This week, Bankrupting America launched “The Government,” a new web series this week parodying both government spending and The Office. Unlike many attempts at politically themed humor, it actually works.
There are some over-the-top spots – the introduction of the (probably?) fictional Department of Every Bureaucratic Transaction comes to mind – but nothing that detracts from the main joke. What makes the video click is its natural dialogue, solid acting, identifiable characters, and subtle jokes (such as the employees walking around in the background holding golden coffee mugs with oven mitts).
In other words, structurally, it entertains for the same reasons The Office did, which means it’s a great approach to this type of communication. If future episodes hit these same beats (and patch up some of the rough spots), Bankrupting America will have a pretty powerful messaging device on its hands.
Jim Eltringham 