I remember being disappointed when I saw @/bitterkarella.bsky.social‘s podcast “A Special Presentation” cover it and them and their co-host were generally confused by its existence. It’s easy to dunk on Doonesbury but I thought it deserved that Oscar thanks to what NaveryW says here.
naveryw"A Dunesbury Special" is maybe the only genuine example of American "adult animation" I've ever seen in the sense that it addresses adult concerns and in the sense that any child who tried to watch it would probably find it pretty boring. It also maintains visual interest despite its verbosity.