The Hottest Reality TV Show Right Now Is The US Presidential Race
Two weeks ago, I predicted that American politics were going to dominate pop culture and our algorithms.
Since then, Donald Trump has survived an assassination attempt, Joe Biden has dropped out of the race and Kamala Harris has entered the chat.
Am I good or am I good?
To say things have been dramatic would be an understatement, and I’m unsure if it’s Trump’s realityTV origins or my malfunctioning mind, but I can’t help but feel like we’re all watching the hottest reality show of 2024.
Hear me out.
As a connoisseur of the genre, I can identify what makes good reality television. You need a complicated protagonist, a villain, a ‘new’ cast member, and storylines that reflect everyday life presented to us in a heightened manner. If all of this is executed correctly, the ratings will soar and it will permeate pop culture.
IS THIS NOT US PRESIDENTIAL RACE CODED?!
Meet our protagonist: Joe Biden.
US President Joe Biden. Image credit: @joebiden Instagram
Currently the American President, Joe has been largely beloved by the viewers. He’s a good man. He’s Grandpa. He’s been in politics for decades as a series regular, first as a Senator and then Vice President to the show’s biggest breakout star, Barrack Obama. Joe is a family man, and has been through hardship and tragedy. His vulnerability and empathy has allowed him to connect with us over the years, and when he won the 2020 US Election, “We did it, Joe” became a mantra.
However, things have gotten a little complicated during the last couple of seasons. Viewers have been concerned Joe is ageing out of the cast and perhaps not fit to continue on the show. Fair enough, given the fact that he was literally born in 1942. Initially, no-one wanted to say the quiet part out loud, but after a series of public fumbles and word vomit, cast and crew voiced their concerns over his bid for re-election.
In a classic eleventh-hour plot twist, Joe took to socials over the weekend and posted a breakup statement with the presidency. The two would be parting amicably at the end of the year, and he has nothing but love and respect for their four years together. Viewers and followers breathed a sigh of relief, and are hopeful Joe will finish the season with dignity and pride.
Meet our villain: Donald Trump.
Donald Trump. Image credit: @realdonaldtrump Instagram
Possibly the most controversial cast member of the series, Trump exploded onto the scene in 2015 when he announced he would be running for US President. Viewers didn’t quite know how to handle this unexpected The Apprentice crossover, but we knew he would make for great television.
When Trump became a series regular in 2016 after winning the election, things went from entertaining to downright disastrous. His behaviour on the show led to critical conversations about racism and sexism, and a phrase he coined, “Fake News”, became a tool for viewers to undermine not only their enemies but completely objective facts. Many watched on in complete shock that this man was on air during the #MeToo era, the pandemic and the race riots of 2020, but were vindicated when producers refused to extend his contract into 2021.
Now, back with a vengeance (and a few lawsuits under his belt), Trump is convinced he’s got a shot back on the cast, and will stop at nothing until his red cap merch is sold out across the country.
Meet the ‘new’ cast member: Kamala Harris.
Kamala Harris. Image credit: @kamalaharris Instagram
While the former prosecutor won the California Senate election in 2016 and became the second African-American woman and first South Asian American to serve in the U.S. Senate, viewers really started to notice Kamala in 2020 when she joined the ensemble cast as a “friend-of”, aka Joe’s Vice President.
While she’s largely been a supporting character due to the nature of her role, the recent cast shake-ups mean that she is potentially going to be getting a lot more screen time in the months to come. While she’s yet to officially win the Democratic nomination, viewers are absolutely overjoyed at the prospect of Kamala vs. Trump and the new dynamic this would add to the show. Further, viewership and engagement already seems higher with this recent development.
The Pop Culture Permeation:
Here are just some of the memes going round from the past fortnight.
On Trump’s newest accessory:
View this post on Instagram
On Joe stepping down:
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
On Kamala’s nomination:
View this post on Instagram
Whether or not you agree with me, The US Presidential Race has become my favourite reality-tv show, just please do not ask me to recap it if you want actual news reporting because I refuse to watch this unfold as anything other than Bravo-produced mayhem.
Written by Lil Friedmann, who thinks ‘The Real Statesmen Of DC’ is worthy of a Primetime Emmy. You can follow her at @lilfriedmann on socials.
Image credit: Instagram + Punkee