Is Real Time with Bill Maher new tonight, January 19?

Real Time with Bill Maher has yet to make an appearance in 2024. So what should late-night TV fans expect to see tonight on HBO?

Real Time wrapped up its abbreviated season back on December 15. A lot has happened since then, going without any of the commentary or analysis from Bill Maher.

The good news is that everything changes on Friday. There will be a brand new episode of Real Time with Bill Maher tonight.

It will be the premiere episode of season 22. Maher will likely recap some of the stories he missed during his break.

The Iowa caucuses, the Israel-Palestine conflict, President Joe Biden's re-election odds, and Donald Trump's legal troubles are all on the table. Expect Maher to dive headfirst into these stories in more in typical Real Time fashion.

Maher's first guest tonight is California Governor Gavin Newsom. The Democrat has been out defending President Biden's record, even going so far as to debate Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis. Look for Maher to push Newsom on Biden's age, California's politics, and the state of the Democratic Party.

The panel will feature Ari Melber and Andrew Sullivan. Both should be familiar faces to Real Time with Bill Maher audiences.

Melber serves as the chief legal correspondant for MSNBC. He also hosts the podcast The Beat with Ari Melber.

Sullivan is a columnist whose work appears on the Weekly Dish Substack. He has been known to challenge both Donald Trump and the "wokeness" on the liberal side of things. Fans should anticipate he and Bill Maher to get along swimmingly on tonight's episode.

Real Time with Bill Maher airs tonight, January 19, at 10:00 p.m. ET on HBO. The show is also available to stream on Max.