Political Animals (miniseries)
{{Short description|US comedy drama miniseries}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image = PoliticalAnimalsPoster.jpg
| caption = Promotional poster for the series with the tagline "Power runs in the family."
| genre = Comedy drama
| creator = {{Unbulleted list|Greg Berlanti}}
| director =
| developer =
| presenter =
| starring = {{Unbulleted list|Sigourney Weaver|Carla Gugino|James Wolk|Sebastian Stan|Brittany Ishibashi|Ellen Burstyn|Ciarán Hinds}}
| voices =
| narrated =
| theme_music_composer =
| composer = Blake Neely
| opentheme = "Future Starts Slow" by The Kills
| endtheme =
| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons =
| num_episodes = 6
| company = {{Plainlist|
- Berlanti Productions
- Laurence Mark Productions
- Warner Horizon Television
}}
| producer =
| executive_producer = {{Unbulleted list|Greg Berlanti|Laurence Mark|Sarah Caplan}}
| location =
| camera =
| runtime =
| network = USA Network
| first_aired = {{Start date|2012|07|15}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2012|08|19}}
| related =
}}
Political Animals is an American comedy drama miniseries created by Greg Berlanti. The series aired in the United States on USA Network from July 15 through August 19, 2012. Sigourney Weaver portrays Elaine Barrish, a divorced former First Lady and Governor of Illinois, as well as the current Secretary of State. Weaver and the show's production team acknowledge that the lead character has some similarities to Hillary Clinton. They say that the premise of the show is "very much about all families who have been in the White House, the price they've paid for being there and the fact that those same families will often try or continue to try to get back into the White House again."{{cite news |url=https://vancouversun.com/entertainment/Sigourney+Weaver+prowls+political+jungle/6934582/story.html |title=Sigourney Weaver prowls U.S. political jungle |last=Volmers|first=Eric|work=The Vancouver Sun|date=July 14, 2012 |access-date=July 15, 2012 |archive-date=July 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716065702/http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Sigourney+Weaver+prowls+political+jungle/6934582/story.html|url-status=dead}}
While it was speculated that the miniseries would lead into a full season, on November 2, 2012, USA Network announced their decision to stick with their initial plan of producing it as a miniseries.{{cite magazine |url=https://ew.com/article/2012/11/02/political-animals-cancelled/ |title='Political Animals': Network not going forward with more episodes |last=Gonzalez|first=Sandra|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=November 2, 2012|access-date=April 29, 2017|archive-date=January 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118095426/http://ew.com/article/2012/11/02/political-animals-cancelled/|url-status=live}}
Overview
Elaine Barrish's husband Bud Hammond was a popular President of the United States during the 1990s despite his extramarital affairs. After leaving the White House, Elaine Barrish was elected Governor of Illinois and ran for the Democratic nomination for President, but lost to Paul Garcetti. The night Barrish conceded the nomination, she asked her husband for a divorce. Two years later, as Garcetti's Secretary of State, Barrish deals with State Department issues while trying to keep her family together.
Cast and characters
=Main cast=
- Sigourney Weaver as Elaine Barrish,{{cite web|url=http://www.tvline.com/2012/03/sigourney-weaver-stars-political-animals-usa-network/|title=Scoop: Sigourney Weaver to Headline USA Network's Political Animals|first=Matt Webb|last=Mitovich|date=March 6, 2012|access-date=March 6, 2012|publisher=TV Line|archive-date=August 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120817073219/http://tvline.com/2012/03/06/sigourney-weaver-stars-political-animals-usa-network/|url-status=live}} the recently divorced Secretary of State and former First Lady and Governor of Illinois who fights various political opponents.
- Carla Gugino as Susan Berg,{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/carla-gugino-political-animals-usa-network-296639|title=Carla Gugino Joins USA's 'Political Animals'|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=March 9, 2012|access-date=May 3, 2012|first1=Philiana|last1=Ng|first2=Lesley|last2=Goldberg|archive-date=May 2, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502052959/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/carla-gugino-political-animals-usa-network-296639|url-status=live}} a reporter who has spent much time trying to undermine Elaine, but eventually becomes an unlikely ally.
- James Wolk as Douglas Hammond,{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2012/02/jimmy-wolk-to-co-star-in-greg-berlantis-usa-network-series-political-animals-229643/|title=Jimmy Wolk To Co-Star In Greg Berlanti's USA Network Series 'Political Animals'|date=February 10, 2012|access-date=March 6, 2012|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|archive-date=February 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217083428/http://www.deadline.com/2012/02/jimmy-wolk-to-co-star-in-greg-berlantis-usa-network-series-political-animals/|url-status=live}} Elaine's son, Chief of Staff, and T.J.'s twin brother.
