"Saturday Night Live" has unexpectedly become a major player in the political landscape of the Trump administration. Though the show is well known to get political by satirizing politicians and presidents, this presidential term seems to have dominated the show with the endless material it provides.
Melissa McCarthy and Alec Baldwin, as well as Kate McKinnon, have joined together in a powerful team matched only by the Three Musketeers. The comedic element of the show balances out the shocking and, for some groups of citizens, frightening unpredictability of the Trump administration.
It's shaping up to be the ultimate comedic relief for a country under high political tensions.
Viewership is up
On February 11, according to TVLine, 1.84 million viewers around the country tuned in. This is one of "SNL's" largest audiences to date. Though on February 18 the episode was a rerun, the show continues to be a hot topic in political conversations. Humor collided clearly with politics when White House sources told Politico that Trump and others thought McCarthy's portrayal made Spicer look weak. This insinuated it was because she was a woman, as such comments have not been made about Baldwin's portrayal of Trump.
Trump's criticism adds popularity
As Trump took to Twitter and the public about "SNL's" satire being unfair or inaccurate, as well as making other comments about his reputation being ruined by untrustworthy press, and "SNL" gained much more power.
Baldwin became a familiar face in various skits and the subject of many side-by-side comparisons for humorous effect around social media.
"SNL" seems to be using the sharp criticism from Trump and his supporters to increase the dramatics. Those playing Trump, Spicer, and Conway, with surprise appearances from Beck Bennett as Putin, strive to be more ridiculous for longer.
Recently on the show, McCarthy picked up her podium and charged at a reporter with it when a reporter asked if she was okay, never breaking character once. The following week, she returned with a giant piece of gum, a mobile podium and a leaf blower.
.@NBCNews is bad but Saturday Night Live is the worst of NBC. Not funny, cast is terrible, always a complete hit job. Really bad television!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 15, 2017
Not so far from reality
Being that the country elected a former reality TV star, some precedent was set for the administration to have some moments which reflected that background.
However, the administration faces one of the lowest approval ratings in modern history and continues to be unpredictable in action. It is perhaps more like a reality TV show than people imagined.
Many feel Trump's inexperience shows, particularly with the chaos created over the Muslim Ban and the lack of knowledge of officials on who it concerned and how to enforce it. As protesters become vocal and his supporters try to defend his actions as necessary and noble, tensions built over the course of the election and before, have simply become more apparent.
Americans need 'SNL's' humor
Because the show takes from current events, and mimics mannerisms of politicians and the president, skits may be exaggerated, but commentary surrounding them, and the ratings, suggest that it is close enough to reality to be cathartic.
People otherwise concerned over the actions of the Trump administration and its apparent inexperience and disorganization can laugh about a strikingly similar Trump or Spicer impersonation. This may let Americans temporarily escape the high political tensions and sobering reality while still showing their dissatisfaction beyond protests. A good laugh is perhaps what American viewers need most right now.
