Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas is a funny and necessary addition to late-night

The A.V. Club

The former Daily Show correspondent's new HBO show, premiering Friday, is mostly Trump-free, as he states at the top of his first episode. "Watching the show can feel like you’re sitting down for a chat with your informed and similarly left-leaning friend—that is, if your charismatic friend also had a camera crew, a 10-episode order from HBO, and three Emmys for outstanding writing on a variety show," says Danette Chavez. "But Cenac’s not interested in preaching to the choir or rehashing liberal talking points. The loose structure of the show—there’s no real monologue, but there are segments and cheeky, animated asides—mirrors Cenac’s desire to map out a blueprint for change. He knows this means there will be a few, if not many, wrong turns and dead ends, but he’s not afraid to admit he doesn’t have all the answers."

ALSO:

• Cenac shakes up a tired late-night formula and breathes life into a crowded arena
• Cenac's show strives to have something rare on late-night: a genuine conversation
• We could talk about Trump and the presidency, but a lot of people do that," says Cenac
• Each of 10 episodes will explore some aspect of police violence