- Sebastian Stan as Thomas James "T.J." Hammond, Elaine's son, who is gay.
- Brittany Ishibashi as Anne Ogami,{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2012/02/tv-castings-2-board-kevin-williamson-pilot-living-loaded-political-animals-add-2-230465/|title=TV Castings: 2 Board Kevin Williamson Pilot; 'Living Loaded' & 'Political Animals' Add 2|date=February 13, 2012|access-date=March 6, 2012|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|archive-date=February 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217144239/http://www.deadline.com/2012/02/tv-castings-2-board-kevin-williamson-pilot-living-loaded-political-animals-add-2/|url-status=live}} Doug's fiancée.
- Ellen Burstyn as Margaret Barrish, Elaine's mother and a former showgirl in Las Vegas.
- Ciarán Hinds as Donald "Bud" Hammond, the former President and Governor of North Carolina, and Elaine's ex-husband.
=Recurring cast=
- Adrian Pasdar as Paul Garcetti, the current President who defeated Elaine in the presidential primaries but later appointed her Secretary of State. He is described as "a smart man who uses every resource at his disposal to his advantage".{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2012/05/02/political-animals-to-anchor-usa-network-summer-lineup-six-hour-event-drama-premieres-sunday-july-15-at-10-9c-31313/20120502usa01/|title="Political Animals" to Anchor USA Network Summer Lineup - Six-Hour Event Drama Premieres Sunday, July 15, at 10/9c|publisher=The Futon Critic|date=May 2, 2012|access-date=May 3, 2012|archive-date=June 5, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120605033417/http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2012/05/02/political-animals-to-anchor-usa-network-summer-lineup-six-hour-event-drama-premieres-sunday-july-15-at-10-9c-31313/20120502usa01/|url-status=live}}
- Dylan Baker as Fred Collier,{{cite web|url=https://www.deadline.com/2012/05/dylan-baker-joins-usas-political-animals/|title=Dylan Baker Joins USA's 'Political Animals'|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva|date=May 7, 2012|access-date=May 7, 2012|publisher=Deadline Hollywood|archive-date=May 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120511055845/http://www.deadline.com/2012/05/dylan-baker-joins-usas-political-animals/|url-status=dead}} the two-faced Vice President and former Director of Central Intelligence who is hiding some secrets.
- Roger Bart as Barry Harris, the White House Chief of Staff and Elaine's former campaign manager for her presidential campaign.
- Dan Futterman as Alex Davies, editor of the Washington Globe and Susan Berg's former boyfriend.
- Meghann Fahy as Georgia Gibbons, an ambitious young blogger who works with Susan Berg.
- LaMonica Garrett as Agent Clark, a Diplomatic Security Service agent charged with protecting Elaine.
- Linda Powell as Pauline Samson, the National Security Advisor to the President.
- Griffin Newman as Russ, Susan's personal assistant.
- Kristine Nielsen as Alice, the State Department Chief of Staff.
=Guest cast=
- Igor Jijikine as Viktor Porchov, the Foreign Minister of Russia.{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303919504577522470017314822|title=Political Animals on USA and Birders|date=July 12, 2012|access-date=July 18, 2012|first=Nancy|last=deWolf Smith|publisher=The Wall Street Journal|archive-date=March 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314095300/http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303919504577522470017314822|url-status=live}}
- Vanessa Redgrave as Justice Diane Nash, first openly gay Supreme Court Justice, personal friend, and mentor of Elaine.
- Blair Brown as Mrs. Berg, a former doctor and the mother of Susan Berg.
- David Monahan as Sean Reeves, a Congressman from Ohio and T.J.'s former partner in the closet.
- Dennisha Pratt as Newsreporter, for a station covering the story.
Development and production
File:Sigourney Weaver (36017523852) (cropped).jpg was cast in the role of Elaine Barrish on March 6, 2012]]
On January 30, 2012, USA Network announced the development of a six-hour series to focus on a former First Family.{{cite web|url=http://www.tvline.com/2012/01/political-animals-usa-network-greg-berlanti/|title=Scoop: USA Network Greenlights Political Miniseries From Brothers & Sisters' Greg Berlanti|first=Michael|last=Ausiello|publisher=TV Line|date=January 30, 2012|access-date=March 6, 2012|archive-date=August 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816162421/http://tvline.com/2012/01/30/political-animals-usa-network-greg-berlanti/|url-status=live}} They simultaneously announced that the pilot would be written and directed by Greg Berlanti, who would executive produce the series with Laurence Mark. Sarah Caplan was later announced to be executive producing as well. Ann Roth served as Weaver's costume designer for the first episode.
