Commentary: 10 on-screen political thrillers that stood out in a year of upheaval and partisanship

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Political thrillers have been popular in movies and on TV since the 1960s, largely fueled by the intrigue and suspicion of the Cold War era. This period sparked the imaginations of writers who enjoyed crafting stories about conspiracies.

This year, we’ve seen a lot of stories focused on government wrongdoing, from corruption and incompetence to general chaos. It’s interesting to note that many of these stories echo classic themes like political assassinations and large-scale disasters, while others clearly address current leaders and events.

With conspiracy theories, strong nationalism, and accusations of betrayal dominating political discourse, and reports of ICE agents making arrests without clear identification, the storylines in political thrillers feel surprisingly relevant today. However, the genre consistently offers a hopeful message: someone will always rise up to fight for what’s right and ensure justice is served.

Here are a few that stood out.

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‘Zero Day’ (Netflix)

I just finished watching this new show, and wow! Robert De Niro is fantastic as a former president who’s brought back into service after a devastating cyberattack wipes out millions of people. He’s given pretty much unlimited power to track down whoever is responsible before they can strike again. Honestly, the show tries to make a broad statement about unity and fighting extremism, and it doesn’t always land perfectly. But the cast is incredible – alongside De Niro, you’ve got Joan Allen, Jesse Plemons, Angela Bassett, and a ton of other amazing actors playing the high-powered people in Washington. It’s so well-acted that even when the message feels a little generalized, it’s easy to look past it. Definitely worth checking out!

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‘Paradise’ (Hulu)

When Special Agent Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown) discovers the President (and his friend) Cal Bradford (James Marsden) has been murdered, solving the crime is just the beginning of his troubles. He soon learns the seemingly perfect town is actually a secret underground bunker where powerful people have been hiding after a worldwide catastrophe. The first season of “Paradise” is full of unexpected turns, exploring the dangers of unchecked tech influence and the challenges of living in a confined, isolated society – and it shows how personal relationships are deeply connected to larger political issues. (Read the full review.)

Television

The series “Paradise” on Hulu features a cast led by Brown, and brings together the creator of “This Is Us,” Dan Fogelman, to explore themes of climate change and the impact of technology.

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‘The Diplomat’ (Netflix)

Since its premiere in 2023, the popular show has followed Kate Wyler (Keri Russell), the U.S. ambassador to Great Britain. She’s often voiced her frustration with the behind-the-scenes nature of her job, a position she didn’t initially want, yet has become surprisingly powerful on the world stage. Throughout the series, Kate and her complicated husband, Hal (Rufus Sewell), have uncovered numerous conspiracies while she tries to maintain the strong alliance between the U.S. and Britain and avoid being tapped as the new Vice President, replacing Grace Penn (Allison Janney). Season 3, which began in October, raised the stakes even further. Now that Penn is President, she’s a different leader than the iconic Jed Bartlet (though many viewers would happily support a Janney presidency, especially with Bradley Whitford as her husband). However, Kate isn’t a classic hero either. She’s morally grounded, but the show’s compelling drama often stems from choosing between difficult options, where no solution is perfect.

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‘A House of Dynamite’ (Netflix)

Kathryn Bigelow’s tense thriller tackles a classic fear – nuclear war – but offers no easy answers. When a nuclear missile is launched towards Chicago, the newly elected American president (Idris Elba) and his team face an impossible decision. Like the film “War Games” before it, the story highlights the danger of powerful weapons, but this time, there’s no way to prevent disaster – the situation has escalated too far.

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‘Hostage’ (Netflix)

When the husband of Prime Minister Abigail Dalton is kidnapped in French Guinea, the kidnappers demand her resignation. Prime Minister Dalton is already facing criticism for reducing military spending without fixing problems with the National Health Service. She was planning to ask French President Vivienne Toussaint for help securing needed medications for the U.K., but now she also needs France’s military assistance to find her husband. As a frantic search unfolds, and the mystery of the kidnapping deepens, Dalton must overcome her dislike of Toussaint’s recent alliances with far-right groups in France to work together and secure her husband’s release.

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‘G20’ (Prime Video)

At the G20 summit, U.S. President Danielle Sutton (Viola Davis) finds herself targeted by a group of mercenaries instead of making progress on global issues. The mercenaries are led by a disgruntled soldier who has a personal vendetta against President Sutton and plans to profit from destroying the cryptocurrency market. Their goal is to kidnap the President and her family, but they underestimated her strength and determination to fight back.

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‘Death by Lightning’ (Netflix)

The story of President James Garfield’s assassination on July 2, 1881, isn’t about his political stances or efforts to reform government. Instead, it centers on his shooter, Charles J. Guiteau, a deeply troubled man driven by a desire for recognition and a belief that he was unfairly denied success. “Death By Lightning” portrays the contrasting lives of Garfield, a respected Civil War veteran reluctantly pushed into the presidency, and Guiteau, a self-absorbed individual convinced the world was against him. The tragedy lies in the fact that Guiteau was able to end Garfield’s life – with the situation worsened by the questionable medical care Garfield received – and raises the question of how different American history might be if Garfield had served a full term.

Television

The new Netflix miniseries tells the story of James A. Garfield, whose plans to improve America and fight corruption were tragically ended when he was assassinated by Charles Guiteau.

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‘The Night Agent’ (Netflix)

FBI Agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso) became a hero after stopping a bomb threat on a train, but was then assigned to the Night Action desk – a rarely used hotline for agents. Things changed when the phone finally rang, pulling Sutherland into a complex case involving murder, corruption reaching the highest levels of government (Season 1), and international terrorism in the Middle East (Season 2, which began in January).

Television

The showrunner behind the Netflix action series discusses the recent season, which included a presidential election storyline, and hints at what viewers can expect in Season 3.

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‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ (Hulu)

Based on Margaret Atwood’s impactful story, “The Handmaid’s Tale” delved into the origins and inner workings of Gilead, the brutal, fascist regime at the heart of the series. The final season showed the first cracks in Gilead’s power, with resistance building both from outside sources – like June and the Mayday network – and from within its own ranks. The decisions of key figures like Aunt Lydia and Commander Joseph highlighted a core weakness of fascist governments: control based on fear can’t last forever.

Television

Ann Dowd’s compelling performance as the original villain in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ has evolved the character into a representation of change and a connection to a new show.

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‘Down Cemetery Road’ (Apple TV)

When a neighbor dies in a strange house fire and her daughter vanishes, art expert Sarah Trafford enlists the help of private investigator Joe Silvermann. But after Silvermann’s own suspicious death – ruled a suicide – his wife, Zoë Boehm, takes over the investigation. She quickly discovers a complex conspiracy reaching into the British Ministry of Defense. Expect plenty of twists, turns, and hidden secrets!

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2025-12-11 14:32