I'm rewatching season one. Despite the left-liberal slant, it's still more edgy than anything I've seen in what I suspect is the comedy scene of current year. Not that I've really bothered to check things out. Is there anything really worth checking out?
Since the 'Summer Of Love' of 2020 the streaming services (Big Tech) have pulled many episodes featuring blackface as a gag. Most of them from shows of the same time period.
Apparently, even 'Golden Girls' did it at one point. Imagine that. 'Golden Girls' being more edgy than current year.
Even the '10 Jokes From 30 Rock That Have Already Aged Poorly' article on Screenrant, predictably written by a female blogger, is more a promotional ad than anything else. (Although, those tranny episodes were truly cringe. How could they not be?)
Social media, Big Tech and the Democrats really did a number on society.
Its the problem when you try to deny basic reality.
The traits people often like in those characters are ones that we naturally like in a person, the details don't matter nor do the exaggerated "problems" because we just like them as a person and our brain will resolve the paradox of anything wrong about them.
On the flipside, to be a Leftist you need to be taught to like things that aren't natural. Slutty women, sensitive soy boys, free handouts, etc. So characters need to grow on you, you need to be constantly shown how awesome they are, they cannot show any flaws that aren't carefully crafted to be endearing.
Its why their characters are always such Mary Sues. Because if the token homo was also an asshole, then we would hate them double because we have a natural revulsion to the homo.
I think one big one for both characters is unapologetic confidence in their positions. They show courage in being so outspoken, especially when surrounded by more mainstream liberal characters, while not giving a damn about other peoples' opinions.
I think that's only correct when the character is right, or at least feels right.
For example, Korra from Avatar is unapologetically confident on her position and self to the point of acting like a dictator making choices for the world despite being surrounded by people who are on the opposite side. And its one of the worst parts of her character, if not the show as a whole.
We appreciate the confidence Swanson and Baldwin brought because the joke was how right they were, and their unflinchingness to those wrongies around them trying to drag them down. Something we want to see in ourselves, that strength of character.