James Wolk was the first actor to be cast; it was announced on February 10, 2012, that he would be portraying Douglas Hammond, the son of Elaine Barrish. Three days later, it was revealed that Brittany Ishibashi would be playing Doug's fiancée, Anne Ogami. On March 6, 2012, Sigourney Weaver was cast in the lead role of Elaine Barrish. On March 9, 2012, it was announced that Carla Gugino had joined the cast as Susan Berg, a reporter who becomes one of Elaine's closest allies. Sebastian Stan joined the series on March 15, 2012, as T. J. Hammond, the other son of Elaine Barrish, and Doug's brother.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/gossip-girl-sebastian-stan-usa-political-animals-300666|title='Gossip Girl's' Sebastian Stan Joins USA's 'Political Animals'|first=Lacey|last=Rose|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=March 15, 2012|access-date=May 3, 2012|archive-date=May 1, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501064912/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/gossip-girl-sebastian-stan-usa-political-animals-300666|url-status=live}} One week later, it was announced that Ciarán Hinds would play the former president and Elaine's ex-husband, Bud Hammond.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ciaran-hinds-political-animals-usa-network-303318|title=Ciaran Hinds Joins USA's 'Political Animals'|work=The Hollywood Reporter|last=Ng|first=Philiana|date=March 22, 2012|access-date=May 3, 2012|archive-date=April 1, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401233227/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ciaran-hinds-political-animals-usa-network-303318|url-status=live}} By April 14, 2012, Ellen Burstyn had joined the series as Margaret Barrish, Elaine's mother and a former Vegas showgirl.{{cite web|url=http://tvline.com/2012/04/14/casting-news-ellen-burstyn-joins-usas-political-animals-parenthood-actress-to-army-wives/|title=Casting News: Ellen Burstyn Joins USA's Political Animals, Parenthood Actress to Army Wives|publisher=TV Line|first=Vlada|last=Gelman|date=April 14, 2012|access-date=May 3, 2012|archive-date=August 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816234848/http://tvline.com/2012/04/14/casting-news-ellen-burstyn-joins-usas-political-animals-parenthood-actress-to-army-wives/|url-status=live}} On May 2, 2012, it was announced that Adrian Pasdar would appear in a recurring role in all six episodes as the current president, Paul Garcetti.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/adrian-pasdar-political-animals-usa-319472|title='Heroes' Star Adrian Pasdar Joins USA's 'Political Animals'|first=Philiana|last=Ng|date=May 2, 2012|access-date=May 3, 2012|work=The Hollywood Reporter|archive-date=May 6, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120506164103/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/adrian-pasdar-political-animals-usa-319472|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://tvline.com/2012/05/02/adrian-pasdar-political-animals/|title=Scoop: Adrian Pasdar Elected President on USA Network's Summer Drama Political Animals|first=Michael|last=Ausiello|date=May 2, 2012|access-date=May 3, 2012|publisher=TV Line|archive-date=May 3, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503131520/http://tvline.com/2012/05/02/adrian-pasdar-political-animals/|url-status=live}} The casting of Dylan Baker in the recurring role of Vice President Fred Collier was announced on May 7, 2012.
Linda Powell, the daughter of former United States Secretary of State Colin Powell, appeared in the first episode as the national security advisor to the president.{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/12/political-animals-linda-powell_n_1421500.html|title='Political Animals': Colin Powell's Daughter Linda To Appear Opposite Sigourney Weaver In USA Series|publisher=HuffPost TV|date=April 12, 2012|access-date=May 3, 2012|archive-date=April 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415064113/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/12/political-animals-linda-powell_n_1421500.html|url-status=live}} Roger Bart, Dan Futterman, and Vanessa Redgrave also made appearances in the series.{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/18/political-animals-poster_n_1604375.html|title='Political Animals' Poster: Exclusive First Look (PHOTO)|first=Maggie|last=Furlong|publisher=HuffPost TV|date=June 18, 2012|access-date=June 20, 2012|archive-date=June 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620091335/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/18/political-animals-poster_n_1604375.html|url-status=live}} David Monahan appeared in the fourth episode, while Blair Brown appeared in the fifth as Barbara Berg, the mother of Susan.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/political-animals-david-monahan-blair-brown-340716|title='Political Animals' Lands 'Dexter' Actor for Guest Role (Exclusive)|first1=Philiana|last1=Ng|first2=Lesley|last2=Goldberg|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=June 21, 2012|access-date=June 22, 2012|archive-date=June 23, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120623234807/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/political-animals-david-monahan-blair-brown-340716|url-status=live}}
By May 2, 2012, principal photography had begun in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The theme music is "Future Starts Slow" by The Kills.
