The Brief: 2020 has been a doozy, inspiring people to make memes joking that world events are being orchestrated by a TV writers' room.
DEEP DIVE
Twitter memes are asking w”hat’s going on in the 2020 writers’ room?” This has been a surreal year so far, sparking a rise in questions of whether we’re living in a simulation, if we’re castmembers in The Truman Show, and who will be the first to fill out their 2020 Bingo card. News that President Trump tested positive for and was hospitalized for COVID-19 has led to a surge in memes about “2020 writers’ rooms” that suggest that we’re living in a chaotic TV series.
It’s true that the narrative arc of 2020 has included twists and turns reminiscent of something on Game Of Thrones, Lost, or Grey’s Anatomy. Twitter users are joking and making memes about the resemblance between this year and a TV drama, especially since the president has been hospitalized for the very virus which he’s been downplaying for months.
2020 is the last "jump the shark" season of the worst nighttime soap opera ever written by the worst writers room ever assembled that might still terrifyingly get picked up for another season …
— Don" 't ask me google questions" Cheadle (@DonCheadle) October 4, 2020
#TBT to murder hornets (which still exist):
the 2020 writers' room lost us with the murder hornets but oh baby they back
— Desus Nice (@desusnice) October 2, 2020
Many tweets are calling this the “season finale” of 2020, the United States, and/or of the Trump presidency, which leads to the question: what will happen next season?
How’s everyone enjoying the season finale of the United States?
— Alex🌟 (@HoodieAIex) October 3, 2020
This is the beginning of the 2020 season finale isn't it
— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) October 2, 2020
the season finale of 2020 is about to be lit pic.twitter.com/2s6KvflAjt
— YEOLO™ (@tzehern_) October 2, 2020
Multiple people have questioned if this is the work of Shonda Rhimes…
We are living in Shondaland
— Hoesha (@Brieyonce) October 2, 2020
I JUST WANNA KNOW WHO TF IS IN THIS WRITERS ROOM FOR 2020?!? SHONDA IS THIS YO WORK?!?
THE SUSPENSE. THE TASTE. THE PLOT TWISTS.
— ReggieFromTheBay (@Reggiefrmthebay) October 2, 2020
A nod to Trump tweeting about his positive COVID test at 1 am on Friday.
staying up til 1 am when the next episode drops
— Kyle Chayka (@chaykak) October 3, 2020
The “2020” writers room really found a way to bring the different narrative threads together.
— Anand Giridharadas (@AnandWrites) October 2, 2020
The meth addled beavers that staff the 2020 writers room have thrown another fucking plot twist https://t.co/dgKuQsTnlt
— Rich (in name only) (@RichSeviora) October 2, 2020
In the 2020 writers’ room, there were heated arguments about whether Trump should get better so quickly and crow about it.
“He has to think he’s fine, so he has farther to fall.”
“No way. It’s too predictable.”
“IT’S GODDAMNED SHAKESPEAREAN!!!”
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 5, 2020
Anyone else getting strong Game of Thrones vibes from the 2020 writers room?
How the fuck are they going to tie up all these threads in a satisfying way?
— 👻Necro-Nome-icon🎃 (@NomeDaBarbarian) October 2, 2020
Alright I've gotta come clean:
I was in the writers room for 2020. Here's the board when we finalized the three act structure for the whole year (spoiler alert!).
I know its been tough, but I hope you can appreciate the craft that went into writing this year pic.twitter.com/vOElstefeT
— Maureen (@MaurinYourMouth) October 5, 2020
While the idea that we’re living in a pre-written TV show is, indeed, absurd, so are many events of the past year. As this “season” continues to unfold, we remain both the captive audience and the unwilling cast.