The Politician

Payton has known since childhood that he's going to be president. First he'll have to navigate the most treacherous political landscape: high school.

The Politician (2019-2020) is a Netflix satirical comedy-drama series created by Ian Brennan, Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk. Payton Hobart (Ben Platt) has known since childhood that he is destined to become president, and his first obstacle is the most treacherous political landscape of all: his high school in Santa Barbara, California. Ben Platt plays Payton with relentless ambition, while Judith Light as Dede Standish and Bette Midler as Hadassah Gold bring veteran gravitas to the adult power plays that ripple through the teen campaigns. Lucy Boynton as Astrid Sloan and Zoey Deutch as Infinity Jackson round out the rival and ally orbit around him. Across two seasons and fifteen episodes, the engine is simple and propulsive: Payton maneuvers through student council races, romance, and family secrets, each episode building a new scheme that spills into the larger campaign. The show is a glossy, heightened, camp-tinged satire with musical flourishes and sharp dialogue about image, identity, and ambition. Fans of Glee, Election and Veep will find resonance in its blend of teen melodrama and political cynicism.

Audiences broadly rate the series positively for its satirical bite, stylish high school politics and strong cast.

• Gleesatirical high school politics, ambitious teen schemer, glossy Ryan Murphy style
• Electionambitious schemer, election-campaign satire, dark comedic tone
• Rushmorecampus-style power games, sharp satirical comedy, ambitious protagonist
• Veepsatirical political comedy with heightened performance and musical touches

Created by

Ian Brennan, Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk

Release Date

2019-09-27

Episode runtime

60 min

Rating

7.4 / 10 (243)

What is The Politician about?

A high school student with a lifelong dream of the presidency schemes his way through student council and campus politics.

What is The Politician like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Politician as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is The Politician violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Politician.

What did critics think of The Politician?

Audiences broadly rate the series positively for its satirical bite, stylish high school politics and strong cast.

Which shows are like The Politician?

Shows with a similar feel include Glee, Election, Rushmore, and Veep.

How long is The Politician?

The Politician: 2 seasons, 15 episodes.

Is The Politician still running?

No, The Politician has ended.

Where can I watch The Politician?

In United States, The Politician streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.