How Our Cartoon President stays topical in an ever-changing political climate
Outside of South Park, animated television series don’t necessarily have a reputation for being topical thanks to the artful, painstaking process of old-school animation. And that’s what makes Showtime’s Our Cartoon President such an ambitious series, lampooning that day-to-day of an administration whose endless assault of foibles, deceits, and personnel changes are hard enough to keep up with, even for an avid news junkie. Ahead of Our Cartoon President’s third season—which promises to broaden its scope by addressing the race to the 2020 Democratic primaries—we sat down with series showrunner RJ Fried to find out how, exactly, the comedy brings it all together week-to-week, right up to the finish line. In this Expert Witness, Fried details the show’s tight production schedule, reveals his favorite animated character details, and ponders whether or not Our Cartoon President would’ve happened had Hillary Clinton won in 2016.
Our Cartoon President’s third season premieres on Showtime on January 26.