10 Best Political TV Dramas If You Still Miss House of Cards

Politics is the behind-the-scenes struggle for power and influence that has always interested ordinary people. Few get to see what’s happening inside, and the creators of political series give viewers that opportunity.

Interest in the genre has been boosted by House of Cards. Although the show is about the realities in the White House, it has become a cult project around the world. But this is far from the only political show worthy of the attention of fans of the genre.

1. Yes Minister, 1980-1988

British satirical show produced by the BBC. Yes Minister is ranked ninth on the list of greatest British TV programs and tells the story of the work of the Minister of Administrative Affairs, Jim Hacker, and his assistants, who regularly find themselves in ridiculous situations, dealing with bureaucracy and answering tricky questions from the citizens.

A great example of a show that satirized politicians with subtle English humor. It later spawned a sequel titled Yes Prime Minister, books, and radio adaptations.

2. Borgen, 2010-2022

Danish series about the (rather sudden) election victory of the honest and principled Birgitte Nyborg. In the course of complex political games, she wins the post of prime minister – and the stakes rise.

The show brilliantly shows how power changes people – even the strongest ones. Birgitte must constantly break her own moral rules to maintain her high position.

3. The West Wing, 1999-2006

Aaron Sorkin's project about the work of the US presidential administration, which has become a classic. Its head of state is the Democrat Jed Bartlet. For seven seasons in a row, the creators tell the story of how the president and his team get out of crisis situations, survive scandals, solve problems and cope with new challenges.

Great actors like Martin Sheen and John Spencer embodied Sorkin's idea, and the show received high reviews from critics and real politicians.

4. The Thick of It, 2005-2012

In the mid-2000s, the Scottish master of political satire Armando Iannucci launched the pseudo-documentary series The Thick of It on BBC, which later became a feature-length film.

The show talks about the work of the British government with quarrelsome and irresponsible workers. They regularly make mistakes, dislike each other, and skillfully hurl insults. All this is done with witty British humor and is a must see for the fans of the genre.

5. Boss, 2011-2012

Chicago has been led for many years by Mayor Tom Kane, a cruel and ruthless politician who is unwilling to leave office, even when he learns of a terrible diagnosis. Kane has dementia with Lewy bodies, the second most common degenerative disease after Alzheimer's.

He decides to hide it from his wife and inner circle, as such a confession would end his future career. For his starring role, comedian Kelsey Grammer won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama Series.

6. Madam Secretary, 2014-2019

The current Secretary of State dies in a plane crash and is replaced by CIA analyst Elizabeth McCord. Able to work outside the box, avoid stereotypical decisions, and solve complex geopolitical problems, she has all the qualities needed to play on the world political stage.

But international crises fade into the background when Elizabeth's main rival turns out to be right next door – in the US presidential administration. The series was created by Barbara Hall, who also created the political thriller Homeland.

7. Absolute Power, 2003-2005

A classic British series that came to TV screens from a radio show. The main characters Prentiss and McCabe work in a PR agency and will not hesitate to use any means to promote politicians and parties.

The show openly says: if you want to be successful, learn to lie and accept lying not as something special, but as a normal part of life. You don't need leadership skills, you just need to be able to lie and sell yourself.

8. Veep, 2012-2019

After finishing work on The Thick of It, Armando Iannucci moved to the US, where he created another political comedy series, Veep. The main character, Selina Meyer, constantly finds herself in awkward situations.

Veep is an exemplary satire from HBO that uses a comedic approach to depict the everyday life of a high-ranking politician. Like many shows about women in politics, the show follows Selina's ups and downs as she tries to overcome the prejudices of her colleagues, defeat her rivals, and take the top spot in the White House.

9. The Diplomat, 2023-…

One of the latest political shows is The Diplomat, Netflix 's hit starring Keri Russell. It is similar in many ways to the projects of the 2000s and 1900s, but at the same time looks like an extremely relevant and fresh statement.

The story centers on Kate Wyler, a diplomat about to take up a new post in Kabul. In the middle of the night, she receives a phone call from the president himself, asking her to take the place of the US ambassador to Great Britain.

10. The Good Wife, 2009-2016

Alicia's normal life is turned upside down when her husband, a prosecutor, loses his job amid accusations of harassment and abuse of power. She has to start from scratch: Alicia moves to another city and remembers what it was like to be a lawyer.

The Good Wife is one of the most popular shows of the 2010s and has in many ways become a standard for the portrayal of female politicians and career women on television.