‘Scandal,’ ‘West Wing,’ and 6 More Political Shows That Feature Tense Elections
This November, Americans will have the sacred opportunity to have their voices heard and to participate in an act essential to democracy while voting in the 2024 general election. It may seem very far away since election season never truly seems to end, but it’s less than a month until the country heads to the ballot box. Even now, some precincts and states have early voting in progress.
This particular election has consisted of some unexpected twists and odd turns, which only heightens the stress factor. So if you’re looking for an escape or reassurance of how valid it is to feel overwhelmed this election season, here are eight politically-oriented shows featuring tense elections.
Scandal (Seasons 5 & 6)
Sex, drama, and political turmoil are all the center of Scandal, a dark political thriller centered around Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington), a former media consultant to the president who decides to open her crisis-management firm.
As much as she tries to start a new career in the power epicenter of Washington D.C., her past follows. In Season 5, Fitzgerald Grant (Tony Goldwyn) a.k.a. Fitz’s presidential term is ending. The running Republican and Democratic candidates will do anything for the nomination, even if that means getting bloody.
Available to stream on Hulu.
The Boys (Season 4)
The gritty superhero series The Boys has always been known for its cynical political satire that has poked fun at right-wing politics, the entertainment industry, capitalism, and America’s political landscape.
Season 4 lives up to its well-known dark humor, depicting the electoral college certifying the presidential win for Robert Singer (Jim Beaver) and Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) on January 6. Homelander (Antony Starr) is the most terrifying he’s ever been out of all the seasons. He takes drastic measures with the help of the unhinged conspiracy theorist supe Firecracker (Valorie Curry), and the smartest supe, Sister Sage (Susan Hayward) to create a new America.
Available to stream on Amazon Prime.
The Politician (Seasons 1 & 2)
The Politician is a comedy-drama that proves any election, even a student-run election, is equally capable of assassination attempts, slander, and chaos. In it, Payton Hobart (Ben Platt) is certain he will become President one day. But first, he had to beat his archnemesis Astrid Sloan (Lucy Boynton) in the polls to become student body president of his bougie Santa Barbara high school.
Season 2 takes place in New York, where Payton is a student at New York University. But instead of a high school student body preside election, he is running against Dede Standish (Judith Light) for the New York State Senate. Blackmail, betrayal, sex, and politics are all taken to another level of camp like never before.
Available to stream on Netflix.
Veep (Seasons 4 & 5)
Julia-Louis Dreyfus is at her best in the political satire Veep, where she plays Selina Mayer, a former Senator from Maryland who has just become vice president of the United States. Veep gets funnier and funnier with every episode as Selina unapologetically lies and attempts to handle her duties with while trying to balance her own needs.
Seasons 4 and 5, however, capture this ambitious politician in a new light. After contemplating her limits as vice president and finding out the current sitting president will no longer be running for a second term — she finally decides to run for president of the United States. Whether she will break a glass ceiling is up for viewers to find out. However, she accidentally runs into a glass door on accident.
Available to stream on Max.
The West Wing (Season 4)
The West Wing is a timeless classic often set in the West Wing of the White House. President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) is a wise and well-intentioned president who puts his staff first. While the show is fictional, it accurately depicts the roles and behind-the-scenes makings of the White House and its function in a democracy. In the first three seasons, Bartlet considers running for a second term while handling multiple conflicts.
Season 4 portrays how long and strenuous elections may seem. It begins with President Bartlet ending the fourth year of his first term and running to start his second term. But in the long race to continue being president, romance, heartbreak, and workplace drama thrive during this election season.
Available to stream on Max.
Succession (Season 4)
For the Roy family in Succession, owning Pierce Globe media has allowed Connor (Alan Ruck), Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Roman (Kieran Culkin), and Shiv (Sarah Snook) to live a lavish and wealthy lifestyle similar to a president’s. But when Logan Roy (Brian Cox) turns 80 and faces health complications, the four children begin to battle each other for control of the company.
In Season 4 of Succession, the Roys are asked a difficult question. Which presidential candidate are they endorsing? Politics have always been in the background of the drama series. Connor ran and failed to win the presidential nomination. But the politics in this season are more prevalent than ever as the siblings watch the polls live and slowly start to divide against one another once again.
Available to stream on Max.
Mrs. America (Season 1)
The political drama mini series Mrs. America is set in the 1970s during the movement to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). The series focuses on Phyllis Schlafly (Cate Blanchett), a conservative activist who founds the STOP ERA campaign and represents a group of women in America who believed the ERA was a threat to their lifestyles and values.
By contrast, women’s rights revolutionaries Gloria Steinem (Rose Byrne), Bella Abzug (Margo Martindale), and Betty Friedan (Tracy Ullman) make an appearance during the run to help Shirley Chisholm (Uzo Aduba) — the first Black woman to ever be elected to congress, win the nomination for president. The show beautifully portrays the second-wave feminist movement, and puts a spotlight on the importance of voting in an election.
Available to stream on Hulu.
Parks and Recreation (Season 4)
The political mockumentary Parks and Recreation teaches us the importance of voting in local elections. The show follows Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), who starts off in Season 1 as the deputy director of the Pawnee Parks and Recreation department. This optimistic overachiever cares about the quirky people of Pawnee. Whether it’s providing seniors with sex education or supporting the marriage of gay penguins, she will do whatever it takes to get the people what they deserve.
Leslie works her way up the political ranks over the season, and faces her most difficult election in Season 4, the run for city council. There’s something to be learned from this candidate who has passion for eating lots of waffles and serving justice.
Available to stream on Peacock.
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