You seem to conflate delivery with content. Yes, delivery follows more or less the pattern you underline. And indeed following such a delivery pattern one gets the message across very effectively, about as effectively as possible.

This is American TV. Just like American anything, when they set out to do something, they focus on doing it the best they can. So the wrapping is almost perfect - if the content is any good then the combination is perfect and it makes money for HBO. That's all HBO cares about. Heck, that's all corporate America cares about, making as much money as possible ("The business of business is business", as Milton Friedman used to say)

So probably if John Oliver were to do shows about how the Earth is flat, he could at least count on HBO to provide him with as good a tribune as it gets.

But you haven't looked at the content at all. You were so impressed by the wrapping and what horrible things could sneak through in such a perfect and seemingly trustworthy wrapping that you forgot to inspect whether the content was indeed horrible

So what now, the content is necessarily bad because the wrapping is too perfect to hold something that is actually good? That is ridiculous

Of course people can be bent on will without them even realizing it, it's always been like that. And of course the armory is much more potent today than it was. But you have to realize that both sides have to use the same armory or else the fight is unequal.

So you, probably leaning reactionary right, are very alarmed discovering that the liberal left dares use the same level of armory as your side ! How dare they fight with the same weapons !

But at no point you analyse what is actually being said in John Oliver's shows. At no point you bring any argument about the content, about what is being said. You are just very alarmed that, whatever is being said, it's delivered in a quasi-hypnotic package.

Now tell us what is the part that is not substantiated in his shows, according to you, if you think there's a point in engaging with your readers. Argue about the content, not the packaging