Whatever your political persuasion, Katheryn Bigelow’s A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE probably left you with some anxious feelings. The Hollywood legend’s first movie in nine years has been topping the streaming charts thanks to its all-star cast and thrilling setup—how would the U.S. react if a single, rogue nuclear missile suddenly appeared on their radar screens, destined for Chicago in roughly 20 minutes?
Still reeling from your first viewing (or from that divisive ending) and looking to ramp up the anxiety a little more? Or maybe you’d rather slip into a more reassuring type of show. Either way, we’ve got you covered: here are ten of the best political TV shows of the last few decades—which I’ve arranged in no particular order. Read on to discover more and use the guide below to find them on services like AppleTV, Netflix, Prime Video and elsewhere.
House of Cards (2013-2018)
House of Cards is one of the most significant shows of the century, as it basically spearheaded the idea of binge-watching while helping to turn Netflix into the global phenomenon that it is today. It is also a relentlessly gripping political TV show, especially if you like the movies of David Fincher (think The Social Network, Zodiac)—the man responsible for its creation.
Just in case you’ve not seen it before, it’s worth noting that Kevin Spacey plays the lead role of Frank Underwood and narrates almost every episode in the first five seasons—so if you’d rather not give the actor any more screentime, perhaps it’s best to try another show on this list.
Zero Day (2025)
If you enjoyed the writing and tone of Bigelow’s movie, you mostly have Noah Oppenheim to thank for that. The screenwriter has been working in Hollywood for years, notably on Pablo Larraín’s excellent Jackie (concerning the former first lady’s actions in the days after JFK’s assassination), but more recently on the six-episode miniseries Zero Day, a political thriller starring Robert De Niro.
The plot centres on a former U.S. president (De Niro) who is called out of retirement to help with a devastating cyberattack. Jesse Plemons and Angela Bassett lead the formidable supporting players.
Veep (2012-2019)
If you liked how House of Dynamite offered the chance to watch hapless politicians squirm under pressure, you might take some sadistic joy in watching Armando Iannucci’s Veep. This darkly hilarious HBO series centres on the petty, incompetent, but relentlessly power-hungry political career of vice president Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus)—and if you like Iannucci’s work on movies like In the Loop or The Death of Stalin, this one kind of takes the biscuit.
The cast is stacked with hilarious actors (including Matt Walsh, Tony Hale and Sam Richardson), but of course, Veep would be nothing without Dreyfus, who won a whopping nine Emmys for her performance over seven seasons of the show.
The Thick of It (2005-2012)
And speaking of Iannucci’s work, if you’ve already seen Veep and fancy going a little more down the Armando rabbit hole, it’s well worth checking out The Thick of It. Produced for the BBC, this iconic political show—which examined the inner workings of the British government with merciless satirical energy—basically wrote the blueprint for his more celebrated HBO show.
This is also the show that gave the world Peter Capaldi’s colourfully profane and extremely Scottish spin doctor, Malcolm Tucker, so if you’re a fan of Capaldi’s time as the Doctor, you might get a kick out of seeing him let loose here.
Shōgun (2024)
If all those present-day worries are proving a bit too much, you can always delve into the past with Shōgun. This celebrated show is set in Japan at the turn of the 17th century, a time when people were less concerned with rogue nuclear missiles than whether a social faux pas would result in them having their head chopped off.
Produced by FX and Hulu, Shōgun offers a dazzlingly realised recreation of that period in history, but the way the characters operate is really not so different to more modern political shows—imagine House of Cards meets Throne of Blood and you might have some inkling of what to expect.
Succession (2018-2023)
If you watched House of Dynamite and moved on to The Thick of It, you’ll want to get onto Succession as quickly as possible. Iannucci actually co-wrote The Thick of It with Jesse Armstrong, the Succession showrunner and another veteran of UK television who has found incredible success since moving to HBO.
Over four seasons, Succession—which charts the inner workings of a family as the younger generation fight tooth and nail over their father’s media empire—cemented itself as one of the most celebrated TV shows of all time. It’s also a show with no shortage of things to say about the state of contemporary politics—and if you liked Armstrong’s recent TV movie Mountainhead, you really have to check it out.
The West Wing (1999-2006)
If all that satire and darkness is getting to be a bit too much, why not try the decidedly warmer waters of The West Wing? This is the show that really made Aaron Sorkin a household name, so if you like his famously quickfire dialogue in movies like Moneyball and A Few Good Men, you’ll likely really enjoy this.
Just be warned, the politics here—the show centres on a liberal president, played beautifully by Martin Sheen—can sometimes get a bit gooey for comfort, but if you’re willing to suspend disbelief and give it the benefit of the doubt, it offers a comforting window to a more hopeful time.
Parks and Recreation (2009-2015)
Speaking of more hopeful vibes, few shows have dealt with the good kind of local politics with quite as much fun and optimism as Parks and Recreation. Set in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana, the show centres on Leslie Knopp (Amy Poehler), the hard-working and relentlessly positive deputy director of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.
Starting in 2009, the show proved to be a launchpad for several huge stars, including Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy), Aubrey Plaza (The White Lotus) and Nick Offerman (The Last of Us)—so if you’re a fan of any of them, you might get a kick out of seeing where they started.
The Wire (2002-2008)
If you watched House of Dynamite and enjoyed the movie’s level of research and detail, you’re gonna love The Wire. This is former Baltimore Sun reporter David Simon’s magnum opus, a show that left no stone unturned as it examined the inner workings of the city’s drug trade, unions, schools, newspapers and politics.
For all that information, what made the series great was that it never forgot to be a gripping, funny and entertaining TV show—and if you like some of the other great shows from that golden era (think The Sopranos or Mad Men), you’ll want to check it out.
The Diplomat (2023-)
We’ll end our list with a series that’s still ongoing. Over three seasons now, with another on the way, Debora Cahn’s The Diplomat has been exploring the often invisible world of foreign policy through the life of a diplomat (played by Keri Russell) who is unexpectedly appointed as U.S. ambassador to the UK.
Russell has already been nominated for two Emmys for her portrayal of Kate Wyler in the show, and if you appreciated the actress’s stellar work over six seasons of The Americans, you’ll easily get into this one.
