Current affairs around the world can sometimes be mundane at best and disturbing or saddening at worst. In uncertain times like these, not many people want to catch up on the latest news through regularly scheduled news channels and programs. After a tiring work week, one might want to remain informed about current events yet be entertained and relaxed at the same time. Here is where “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” finds its niche.
Positioned as both a comedy and as a means to highlight important issues that require mass attention, the show manages to interweave a comedic spin on current affairs, not only to lighten the mood but to reach a wider audience and further inform. Well-crafted scripts and break segments play an integral role in enhancing the quality of the show which has nailed down the art of explicitly saying what the audience is thinking. This makes audiences feel that they are actively interacting with the host instead of just passively watching a traditional news telecast.
The show features a sizable budget which is well-spent in creating large setpieces and eye-catching graphics, as well as background research and fact-checking performed by the show’s writers and staff to ensure that all information presented is accurate.
The show, however, would be incomplete without its legendary host and popular comedian, John Oliver. He puts his own personal twist on the scripts even when he reads them through the teleprompter as the show is recorded with a live audience. The sense of authenticity of the show is exemplified by the fact that it preserves Oliver’s mid-sentence fumbles, alluding to the fact that it is perhaps not rerecorded and does not have multiple takes. Oliver’s mannerisms in the show endear him to the audience — it would be hard to imagine anyone else taking his place even if the scripts and showrunners stayed the same. What further sets the show apart from other late night series is the fact that it repeatedly calls out and makes fun of its former parent company: AT&T. Although its parent company has now changed to HBO, this form of meta-comedy has become synonymous with the show.
The show is not all garnish and no meat. In fact, almost all episodes focus on an important, main story for the majority of the show, including a strong call to action with steps that can be taken by the public or governmental bodies to solve the issue. A recent episode from April 16, 2023 titled “Farmworkers” focuses on the dire state of farmers in the United States. The episode lays emphasis on the importance of farming for the country’s economy and sheds light on the fact that even though farming is an essential activity for the livelihood of the entire country, farmworkers are often subject to mistreatment and abuse by the farm owners and managers. The episode describes the issues faced by farm workers, ranging from terrible living-conditions and marginalized pay, to verbal and psychological abuse by farm owners and managers. Moreover, to minimize expenses, most farm owners and managers employ foreign nationals as well as undocumented individuals and often seize the passports of these people, making it difficult for them to leave their current line of work. As per usual, Oliver concludes by listing precise, implementable guidelines and actions that can be taken to improve the situations of farmworkers.
“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” has become one of the few daily shows that has achieved unprecedented success. The show has increased in popularity and viewership due to inclusion strategies such as releasing web-exclusives on platforms like YouTube, so that viewers do not need to have a streaming service subscription to tune in. Even after 10 seasons, the show has managed to keep itself new, fresh and relevant, all while serving the essential purpose of keeping the masses informed about what is happening around them.
Ishan Varshney is an Arts & Entertainment Intern for the spring 2023 quarter. He can be reached at ivarshne@uci.edu.
