The essential episodes of The Daily Show
Watch these 15 in order and you've got The Daily Show — each pick states its reason.
- 01
Comedian Leslie Jones debuts as guest host, Dulcé Sloan weighs in on Boston's statue honoring Martin Luther King Jr., and Morris Chestnut talks about "The Best Man: The Final Chapters
- 02
Leslie Jones and Jordan Klepper cover Rep. George Santos's decision not to run for reelection, New Yorkers get in the holiday spirit, and filmmaker Taika Waititi discusses "Next Goal Wins."
- 03
Desi Lydic & Jordan Klepper host, commentary by John Leguizamo. Guest is Rep. Jeff Jackson (NC)
- 04
Kal Penn reports on Donald Trump's immunity case heading to the Supreme Court, Grace Kuhlenschmidt settles the abortion-rights debate, and Vir Das talks about his stand-up special "Landing."
- 05
Kal Penn reacts to nations agreeing to move away from fossil fuels at the COP28 climate summit, Santa's in financial trouble, and astronaut Mike Massimino discusses his book "Moonshot."
- 06
Jon Stewart breaks down Tucker Carlson's deferential interview with Vladimir Putin, and "Strict Scrutiny" podcast hosts Melissa Murray and Kate Shaw explore the dangers of authoritarianism.
- 07
Murtaza Hussain & Yair Rosenberg
Jon Stewart analyzes Israel-Palestine peace plans and the long-term impact of U.S. foreign policy with journalists Murtaza Hussain and Yair Rosenberg, and Jon bids farewell to a friend.
- 08
Jon Stewart examines Donald Trump's deadline to come up with the $454 million bond in his civil fraud case and deconstructs investment talking heads like Kevin O'Leary calling Trump's actions a "victimless crime." Gary Clark Jr. sits down with Jon Stewart to discuss his new album "JPEG RAW." The Grammy Award-winning musician opens up about his candid new song "Habits," collaborating with Stevie Wonder and George Clinton, and how time spent alone gave him the freedom to branch out musically.
- 09
Jon Stewart tackles the AI revolution and how its creators are promising a better future while building technology to make human workers obsolete. Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan joins Jon Stewart to discuss her work with the "small but mighty" government agency in protecting Americans against unfair business practices. They discuss the agency's antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, successes within the healthcare industry, and if there's an arms race between tech companies to wield control over artificial intelligence.
- 10
Jon Stewart dives into Trump's new Department of Government Efficiency, a.k.a. DOGE, and how the Elon Musk-led project masks its allegiance to corporate overlords and negligence to the American people under the guise of slashing the government's budget. "We shouldn't live in a world where the only programs that get saved are the ones Republicans are willing to put their stamp of approval on." Jon Stewart joins Georgetown Law's Rupa Bhattacharyya, former Special Master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, to discuss how Elon Musk and the DOGE project's reckless budget cuts are affecting valuable programs like the one she used to oversee. Bhattacharyya explains how federal agencies and programs were typically non-politicized until Trump's second administration, how similar uncertainty is affecting the World Trade Center Health Program, and why these roles are what the government exists to provide.
- 11
Jon Stewart dives into the Oval Office meeting between Trump, Vance, and Zelenskyy, which shocked viewers more than John Cena's heel-turn. Plus, Jon calls bulls**t on Elon Musk's challenge to an interview. "Investing in American people and stabilizing communities that need it the most is the best way for all of us." Sociologist at Princeton University and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "Evicted," Matthew Desmond sits down with Jon Stewart to discuss his latest book, "Poverty, by America." They talk about America's welfare state, how society benefits from poverty, the opportunity to close the poverty gap if the top one percent paid their taxes, and empowering the poor with better choices like building worker power, and expanding housing choice. They also highlight how Democrats need to get more serious about economic justice to fully commit to poverty abolitionism.
