More Political Shows: Veep and Battleground

While I was not too impressed with Political Animals, I can recommend a few other political shows from this past season that are worth your time.  The first show on my list is HBO's Veep with Julia Louis-Dreyfus playing Vice President Selina Meyer.  Here you have a well-written, yet snarky, program that comes across as "Seinfeld tries its hand at Washington, DC." If you like a show where every other word is the F-word, you may have found your show.  What I like about Veep is the various averted train wrecks that threaten what seems to be a very insignificant office, be it an environmental initiative or a simple photo-op at an ice cream store.  I also like the way VP Meyer is always asking her secretary hopefully, "Did the President call?" 

I would not have nominated the show for an Emmy, but it is a fun way to spend 30 minutes.  And it has already been green-lighted for a second season. If you want to see some of VP Meyer pronouncements, you can visit her official website for information on obesity, mis-speaking, and more.  

A show I would more highly recommend is Hulu's Battleground.  This Hulu-produced series is much closer to my favorite show Parks and Recreation, and it has a certain level of drama that gives the show extra weight.  Battleground covers a Wisconsin Senate race and all the dirty tricks and trite jobs necessary to get someone to high office (an office one could argue is more important that that of VP, which I think Joe Biden would second).  It is more believable than Veep and less zany than Parks and Recreation. 

The main character on Battleground is campaign manager Chris 'Tak' Davis, played by Jay Hayden, who has difficulty balancing the campaign against his marriage.  He is working in almost impossible circumstances with a senatorial candidate rumored to be a lesbian, as well as her inept, controlling husband and dopey campaign volunteering son.   

I was surprised to find such a high quality new show on Hulu.  It has some good initial press but quickly disappeared from the radar.  It reminded me of another online gem, Netflix's Lilyhammer.  Both shows may have benefited from a regular TV broadcast showing, but then again they may have fallen through the cracks if they could not meet the unrealistic network demands for immediate success.  In fact, the show was originally developed for Fox.  If this is the future of online programming then TV has some serious challenges ahead.  

Hulu submitted Battleground in a few Emmy categories, but it did not make it this year.  I would have put it ahead of Veep and hope that a potential second season has an even greater chance at the award.