The Politician

Metascore

Critic Reviews

The Independent Isobel Lewis

Jun 19, 2020

After his revisionist history Hollywood was met with a lukewarm reception, it’s good to see Ryan Murphy back at what he does best, garish colours, obnoxious characters, power suits and all. Read full review

Collider Liz Shannon Miller

Jun 19, 2020

Like the first season, there’s a high level of energy that verges often on a level of camp that is almost reminiscent of vintage Glee episodes; there’s a lot of speechifying on the part of characters. But while at times the second season is quite watchable — 90 percent of the time thanks to its cast — the show doesn’t really know what it wants to say about, well, anything. Read full review

The Telegraph Anita Singh

Jun 19, 2020

Midler plays Hadassah Gold, loyal chief of staff to Senator Dede Standish, who is played by Judith Light. The pair don’t so much steal the show as turn it into their own personal heist movie. Unfortunately, they’re not on screen all the time, and we’re stuck with the rest of Murphy’s characters. Read full review

Hank Stuever

Jun 19, 2020

There’s no understating the immediate way Light’s presence (along with Bette Midler as Hadassah Gold, Dede’s conniving chief of staff) lifts “The Politician” into a more crackling realm. ... Everything that first seemed smart, snarky and on-point about “The Politician” begins to wear thin; the jokes that it makes — as well as the contemporary real-life debacles it lampoons — are too easily made. Read full review

Kathryn VanArendonk

Jun 23, 2020

The Politician’s second season is snappier than season one, avoiding the midseason doldrums that really plagued that first run of episodes. It turns out, though, that a show can be snappier while still being remarkably dull, and for The Politician, that’s largely because it has zero conviction in the full wackiness of its own premise. Read full review

IndieWire Ben Travers

Jun 22, 2020

These episodes are so short and move so rapidly it’s clear they’ve been edited down to the bare minimum to constitute a story. They’re designed to keep you from thinking too hard about anything that happens. Read full review

The Playlist Andrew Crump

Oct 5, 2020

Excess happens to be the least of the show’s problems. Frankly, the absence of a moral center, or even a driving ideology, turns an otherwise typical Murphy production into a spectacle of jaw-dropping tone-deaf nonsense. Read full review

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User Reviews

manningn15

Jul 4, 2020

This is still my 3rd favorite Netflix show and one of my favorite shows of all time, this was even better than season 1 and another A+ season. Ben Platt and Bette Midler really steal the show, their performances are exceptional. Judith Light, Jackie Hoffman, Zoey Deutch, Lucy Boynton,This is still my 3rd favorite Netflix show and one of my favorite shows of all time, this was even better than season 1 and another A+ season. Ben Platt and Bette Midler really steal the show, their performances are exceptional. Judith Light, Jackie Hoffman, Zoey Deutch, Lucy Boynton, Gwyneth Paltrow, Teddy Sears, Julia Schlaepfer, Sam Jaeger, Rahne Jones, Theo Germaine, and Laura Dreyfuss, gave pretty phenomenal performances as well. The writing is remarkably witty, funny, and deep all at the same time. The makeup and hairstyling is outstanding especially on Bette Midler, Zoey Deutch, Judith Light, Julia Schlaepfer, Ben Platt, Lucy Boynton, and Gwyneth Paltrow. The costumes are stupendous especially on Bette Midler, Ben Platt, Zoey Deutch, Judith Light, Julia Schlaepfer, Lucy Boynton, Rahne Jones, Gwyneth Paltrow, Teddy Sears, and Joe Morton. The music is terrific. I really hope it gets a 3rd season.… Expand

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Heyisgerard

Jun 20, 2020

Its very entertaining and it shows the real issue about politics. The comedy is really on point.

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hadear

May 22, 2021

Entertaining, for sure. The cast continues to be outstanding, Ben Platt continues to be incredible as the annoying Payton. With a better director and better writers, this series could have been completely different.

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Scraper

Jun 22, 2020

An Ocean's 11 type ride through a world of catty politics populated by a giant mass of savvy, unlikable characters, whom each seem to possess some type of underhanded dickheadedness. Kind of like internet-level humor where the characters get off on being clever jerks. This show takes an actAn Ocean's 11 type ride through a world of catty politics populated by a giant mass of savvy, unlikable characters, whom each seem to possess some type of underhanded dickheadedness. Kind of like internet-level humor where the characters get off on being clever jerks. This show takes an act of will to make it through.… Expand

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The Politician: Season 2

Season 2 Episodes

Seasons & Episodes