John Oliver Slams Netflix-WBD Merger in ‘Last Week Tonight’ Debut, Mocks ‘Stranger Things’ Ending

John Oliver dove into a plethora of news and political events during the opening episode of Last Week Tonight Season 13. After his usual three-month winter break, the satirical news host quickly covered a range of topics, including the controversies surrounding the 2026 Winter Olympics biathletes to the alleged U.S. abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The bulk of the show focused on the ongoing situation in Minneapolis, highlighting the consequences of ICE’s intensified activities and the repercussions of the Department of Homeland Security’s establishment after September 11, 2001.

“Right after America’s most catastrophic terrorist attack, the nation started yelling and didn’t really stop for about a decade,” Oliver said, shifting focus: “Now, thanks to the Riyadh Comedy Festival, the world has found healing through laughter, and we don’t have to fret over the actual instigators behind 9/11.”

(Several comedians, including Aziz Ansari, Whitney Cummings, Pete Davidson, and Dave Chappelle, faced criticism for their participation in the festival sponsored by Saudi Arabia, criticized for using major entertainment events to overshadow the country’s controversial record on human rights.)

While addressing the mismanagement issues of the newly formed DHS, Oliver related it to his own experiences: “Dealing with a continuous parade of changing leadership can be distracting; though I must admit, you grow accustomed to it,” he joked, showing Warner Bros. Discovery’s logo.

He added, “I’m not even sure which company [Paramount or Netflix] will end up being my corporate overlord. It’s like a Mamma Mia! scenario but less entertaining and definitely less sexy. By the way, if it turns out to be Netflix, I apologize for all the times I’ve mocked your selection as a ‘who’s who of who the heck is this?’”

Oliver playfully concluded, “I really enjoyed the finale of Stranger Things— very moody,” poking fun at the show’s visual style. “And best of luck with Detective Hole; it sounds promising.” (In recent developments, WBD might partner with Paramount, even though they’ve already signed with Netflix.)

The host, who has openly praised Bad Bunny before, also touched on the superstar’s explosive halftime show, linking it to ICE’s rapid expansion which has led to a decline in worker standards, including making Spanish lessons optional: “which is unfortunate for many reasons, not least of which is that those agents will miss out on understanding even a bit of Bad Bunny’s songs; they’re losing out on a lot of fun, sharp social critiques, and extensive descriptions of sexual encounters. It’s truly a layered narrative!”

In his concluding remarks, Oliver stated, “It’s time to completely dissolve ICE. Public confidence in it is about as low as it is in Purdue Pharma and the Titan submersible — it’s beyond redemption. And if you’re asking, ‘Who will handle immigration enforcement if ICE is abolished?’ Perhaps, the same organizations that managed it for decades before 2003.”