It might not exactly be out of the ordinary these days, but anyone who looks at the news will see the UK is once again in a period of political instability.
While you might turn to TV to get away from it all, if you’re a political junkie and you can’t get enough of all the wrangling and the back and forth, there are plenty of dramas out there that will give you just what you’re looking for.
Whether it’s British series like Yes Minister or The Thick of It, or looking at political systems elsewhere like in Borgen or The West Wing, there are options for all tastes.
Of course, there are also exciting new political dramas on the way, like Steven Moffat’s Channel 4 show Number 10 and The Lords’ Day, a Netflix thriller adapted from the 2007 novel by House of Cards writer Michael Dobbs.
However, for now, read on for our full list of 10 political dramas you can watch right now.
House of Cards UK
Ian Richardson as Frances Urquhart in House of Cards. UKTV
Before House of Cards was reimagined for American audiences on Netflix, this BBC adaptation of the novel by Michael Dobbs captured the mood of the nation around the time of John Major’s ascension to become prime minister in 1990.
The series, one part of three along with To Play the King and The Final Cut, focuses on fictional Conservative Party chief whip Francis Urquhart, who ruthlessly connives to make his way to the top and become prime minister himself.
The series may not be as flashy as its American counterpart, but it is perfectly crafted, featuring tremendous performances and a story which remains endlessly relevant in the world of politics.
Where to watch in the UK: Channel 4, UWhere to watch in the US: Prime Video, PeacockState of Play
State of Play. BBC
Paul Abbott’s six-part series from 2003 features a stellar cast including David Morrissey, John Simm, Kelly Macdonald, Polly Walker, Bill Nighy, and James McAvoy, and focuses on a newspaper’s investigation into the death of a political researcher.
Firmly in the political thriller realm, the story includes some jaw-dropping twists and turns, and maintained its tension and suspense throughout all six episodes. Perhaps most impressively, it managed to stick the landing.
If you’re looking for a quick, thrilling political binge-watch, look no further.
Where to watch in the UK: Channel 4, UWhere to watch in the US: N/AThe Absence of War
This one-off drama from 1995, adapted by David Hare from his own play of the same name, was part of the Screen Two anthology strand, and stars John Thaw as fictional Labour leader George Jones.
The TV film follows George as he battles with his party on the campaign trail of a general election. It was based on extensive research into the 1992 election campaign, with real-life Labour leader Neil Kinnock’s colleagues giving access to Hare. Kinnock called watching the original play “the three most difficult hours of my life”.
The authenticity is key to the drama’s success, as is Thaw’s superb performance.
Where to watch in the UK: BBC iPlayerWhere to watch in the US: N/AThe Deal
This 2003 Channel 4 TV film, written by The Crown’s Peter Morgan, starred Michael Sheen as Tony Blair – the first time he would play the prime minister, before going on to portray him in both The Queen and The Special Relationship.
He was joined in the film by David Morrissey as Gordon Brown, as the drama depicts the well-documented pact made between the two politicians, meaning Brown wouldn’t oppose him in the 1994 leadership election and would have a clear run at becoming prime minister at a later date.
Morrissey’s performance is particularly compelling, and, as with The Crown, Morgan perfectly blends real-life accounts with fictional elements to create a riveting drama.
Where to watch in the UK: Channel 4Where to watch in the US: N/ABrexit: The Uncivil War
Richard Goulding as Boris Johnson, Benedict Cumberbatch as Dominic Cummings and Oliver Maltman as Michael Gove in Brexit: The Uncivil War. Channel 4
Benedict Cumberbatch leads the cast of this one-off TV film from James Graham, which first aired in 2019, and examines Dominic Cummings’s leadership of the Vote Leave Brexit campaign just three years earlier.
It may have been ‘too soon’ for some, but Graham has long argued that drama shouldn’t take a back seat to journalism. At its heart, this is a character study of Cummings, even as it features representations of some of the more public facing figures from the campaign, such as Boris Johnson and Michael Gove.
As always with a Graham script, the film is tremendously well researched and features some phenomenal drama, with Cumberbatch putting in a terrific, transformative performance.
Where to watch in the UK: Purchase on Prime VideoWhere to watch in the US: N/ABorgen
This Danish political drama managed to cross the language barrier to become a worldwide hit, meaning it’s well worth a watch of its four seasons on Netflix.
The series tells the story of a fictional centrist politician, Birgitte Nyborg Christensen, as played by Sidse Babett Knudsen. Against the odds, she goes on to become the first female prime minister of Denmark.
The drama originally ran from 2010 to 2013, before returning for a long-awaited fourth season in 2022. The series has managed to seep into the global cultural consciousness, and has been compared favourably to The West Wing, thanks to its smart writing and willingness to tackle dark subject matter.
Where to watch in the UK: NetflixWhere to watch in the US: NetflixThe West Wing
This legendary US political drama remains one of the best known examples of the genre globally, thanks to its reputation, both as a drama in its own right and as an authentic representation of the American political system.
The brainchild of acclaimed screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, the series featured a stacked ensemble cast across its seven seasons and over 150 episodes, including Rob Lowe, Allison Janney, Bradley Whitford, Martin Sheen and Alan Alda.
Given its long tenure, the series, primarily set in the West Wing of the White House during the tenure of a fictional president, managed to tackle a vast array of topics, both timely and timeless, and in doing so secured its place in the annals of TV history.
Where to watch in the UK: Channel 4, SkyWhere to watch in the US: Netflix, HBO MaxYes Minister/Yes, Prime Minister
Before The Thick of It, there was Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, beloved political satires which ran for three seasons and two seasons respectively, charting the politics of the 1980s.
The series follows Paul Eddington’s Jim Hacker, a minister whose efforts to formulate and enact policies were continually thwarted by civil servants – most notably his permanent secretary, Nigel Hawthorne’s Sir Humphrey Appleby.
The series has been hugely influential when it comes to political comedies and dramas, and has entered the cultural consciousness in a sustained way. In fact, Sir Humphrey as a character continues to have a lasting impact, with the real UK government introducing an AI toolset for civil servants named after him.
Where to watch in the UK: BBC iPlayerWhere to watch in the US: BritBoxThe Thick of It
Peter Capaldi in The Thick of It. BBC
The ultimate political comedy for the mid 2000s through to the 2010s, Armando Iannucci’s series, which ran for four seasons, remains hysterically funny and hugely insightful to this day.
Starring Peter Capaldi, Chris Addison, Joanna Scanlan, James Smith and many more, the series follows the party of government’s ferocious, foul-mouthed spin-doctor, the iconic Malcolm Tucker, a minister in an oft-forgot department, and their various special advisers.
The Thick of It is best known for its hilarious dialogue, cutting insults and absurd political manoeuvring. It’s laugh-out-loud funny throughout, even if some of the scenarios hew a little closely to reality for our liking.
Where to watch in the UK: BBC iPlayerWhere to watch in the US: BritBox, PeacockThe Politician’s Wife/The Politician’s Husband
Paula Milne was behind these two miniseries, which are thematically linked, even if they aren’t connected by story or characters.
The Politician’s Wife, which aired on Channel 4 in 1995, stars Trevor Eve and Juliet Stevenson, and focuses on the wife of a politician who, after she finds out about his affair, looks to sabotage his career via the press. The Politician’s Husband, meanwhile, aired on BBC Two in 2013, and stars David Tennant and Emily Watson as two high-flying politicians who are also married.
Both series were generally well-received, as being gripping throughout and willing to go to dark places, even if they could occasionally be critiqued for embracing melodrama.
Where to watch: Channel 4/Purchase on Prime VideoWhere to watch: N/A
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.