of her generational cohort, Stewart was often one of the only sane, rational voices on late-night television who didn't mind speaking truth to power — with little regard to what party was bringing the crazy — when I was growing up and learning just how our political system worked. It will be interesting to see just how his new venture is received, and if Stewart is still able to bring his signature cynical wit to the screen after a year-long holiday away from the confines of his old New York City studio.