2020s TV Shows that Aren’t Afarid of Politics

The 2020s have delivered a wave of series that put policy, power, and public life front-and-center, weaving real-world issues into gripping stories across genres. From historical sagas and docudramas to sci-fi resistance tales and workplace power plays, these shows tackle subjects like elections, protest movements, surveillance, diplomacy, and inequality without flinching. Here are 40 titles that embed politics in their DNA—spanning multiple countries, platforms, and perspectives—so you can see how contemporary television is engaging with the world we live in.

‘Mrs. America’ (2020)

FX’s ‘Mrs. America’ follows the national battle over the Equal Rights Amendment through activists and organizers on opposing sides. It tracks coalition-building, media strategy, and legislative maneuvering in statehouses and Washington. The series maps how think tanks, party realignment, and grassroots networks shaped policy outcomes and voter behavior.

‘The Plot Against America’ (2020)

HBO’s ‘The Plot Against America’ adapts Philip Roth’s alternate-history novel to explore how populism, xenophobia, and isolationism can permeate democratic institutions. It depicts campaign messaging, cabinet appointments, and federal policy shifts as they ripple through everyday households. The show uses community-level incidents to illustrate civil liberties under political pressure.

‘The Good Lord Bird’ (2020)

Showtime’s ‘The Good Lord Bird’ dramatizes abolitionist organizing around John Brown and the raid on Harpers Ferry. It shows underground networks, fundraising, and factional disputes among antislavery groups. The narrative outlines how religious rhetoric, newspapers, and militias intersected with territorial and federal politics.

‘Utopia’ (2020)

‘ Utopia’ centers on a group uncovering a biotech conspiracy tied to public-health emergencies. It explores how misinformation, crisis management, and privatized research influence national responses. The plot follows whistleblowing, shadow lobbying, and state security interventions around disease control.

‘The Comey Rule’ (2020)

Showtime’s ‘The Comey Rule’ portrays interactions between the FBI, the Department of Justice, and the White House. It reconstructs prosecutorial decisions, memos, and congressional testimony. The series details protocols around recusals, briefings, and the independence of federal law enforcement.

‘P-Valley’ (2020–)

Starz’s ‘P-Valley’ situates a Mississippi community within debates over zoning, development, and local elections. Storylines track how clubs, churches, and businesses engage city councils and power brokers. It examines economic precarity, policing practices, and campaign financing at the municipal level.

‘Industry’ (2020–)

‘Industry’ (BBC/HBO) follows young bankers navigating global finance as it intersects with regulation and geopolitics. It covers central-bank signals, trade-policy shocks, and compliance regimes shaping deals and careers. The show illustrates how lobbying, media narratives, and market volatility influence public policy and corporate strategy.

‘It’s a Sin’ (2021)

Channel 4/HBO Max’s ‘It’s a Sin’ traces the UK AIDS crisis through community and advocacy networks. It documents public-health messaging, hospital protocols, and the role of activism in shifting government responses. The series shows how stigma, press coverage, and legal frameworks affected care and rights.

‘Dopesick’ (2021)

Hulu’s ‘Dopesick’ charts the opioid epidemic across regulators, prosecutors, and pharmaceutical executives. It follows the evolution of drug labeling, marketing practices, and enforcement actions. The show lays out how civil and criminal cases, congressional hearings, and state attorneys general shaped accountability.

‘The Underground Railroad’ (2021)

Prime Video’s ‘The Underground Railroad’ depicts escape routes as a coordinated resistance with logistical and political dimensions. It portrays clandestine safehouses, coded communication, and the enforcement apparatus supporting slavery. The series examines how local authorities, bounty systems, and federal policy converged on human freedom.

‘Squid Game’ (2021–)

Netflix’s ‘Squid Game’ uses a deadly competition to interrogate debt, labor, and welfare structures. It connects personal insolvency to predatory lending and weak social safety nets. The show tracks surveillance, contracting, and secrecy mechanisms that protect elite interests and exploit vulnerable participants.

‘The White Lotus’ (2021–)

HBO’s ‘The White Lotus’ scrutinizes wealth, tourism, and power through the operations of a luxury resort. It highlights worker precarity, land rights, and how institutions manage scandal. The series examines policing, media narratives, and legal jeopardy as class conflicts surface.

