15 political dramas that will leave you questioning our society 

Political dramas, often made out of fictitious events or a retelling of actual historical events, are enjoyed by the audience a lot. Their portrayal of a crisis on a national level and how people in authority deal with it captivates the viewers. They give us a sense of how things go about in the government offices. A lot of them leave us with thought-provoking questions about society and how we as humans have failed humanity. Here is the list of 15 political dramas that will leave you questioning our society.

15) Anatomy of a Scandal (2022)

The 2022 show - Anatomy of a Scandal is set in a courtroom and is about a case between a rich member of the parliament and his colleague Olivia who accuses him of sexual abuse. This show deals with issues like privilege and power and how truth differs from perspective to perspective. It also raises questions about gender dynamics and the roles it plays in political situations.

14) The Diplomat (2023)

The show – The Diplomat, is about an international crisis that takes place after a British aircraft is attacked in the Persian Gulf. It is about Kate, an international conflict crisis expert, and how she deals with this issue combined with her personal life. This show is a great take on the art of diplomacy and how leadership is often affected by gender. It shows how people high in power often compromise morality and ethics to get there and is a wonderful portrayal of global power dynamics.

13) The Night Agent (2023)

The Night Agent is a thrilling political drama about Peter, an FBI agent who works in the night agent program of the White House. Things take a turn when his easy job is compromised with a call from a cyber security expert whose aunt and uncle were spies and were murdered. As a lot of hidden truth, comes to light, we get to see how truth and betrayal play an important role in the political world. It also shows how conspiracies and corruption is prevalent everywhere and heroism and duty of certain morally conscious people help save the world.

12) The Recruit (2022)

Starring Noah Centineo, the Netflix drama – The Recruit is about a young CIA agent who gets caught in a dangerous international conflict. This is a show about espionage and deception. It also shows how a young rookie in this challenging political world can get himself entangled due to his inexperience. It shows how difficult it can be for an individual to fight the bureaucracy on their own. With its insertion of humor amidst chaotic situations, this series makes up for a great watch.

11) Snowpiercer (2020–2022)

Snowpiercer is a sci-fi series set in a dystopian world with themes of political drama. It is about a time when the earth has frozen and the remaining humans are living in a train. The train sustains these humans, divided based on their class. Thus this show manages to portray the prevalent class struggle and inequality all around us. It also shows how revolution and rebellion always arise against oppression. It shows how scarcity of resources can push a person to dismiss their morality to survive.

10) Designated Survivor (2016–2019)

The political drama – Designated Survivor, is about Tom Kirkman, a secretary in the US Parliament. It is about a race for the presidency that ensues after a bomb blast at the capitol. It shows how the thirst for power and leadership is quite different from the actual responsibility that comes with the job. It shows how democracy and governance happen in the US. The show also has elements of national security and conspiracy and how dealing with these issues wreaks havoc in a person’s personal and family life.

9) Scandal (2012–2018)

The drama – Scandal, as the name suggests is about Olivia, a resourceful person who has dedicated her life to helping government officials get out of scandals. She is what people call a fixer. But her personal life isn't as scandal-free as a fixer should have. This political drama deals with issues of scandals and reputations when a person is in power. It deals with power and corruption along with feminism and independence in a male-dominated political world.

8) The Newsroom (2012–2014)

The HBO show – The Newsroom, is about the anchor of a famous news show – news night. This show shows how politics shape ethics in journalism. It shows how popularity can sometimes be more important than the actual truth and how it is the responsibility of the media to ensure that, they do not influence the opinions of the public. It is about upholding professional principles and how technology has transformed the world of politics.

7) Bodyguard (2018)

Set in the UK, The Bodyguard is a British political thriller starring Richard Madden. It is about an ex-veteran bodyguard who is assigned to protect the Home Minister of the UK. But this assignment turns out to be more challenging than he expected it to be and as conspiracies and drama come into light, this bodyguard finds himself at the centre of truth and betrayal. This TV series is a sort of challenge between terrorism and national security, and how duty, shaped by one's personal beliefs can solve or break a situation.

6) Billions (2016)

The show – Billions is about a self-made billionaire and his battle with a US attorney. It is a show about the power dynamics between these two men with resources at their disposal. This show tackles themes of power and ambition combined with the importance of morality when one is on the cusp of success. It shows how wealth and privilege can be very important in the world of politics and often give rise to revenge and rivalry.

5) House of Cards (2013–2018)

House of cards is a very famous political drama and is about Frank Underwood, a ruthless politician, and his wife, Claire Underwood who has the same ambitions as her husband. This show with its feministic tone shows how ruthless ambitiousness can be and how manipulation and betrayal can thrive a person's political career. This show leaves the audience thinking about the illusion of democracy and gives us a glimpse of the dark side of politics.

4) The Crown (2016)

The crown is a combination of a political and historical drama, which, in a chronicle manner shows the life of the British monarchy, starting with the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, to the term of Margaret thatcher, as the prime minister followed by the chaotic relationship of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. This show perfectly manages to portray the burden of duty and how traditions in the modern world can leave a person crippled. It is a wonderful portrayal of social changes in a political world and has won a number of awards for its great cinematography.

3) Downton Abbey (2010–2015)

Downton Abbey is another historical drama that is an amalgamation of politics and social issues. It is about the Crawley family who are aristocrats in the Yorkshire Country Estate. This show begins with the sinking of the Titanic, which kills the male heir of the Crawley family, which is now only left with female heirs. This show perfectly portrays the class and social hierarchy present in the then-British Empire. It shows how traditions change with time and is a very popular show which has managed to have a wonderful cultural impact.

2) The West Wing (1999–2006)

The West Wing is another political drama that shows the everyday working of the staff in the West Wing of the White House. It captures their life as they deal with political crises as well as personal challenges. It shows how leadership and governance take place in the Parliament and how our version of idealistic politics is quite different from what actually happens. It is a great take on morality and ethics and emphasizes the role of media in managing public perception. This show has won about 26 Emmys and 3 Golden Globes and is quite popular amongst enjoyers of political dramas.

1) The Wire (2002–2008)

The Wire is perhaps one of the most popular political dramas in television history. This show is set in Maryland and portrays the conflict between the law enforcement department and drug dealers. This show portrays how failure and dysfunction in law enforcement institutions, especially in the Department of – labor union, education, and media leads to the rise of corruption. It is a wonderful portrayal of the interconnectedness between poverty and crime in how it is systematic inequality that leads to such consequences.