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‘Veep’

From The West Wing to House of Cards, politics inspire a lot of great entertainment. But what show takes the most realistic approach to politics? That’s a question many folks from the Hill get asked. A common answer? HBO’s Veep. Created by Armando Iannucci, the political satire comedy was adapted from the sitcom The Thick of It and follows the tumultuous life of the ruthless and conniving politician Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). It captures the atmosphere of the day-to-day political scene and finds humor in the less honorable side of America’s political climate. 

Veep stays relevant and timely by avoiding explicit real-world references. Across its seven seasons, political parties are never identified and no actual politicians appear on the show. In fact, Ronald Reagan is the most recent real president even mentioned. That said, although fictional, Veep did unintentionally become a predictor of the real-life political absurdity of the Donald Trump era. In the end, Veep makes viewers laugh at the horrible abyss and most disturbing aspects of modern politics.