Political thrillers have long been a quiet powerhouse in the TV industry. The genre first erupted in media through movies, with titles like 1958’s The Quiet American, The Manchurian Candidatein 1962, All the President's Menin 1976, and 1981’s The Amateurr. At that time,the inspiration was fueled by the events of the Kennedy assassination, the Watergate scandal, and the Vietnam War. It took a while for the genre to gain traction within the TV landscape, but political thrillers have slowly but mightily climbed their way to the top as a must-watch and a yearned-for genre amongst audiences, especially within TV. All of that being said, I’ve rounded up 10 of the best, so you don’t have to go searching!
Here are the 10 best political thriller TV shows you can stream now.
ABC
If Shonda Rhimes is behind it, you know it’s good. To top it off, the Kerry Washington leads the series. Washington plays Olivia Pope, a former media consultant for the president who ventures out to open her own crisis-management firm. Though she and her expert team are great at sweeping others' secrets and scandals under the rug, they struggle to do the same for their own.
You can watch Scandal on Hulu and Disney+.
Netflix
Keri Russell delivers an all-time best performance in The Diplomat (another female-written show, I might add) and it’s just as phenomenal as her other political thriller series The Americans (which also nabbed a spot on this ~exclusive~ list). While not based on a true story, The Diplomat was based on real diplomats to influence Russell’s character of Kate Wyler, a career diplomat who has to juggle her high-profile job and her (not-so-great) marriage to a politician.
The Diplomat is streaming on Netflix.
CBS
Téa Leoni battles an actual unicorn in her latest film, Death of a Unicorn but in Madam Secretary she battles a very different death – the death of her predecessor. It leads to a new, high-stress job for the qualified Elizabeth McCord, a former CIA analyst, mother of three, and highly valued, newly appointed Secretary of State. Madam Secretary offers a realistic portrayal of the demands of both family and a full-time career in politics, and of course, Leoni kills it in this role.
You can find Madam Secretary streaming on Netflix.
Hulu
Obviously if you're waiting for season 2, you already know about Paradise. In case you don't, the newest and currently most talked-about show on this list right now, Paradise follows secret service agent Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown) as he investigates the murder of a former president in a seemingly – key word seemingly – peaceful community. The series has only been out for two months and has since then caused theory galore on social media as well as a binging frenzy from audiences. So, if I were you I’d start ASAP to avoid inevitable spoilers on social media!
You can find the full season of Paradise on Hulu.
Netflix
Out of all the shows on this list, I’d say this is the most infamous and divisive in nature. It’s no wonder too, as House of Cards explores how the media shapes and distorts narratives. Along with the complex characters and compelling and captivating script, House of Cards is a must-watch.
House of Cards is streaming on Netflix.
CBS
Maybe. Possibly. Nay – the best female empowerment series wrapped in a political drama, The Good Wife follows a woman grappling with massive life changes… that her husband has caused (what’s new?). Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies) has long been the devoted wife to a former state's attorney, but after a very humiliating sex and corruption scandal, he’s behind bars, leaving Alicia (much to her dismay) to pick up the pieces.
All 7 seasons of The Good Wife are streaming on Prime Video.
Apple TV+
Slow Horses made tidal waves in the political thriller genre, winning the 2024 Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series and taking the world by storm with its release on Apple TV, with many watchers calling it one of the best shows on TV – yeah, it’s that good. Slow Horses follows a team of British intelligence agents who serve as a dumping ground department of MI5 (the United Kingdom’s security service), due to their career-ending mistakes.
Slow Horses is streaming on Apple TV+.
Netflix
Another 2025 political thriller release (are they officially making a comeback?!) – Zero Day stars none other than – get ready for this truly stacked cast – Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons, Lizzy Caplan, Connie Britton, Angela Bassett, and more. Zero Day is a miniseries, for those of you who want something quick to binge, and you’re thrown into the aftermath of a cyberattack with the President and his team dealing with the outcomes.
The can’t-miss miniseries, Zero Day, is streaming on Netflix.
FX
The Americans is one of those series you stumble upon while looking for something to watch, and then once you’ve watched, you’re left wondering two things – why you haven’t heard of it before and how something so good can be so criminally underrated. It’s set during the Cold War and after Ronald Reagan has been elected president. You’re taken on a ride with an American couple – our girl, Keri Russell who plays Elizabeth Jennings and Matthew Rhys, who plays Philip. On the surface, they’re a normal couple, but not everything is what it seems (apologies if that reminded you of the Wizards of Waverly Place theme song, I digress). Before long, you find out Elizabeth and Philip are KGB spies – a secret not even their two kids know about.
The Americans is streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
Starz
Another criminally underrated series, Gaslit is a modern take on the 1970s political Watergate scandal focusing on the untold stories and forgotten characters of the time. The cast is, candidly, one of the best I’ve ever seen, featuring some of my favorite actors – Julia Roberts, Sean Penn, and Betty Gilpin. If that isn’t enticing enough for you, it has some of the best cinematography I’ve ever seen in a modern show.
Gaslit is available on Apple TV+.
Looking for more TV & entertainment news? Follow us on Facebook so you never miss a thing!