‘Foundation’ (2021–)

Apple TV+’s ‘Foundation’ maps imperial governance, insurgency, and technocratic planning on a galactic scale. It focuses on succession, state religion, and information control as tools of power. The show follows rebels, bureaucrats, and scientists contesting legitimacy, surveillance, and strategic forecasting.

‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ (2021)

Disney+’s ‘The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ engages post-blip governance through border policies and refugee resettlement. It depicts interagency coordination, security designations, and protest movements responding to displacement. The series tracks debates over symbols, veterans’ benefits, and international jurisdiction.

‘We Own This City’ (2022)

HBO’s ‘We Own This City’ investigates Baltimore policing, corruption, and federal oversight. It details consent decrees, internal-affairs cases, and Justice Department probes. The show illustrates how overtime fraud, evidence handling, and political leadership intersect with reform efforts.

‘This England’ (2022)

Sky’s ‘This England’ examines the UK’s pandemic management inside Downing Street and the civil service. It portrays advisory committees, data briefings, and communications strategies. The series covers procurement, care-home policy, and the political fallout of crisis decision-making.

‘Severance’ (2022–)

Apple TV+’s ‘Severance’ explores workplace control, labor rights, and corporate governance through memory partitioning. It follows whistleblowers, board dynamics, and compliance structures inside a powerful company. The narrative shows how secrecy rules, arbitration clauses, and surveillance reshape employee autonomy.

‘Andor’ (2022–)

Disney+’s ‘Andor’ traces the rise of a rebellion through organizing, finance, and intelligence work. It depicts black-market funding, prison labor, and local-level resistance to authoritarian rule. The series analyzes propaganda, informant networks, and the cost of insurgency.

‘Gaslit’ (2022)

Starz’s ‘Gaslit’ revisits Watergate via operatives, prosecutors, and media. It shows slush funds, break-in logistics, and the mechanics of obstruction. The show follows hearings, plea deals, and the chain of command that unraveled a presidency.

‘Slow Horses’ (2022–)

Apple TV+’s ‘Slow Horses’ embeds MI5 misfits in turf wars across the British security state. It covers oversight committees, privatized intelligence, and political scapegoating. The series tracks disinformation, kompromat, and interdepartmental rivalry affecting national security.

‘The Diplomat’ (2023–)

Netflix’s ‘The Diplomat’ follows a US envoy managing crises, alliances, and domestic politics. It shows back-channel talks, interagency squabbles, and parliamentary maneuvering. The series maps how media cycles, coalition cabinets, and defense agreements shape foreign policy.

‘The Last of Us’ (2023–)

HBO’s ‘The Last of Us’ depicts competing governance models after societal collapse. It contrasts military rule, community compacts, and insurgent cells managing scarce resources. The show examines quarantine enforcement, smuggling economies, and public-health tradeoffs.

‘Class of ’09’ (2023)

FX/Hulu’s ‘Class of ’09’ follows FBI agents across timelines to study predictive policing and civil liberties. It explores algorithmic bias, warrant standards, and data governance. The series tracks congressional scrutiny, court challenges, and internal reforms around surveillance.

‘The Sympathizer’ (2024)

HBO’s ‘The Sympathizer’ centers on a double agent navigating postwar exile, propaganda, and state violence. It portrays intelligence tradecraft, diaspora politics, and cultural production as soft power. The show follows interrogations, memoir framing, and competing narratives of legitimacy.

‘The Regime’ (2024)

HBO’s ‘The Regime’ examines a fictional European autocracy from palace corridors to street protests. It covers cabinet purges, security services, and economic patronage systems. The series tracks diplomatic isolation, information control, and the fragility of personalist rule.

‘Borgen – Power & Glory’ (2022)

‘Borgen: Power & Glory’ returns to Danish coalition politics through the foreign ministry and energy portfolio. It tracks negotiations over Arctic resources, media scrutiny, and party discipline inside a fragile government. The series details cabinet reshuffles, diplomatic summits, and how minority partners shape policy.

