Trevor Noah’s The Daily Show

Trevor Noah’s first episode of “The Daily Show,” which aired on Monday night, was not bad. Noah was confident and seemed sure of himself, and the audience was enthusiastic. Each one-liner was met with excited applause, and he managed to make the show his own with jokes tailored to his background. But the desk, the correspondents and of course the show title itself are often painful reminders of Noah’s predecessor. Jon Stewart’s transformative sixteen-year career elevated the show to its high reputation and provided a cynical comic’s take on national and global goings-on. Stewart was immensely likable; he was simultaneously passionate and discouraged and human. He created comedy that was just as informative and educational as it was funny. He was a remarkable host.

But Trevor Noah now occupies Stewart’s seat. He is not and will not be Jon Stewart, and the viewer’s responsibility is to give him a chance on his own, as a separate individual, to create a new version of or begin a new chapter of “The Daily Show.” Nevertheless, it is impossible not to compare Noah and Stewart, and the critics finally have a show of material to juxtapose the two men.

What seems to set Noah apart from Stewart is his youth. His jokes and overall attitude felt very current and appeal to the millennials, with references to topics like sexting and emojis. He was confident and at ease, flirting with the audience. Noah is innocent and optimistic in a way that is goofy but does not feel as raw and human as Stewart. He lacks the wisdom and criticality of Stewart’s bitter but refreshing “I’m fed up!” attitude that drew us back to him every night. As Stewart is replaced with a younger, jollier host, we worry that the show’s past truthfulness will be lost in a swell of simple jokes. We hope in time Noah will reveal his angst.

Although the Pope’s visit to America and Boehner’s resignation were important events to report on, it didn’t feel like Noah had an entirely distinct or profound stance or opinion to communicate. He made funny comments, but he didn’t seem to really meaningfully dig at the ridiculousness by which Stewart so successfully defined the show.

A great addition to the show was the new “Senior Mars correspondent” Roy Wood Jr., whose nonchalant humor worked well with Noah’s. When asked about the water discovery on Mars, he said, “I can tell you I don't give a s--t.”

Noah’s interview with Kevin Hart was strange and forced; it was difficult to tell whether this was because Hart is such a bizarre subject or because interviewing is a skill Noah still must hone. Hart’s aggressive humor and loud laugh did not mesh well with Noah’s calm, smooth demeanor.

Noah has big and challenging shoes to fill, and it was impossible for him to succeed completely on his first night. Some jokes fell flat, but there were no total flops. And while we did not find ourselves laughing out loud at any points, the script had funny moments that the audience enjoyed. Given the inevitable difficulties, he did not perform poorly.