In these polarized times it’s commonplace to hear that the reality of politics today has rendered satire obsolete. If that’s so, though, the makers of these shows would beg to differ! Here are 10 shows that offer cast-iron proof that there is more than enough whip-smart political satire to go around on the small screen.
10. The Mayor
What would happen if one of those celebrities who runs for office for publicity reasons actually got elected? ABC’s The Mayor took this idea as its central premise, and although it only ran for one season in 2017, there are plenty of laughs in the story of Courtney Rose, an up-and-coming rapper who inadvertently becomes mayor of his Californian home town. Brandon Micheal Hall impresses in the lead role.
9. Who Is America?
After the election of Donald Trump in 2016, Borat star Sacha Baron Cohen lost no time in bringing his satirical chops to the fore in this 2017 show. Lampooning the alt-right, the progressive left, and YouTubers, conspiracy theorists, and assorted nutjobs in equal measure, Cohen managed to get some of his dupes – which included some of the biggest names on both sides of the political spectrum – to concur with his insane ideas in the way customary to his characters.
8. Clarke and Dawe
American viewers may not be familiar with the name, but this double act was a staple of Australian TV until John Clarke’s untimely death in 2017 brought the partnership to an end. The pair spent over a quarter of a century taking the mickey out of what they saw as a procession of self-serving Aussie politicians in the pockets of big business. “The Front Fell Off” – a skit in which a politico defends the government’s reaction to a huge environmental disaster – is unmissable: his answers to the reporter’s questions may be pathetic, but they’re at least lightning-quick.
7. Onion News Network
The granddaddy of satirical news websites, it was only a matter of time before The Onion got its own TV series. Running for two seasons on the Independent Film Channel in 2011, the show offered the usual screwball takes on the political and social scene, from speculations as to how a storm-related power outage will affect the nation’s porn addicts, to sweary government spokespersons losing no time in stating the totally obvious.
6. Alpha House
John Goodman stars in this 2013 Amazon Prime satire, in which four Republican senators share a house in central Washington. Benefiting from a raft of talent, as well as dozens of big-name cameos from real-life senators Chuck Schumer and Elizabeth Warren, the series was canceled after two seasons, but not before getting big laughs.
5. Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister
Counting Clue director Jonathan Lynn as one of its writers, this excellent BBC comedy still stands up 40 years after its debut. Paul Eddington stars as Jim Hacker, an average Member of Parliament who gets tapped for a role in the cabinet, and finds that public service is far more labyrinthine in its ways – and more corrupt in its practices – than he had bargained for. Academy Award nominee Nigel Hawthorne won no less than four BAFTAs for his work as the civil servant determined to block Hacker’s attempts at transparency and decency at every turn.
4. Tanner ‘88
This 1988 mockumentary show told the story of Michigander Jack Tanner, a would-be presidential candidate for the Democratic party. Featuring a then unique mix of fiction and reality – Tanner’s run was depicted against the real-life runs of Michael Dukakis and Jesse Jackson – the series won a Primetime Emmy Award. A follow-up, Tanner on Tanner, aired in 2004.
3. The Thick Of It
Armando Iannucci’s long-running satire was a smash hit on its BBC debut in 2005, detailing the goings-on between a feckless government minister, his team of policy wonks, and his party’s malevolent spin doctor. The pick of an excellent cast is undoubtedly Peter Capaldi, whose potty-mouthed Malcolm Tucker stops at nothing to get what he wants. Months after the show ended, Capaldi was flying through time and space in the TARDIS in Doctor Who.
2. The Day Today
It only lasted for six episodes in 1994, but this BBC satire had an influence out of all proportion to its size. Single-handedly responsible for launching the careers of Veep and The Thick Of It creator Armando Iannucci, Academy Award nominee Steve Coogan, and BAFTA winners Chris Morris and Rebecca Front, The Day Today viciously lampooned news shows of the period. Every episode is unmissable, but the segment in which news anchor Chris Morris conjures a major war from a minor disagreement between two politicians in order to win ratings is uproarious. Morris’ spiritual sequel Brass Eye is also unmissable.
1. Veep
Armando Iannucci’s US take on The Thick Of It, this multiple award-winning show bagged six consecutive Emmy wins for lead Julia Louis-Dreyfus, whose turn as Vice President Selima Meyer saw her flubbing speeches, inadvertently insulting high-ranking officials, and generally making a mess of occupying the second-highest office in the land. Louis-Dreyfus is incredible in the lead role, with many noting that this is one of the most realistic depictions of D.C. life ever seen on the small screen.
