Will Trump Bring a 'Saturday Night Live' Renaissance?
by EG
Saturday Night Live has always--or, at least since the 1970s--received the most attention when its political satire was most in demand. Whether it was Will Ferrell's George W. Bush impressions or Tina Fey's Sarah Palin, SNL has, in recent years, been most able to expand beyond its core fanbase when its political mockery was most pointed. Now that the battle lines are being drawn between SNL and President-elect Donald Trump, that could mean a ratings boost for the venerable series.
It certainly seems to have been true that the first post-election episode of SNL benefitted from the shock of Trump's victory. That episode turned in the series' best ratings among younger viewers since 2013.
On the other hand, the show's most recent episode, which featured Alec Baldwin's Trump impersonation, drew season-low ratings. That could be an indication that, now that the turmoil of the election has passed, young viewers' in political satire may be waning.
On yet another hand, Trump himself seems determined to keep SNL in the spotlight by tweeting insults at the show every time Baldwin impersonates him. The tweets are even leading some to suggest that SNL is on the front lines of a potential First-Admendment battle. Should that pattern keep up, and if Trump's presidency remains controversial, SNL might be the recipient of Trump gold.