What’s Worth Watching: ‘The Daily Show with Jon Stewart’ on Comedy Central for Thursday, August 6

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart (Thursday, Aug. 6, 11/10c, Comedy Central)

Yes, we’re in denial as well that this day, and Daily Show milestone, has come. Jon Stewart has dominated the field of fake-news/political parody the way Johnny Carson once ruled late-night talk. Can’t he reconsider?

Apparently not, as we look on in resigned admiration as Stewart signs off at the top of his game—still fully engaged and amused by the absurdity of politics (Trump being one last gift from the gods) and exasperated by the excesses and shortcomings of 24-hour news (Fox News being his greatest target, though no one was immune from his satirical gaze). As laudable as it is for a singular talent like Stewart to step aside long before we think he should, it’s impossible not to consider how greatly his voice will be missed as we head into another beyond-eventful campaign year.

Couldn’t he have waited until after the next Clinton-or-Bush-or-whoever inauguration? Truth is, there’s never a perfect time to bid farewell to a personality of this magnitude. (We wish his successor Trevor Noah well—he made a good first impression last week in his appearance at the TCA press tour—but it won’t be the same, not that it should try to be.) Here’s hoping for a memorable victory lap by our greatest faux-anchor as we eagerly await his next act.