- 12
A humble, obedient Jon Stewart heaps praise upon America's Glorious Leader, Donald J. Trump, and provides an FCC-approved refresher on the rules of free speech in the wake of Jimmy Kimmel's suspension. Plus, the TDS News Team serenades the world's greatest, large-penised leader. "It's both deja vu and PTSD." Maria Ressa, Nobel Peace Prize-winning journalist and author of the book "How to Stand Up to a Dictator," sits down with Jon Stewart for a conversation about Trump's authoritarian attacks on free speech in the wake of Disney taking Jimmy Kimmel off the air in fealty to the president and his hand-picked FCC Chair. Ressa, who in 2020 was jailed in the Philippines for her journalism criticizing the country's former president Rodrigo Duterte, warns about the similarities between the dictatorship she lived under and the Trump administration. They also discuss how tech companies use authoritarian governments as case studies to inform their algorithms and manipulate democratic elections, and the importance in this political moment for Americans to take peaceful action before their rights are continually stripped away.
- 13
Jon Stewart unpacks Jimmy Kimmel's return to television amid outcry over his suspension, a sign of the times in an era where President Trump isn't even hiding his flagrant attacks on free speech, retaliation against his political enemies, and the brazen corruption in his administration. "We need more leaders who are willing to be humans while they're in the job." Jacinda Ardern, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, sits down with Jon Stewart to discuss her experiences in office, which she chronicles in her memoir, "A Different Kind of Power," and upcoming HBO documentary, "Prime Minister." They discuss making progress on issues like child poverty and climate change while also managing a domestic terrorist attack and the Covid pandemic. She emphasizes the importance of politicians spending their political capital on "doing the right thing," the globalization of political polarization, and how it's a courageous act to be optimistic in these times.
- 14
After Trump echoes a complaint that he's unappreciated by Americans for his "sacrifices," Jon Stewart looks at all the things the president has accomplished without getting proper recognition, like going against protocol to tear down the East Wing of the White House for an ostentatious ballroom, or blowing up Venezuelan boats without due process. Jon also takes a look at the Republicans properly eating s**t for the president and determines that a third term is the only appropriate show of gratitude for this poor little billionaire. New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani sits down with Jon Stewart to discuss building a campaign on delivering politics that "aspire for more than what you're living through," ensuring his tax plans aren't just popular but precedented, taking safety beyond the NYPD to job and housing security, reaching the hearts of young voters with inviting rhetoric, and whether the days of endorsements deciding elections have come to an end.
- 15
After the second murder of a Minnesota ICE protester by federal agents, Jon Stewart breaks down the increasingly unhinged gaslighting from Trump officials, who are trying to paint victim Alex Pretti as a "domestic terrorist" and ICE agents as innocent kittens, despite clear video evidence to the contrary. And as MAGA and Kristi Noem ignore even their precious Second Amendment in their attempts to justify the shooting of a legally armed citizen, Jon points to the real weapon threatening this administration: cameras.Director of Press Freedom Initiatives at The Washington Post, Jason Rezaian sits down with Jon Stewart to discuss the increasingly deadly protests against the Iranian regime. They talk about the importance of collecting details of the Iranian experience despite the impermeable internet blackouts, how Trump's desire to make a deal with Iran would only empower the current oppressive regime, the benefits of including Iranian dissidents exiled to the U.S. in policy conversations, and the humor that carried Rezaian through his 544-day wrongful prison sentence in Iran.
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The Big Bang Theory is a comedy about brilliant physicists, Leonard and Sheldon, who are the kind of "beautiful minds" that understand how the universe works. - 03Comedy·FamilyThe essential episodes of The Simpsons1989–present·FOX
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- 05ComedyThe essential episodes of South Park1997–presentSame network — Comedy Central·
- 06Comedy·FamilyThe essential episodes of American Dad!2005–present·FOXIn American Dad!, Stan Smith leads the all-American family in this animated sitcom filled with wild and crazy extremes.
