Waiting for Part 2 makes me feel like Seymour outside Panucci's Pizza

I don't understand why you are assigning superlatives here. It's very clearly not "the basement of comedy." Nothing in this show is the basement of comedy. I hear you regarding the increase in sophomoric metaphors, but I don't think it's done out of desperation. Laziness? You could argue that. And I won't fault you…

It's definitely 2016. Check out splettnet.net if you don't believe me. You are right that it's all pretty hazy before 2012 though. I don't think they felt compelled to nail down an exact timeline when the show started (pre-2012 election) and have probably had to work backwards a little bit, but all in all it adds up.

God bless you for bringing this video to my attention