‘House of the Dragon’ (2022–)

‘House of the Dragon’ centers on succession law, regency councils, and factional alliances within a ruling dynasty. It shows how oaths, marriage contracts, and regional loyalties influence the balance of power. The story follows council deliberations, propaganda, and wartime logistics across contested territories.

‘Shōgun’ (2024)

‘Shōgun’ dramatizes early-modern statecraft with daimyo coalitions, hostage politics, and trade concessions. It illustrates council intrigue, religious missions, and the use of law codes to consolidate authority. The series maps port access, mercantile leverage, and diplomatic back-channels among rival power centers.

‘The Serpent Queen’ (2022–)

‘The Serpent Queen’ follows court governance under Catherine de’ Medici, focusing on regencies, edicts, and confessional strife. It examines marriage alliances, patronage networks, and the management of noble factions. The show tracks espionage, revenue farming, and the enforcement of royal decrees.

‘The Peripheral’ (2022)

‘The Peripheral’ links future governance to corporate sovereignty, data monopolies, and paramilitary policing. It depicts proxy politics across timelines, with lobbying, information control, and privatized security shaping outcomes. The narrative shows black-box algorithms, election interference, and contested jurisdiction.

‘Tokyo Vice’ (2022–)

‘Tokyo Vice’ charts interactions among police divisions, organized crime, and the press. It covers reporting constraints, source cultivation, and institutional rivalries that affect investigations. The series portrays back-room deals, regulatory loopholes, and how corruption probes develop.

‘Mayor of Kingstown’ (2021–)

‘Mayor of Kingstown’ explores the prison economy as a local power system involving unions, private contractors, and law enforcement. It follows ceasefire negotiations, consent decrees, and community pressure on municipal government. The show details gang mediation, procurement, and crisis management after incidents.

‘The Night Agent’ (2023–)

‘The Night Agent’ focuses on emergency protocols inside a national security apparatus. It tracks interagency turf battles, clandestine operations, and oversight mechanisms in the executive branch. The series follows leak containment, chain-of-command conflicts, and the use of cut-outs to mask authorization.

‘Ahsoka’ (2023–)

‘Ahsoka’ examines the New Republic’s transition governance, including amnesty programs and remnant warlords. It portrays intelligence gaps, jurisdictional disputes, and the politics of rebuilding a fleet. The story follows magistrates, local militias, and contested legitimacy on frontier worlds.

‘Queenmaker’ (2023)

‘Queenmaker’ centers on a high-stakes mayoral race shaped by opposition research, messaging, and donor strategy. It depicts party apparatus, debate prep, and the mechanics of rapid-response war rooms. The series shows coalition outreach, negotiated endorsements, and election-law maneuvering.

‘Panchayat’ (2020–)

‘Panchayat’ presents grassroots governance through an Indian village council’s budgets, tenders, and development schemes. It covers public-works bids, benefit lists, and documentation that drives access to services. The show tracks ward politics, patronage, and dispute resolution under local statutes.

‘Mr. Mayor’ (2021–2022)

‘Mr. Mayor’ situates municipal policy in hearings, stakeholder meetings, and agency rule-making. It highlights zoning fights, public-health ordinances, and procurement hurdles that shape city initiatives. The series follows staff briefings, press avails, and the interplay between polling and policy rollouts.

‘The Great’ (2020–2023)

‘The Great’ follows institutional reform inside an imperial court, from secular education to legal codification. It depicts coups, palace bureaucracy, and the drafting of charters to centralize authority. The show traces noble resistance, clergy influence, and the logistics of modernizing a sprawling realm.

‘Caliphate’ (2020)

‘Caliphate’ examines counter-terror operations involving informants, surveillance warrants, and cross-border coordination. It shows recruitment pipelines, online propaganda, and de-radicalization challenges for security services. The series follows agency briefings, diplomatic channels, and crisis response to active threats.

‘The Newsreader’ (2021–)

‘The Newsreader’ maps how broadcast journalism covers national policy, elections, and public crises. It details editorial hierarchies, source verification, and legal constraints on reporting. The show traces the feedback loop between newsroom decisions, political narratives, and audience trust.

Share your own picks—what recent shows do you think tackle politics head-on in the comments?