The Best Political TV Shows

Dramatic fiction series loosely inspired by an investigation of corruption in Brazil's private and state oil companies and construction companies.

Intriguing and unscrupulous, congressman Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey) and his wife Claire (Robin Wright) stop at nothing in their relentless quest for power. This gripping political drama immerses viewers in the world of greed, corruption, and lust in Washington.

The International Emmy® award-winning series comes to its fourth and final season. A tormented man living the double life of a criminal and a family man, Sr. Ávila is a very complex character who gets involved in an underground web of contract killings and ends up appointed head of the organization.

Francis Urquhart is the Chief Whip of the Conservative Party. When Margaret Thatcher resigns as leader, he remains neutral and, after a general election in which the Conservatives are returned with a reduced majority, he fully expects the new Prime Minister, Henry Collingridge, to give him his just reward: a senior Cabinet post. When he's informed that he is to stay in his current position, he devises a plot to unseat Collingridge and ensure his own election as party leader which would make him Prime Minister.

Kate Winslet stars in this limited series as the Chancellor of an unnamed Central European nation that is unraveling behind the palace walls.

James Hacker is the British Minister for Administrative Affairs. He tries to do something and cut government waste, but he is continually held back by the smart and wily Permanent Secretary of the Department, Sir Humphrey Appleby. Private secretary Bernard Woolley is caught in the middle, between his political master, and his civil service boss.

A political drama which looks into the life of the Secretary of State as she tries to balance work with family.

Following on from Yes Minister, Jim Hacker is now Prime Minister and Sir Humphrey Appleby is Cabinet Secretary. Bernard is also along for the ride, as Hacker's personal secretary. As in their previous roles, their jobs often devolve into a battle of agendas, ideals, wills and wits between Hacker and Sir Humphrey.

This audacious drama follows an ordinary Manchester family and catapults them through the next 15 years. As the Britain of this imaginary drama is rocked by political, economic and technological advances, the family experiences everything hoped for in the future, and everything that is feared.

What is known as the Thorpe affair, centered on the at the time clandestine homosexual affair between Liberal MP and later Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe and stable boy Norman Scott, that affair when sodomy was still illegal in Britain, is the main feature of the story presented. The story culminates in 1979 with Jeremy put on trial for conspiracy and incitement to murder, the attempt on Norman's life all in an effort to rid him from Jeremy's life in his aspiration to become British Prime Minister at whatever cost, part of that cost being to remain in the closet despite having men on the side throughout his adult life. The imbalance between Jeremy and Norman both during their relationship and in their adversarial battle after the end of that relationship is also shown, older, ambitious Jeremy, from a proper English background, part of the establishment, and younger Norman, from the disadvantaged class, he who also suffered from clinical psychological issues, having nothing to lose in not being afraid to be loud and queer regardless of what the general public thought of him. Much of that struggle was Norman's simple want for a replacement National Insurance card to be able to work and receive benefits, his original card which he "lost" in a measure to protect Jeremy from potentially being outed.

Harry Perkins, steel worker and trade unionist from Sheffield, becomes Prime Minister of the UK by an overwhelming majority, partly because of corruption and public disillusionment with the Conservative Party and financial institutions of the City of London. The IMF and the military and secret services of the UK (and USA) are unhappy with the non-nuclear and neutral aspirations of his party and are supported in their fears by nationalistic media moguls. Quietly, the protagonist Harry is driven by an underlying desire to compensate for the corporate manslaughter of his granddad, "who were killed at work" when he was splashed by molten steel. Harry inherited his shaving mug, nothing more, and was originally determined to see workers participate in decision making for safety on the job. As his national-political consciousness grew he formed a wider agenda for a reinvestment in health and education as well as public ownership of public utilities. Harry maintains his drive despite sex scandals and suicide involving his colleagues and the assassination of his trusted military advisor Monty Kowalski. Harry says that "the dead [read: his grandfather, Annette Newson and Monty] ask the best questions, and we are answerable". He finds some personal support in his ex-lover Helen, a passionate advocate for alternate economic strategies, and Harry's spy in the corridors of power; Thompson, an investigative journalist. But ultimately this is a story about one man's convictions.

"Politics is about people," former Sen. Selina Meyer is fond of saying. Unfortunately, the people Meyer, a charismatic leader and rising star in her party, meets after becoming vice president are nothing like she expected, but everything she was warned about. "Veep" follows the new VP as she puts out political fires, juggles her public schedule and private life, and does everything within her limited powers to improve her dysfunctional relationship with the chief executive. Meyer's trusted -- and some not-so-trusted -- aides include chief of staff Amy, spokesperson Mike, secretary Sue and right-hand man Gary.

The Minister for Social Affairs is continually harassed by Number 10's policy enforcer and dependent on his not-so-reliable team of civil servants.

Journalists uncover a government conspiracy when a young politician's assistant and mistress is killed.

Mayor Nick Wasicsko took office in 1987 during Yonkers' worst crisis. When federal courts ordered public housing be built in the white, middle class side of town, it divided the city in a bitter battle fueled by fear, racism, murder and politics.

A woman's life is turned upside down when it is revealed that her husband, a member of the British Parliament, has been having an affair with a former prostitute.