{{Clear}}
Episodes
{{Episode table
|background=#000
|overall=5
|title=
|writer=20
|director=20
|airdate=15
|country=U.S.
|viewers=10
|episodes=
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 1
|Title = Pilot
|DirectedBy = Greg Berlanti
|WrittenBy = Greg Berlanti
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2012|07|15}}
|ShortSummary = After losing the Democratic primary race to Paul Garcetti, candidate and former First Lady Elaine Hammond asks her husband, former President Bud Hammond, for a divorce. Two years later, Elaine, now going by her maiden name Barrish, is the Secretary of State under President Garcetti. When an enterprising reporter, Susan Berg, tries to reveal that Elaine's son T.J. attempted suicide due to personal problems, Elaine allows Berg to follow her for a week to silence the story. During that time, three journalists are taken hostage in Iran, disrupting her son Douglas's engagement party. Elaine tells Bud she plans to send him to Oman to negotiate. At the end of the episode, she privately tells her bodyguard that she plans to once again run for President.
|LineColor = 000
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 2
|Title = Second Time Around
|DirectedBy = Bethany Rooney
|WrittenBy = Greg Berlanti & Molly Newman
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2012|07|22}}
|ShortSummary = Elaine convinces Garcetti to send Bud to negotiate for the hostages, but Vice President Collier remains unsure. Douglas discovers T.J. has begun taking drugs again. Collier announces on television that something will happen in Oman relating to the hostage crisis, causing Oman to pull out. Elaine makes a last-minute deal with the Turkish ambassador to hold the talks in Istanbul. Bud is successful and frees the hostages. Back home, T.J. attempts to steal money from his grandmother for his new nightclub after being denied money by her and his parents, but is unable to go through with it. Douglas ends up giving him the money. After Douglas's engagement party is finally held, he leaks to Berg that his mother will run again.
|LineColor = 000
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 3
|Title = The Woman Problem
|DirectedBy = Michael Morris
|WrittenBy = Phil Klemmer & Brian Peterson & Kelly Souders
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2012|07|29}}
|ShortSummary = In an attempt to stop Elaine from running against him, Garcetti asks her longtime mentor, Justice Diane Nash (Vanessa Redgrave), to retire from the Supreme Court so he can appoint Elaine to take Nash's place. Nash considers taking the offer as her longtime partner is dying. However, someone in the White House leaks the details to the press, allowing Susan to tip off Elaine. Meanwhile, Elaine announces her candidacy to her family, drawing negative reactions from her mother. Bud, Douglas, and T.J. take a fishing trip and stay at the home of a pollster. The pollster predicts Elaine will win in the primary, but only if Bud remains out of the spotlight. Elaine convinces Nash not to accept Garcetti's offer and Susan holds off her story on Elaine's candidacy on the condition that Douglas tell her everything that led up to it.
|LineColor = 000
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 4
|Title = Lost Boys
|DirectedBy = David Petrarca
|WrittenBy = Speed Weed & Geoffrey Nauffts
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2012|08|05}}
|ShortSummary = In a flashback, it is revealed that T.J.'s suicide attempt stemmed from an affair with a closeted Republican congressman, the latter of whom was blackmailed by the White House. In the present, Garcetti refuses to aid a sunken Chinese submarine off the West Coast. After an appeal to the Chinese fails, Elaine tells Garcetti that she will imminently announce her candidacy against him unless he rescues the Chinese crewmen. Georgia tricks Anne into confirming Elaine's presidential plans and leverages that knowledge into sharing a byline on the breaking story with Susan. T.J. opens his club despite the refusal of his parents to attend the opening as previously planned. T.J.'s dealer gives him cocaine at the club. Bud arrives at the opening and discovers T.J., unconscious following an overdose.
|LineColor = 000
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 5
|Title = 16 Hours
|DirectedBy = Tucker Gates
|WrittenBy = Phil Klemmer & Nicholas Wootton
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2012|08|12}}
|ShortSummary = To deflect attention from T.J.'s overdose, Elaine asks Susan to write up a fake story in exchange for exclusive coverage of the submarine rescue. During the flight to San Diego, drunken flirtation between Douglas and Susan leads to a sexual encounter. Meanwhile, Douglas' grandmother then reveals to Anne that she knows that she is bulimic. T.J. wakes up with Elaine lying next to him in a chair; he apologizes profusely and falls back asleep. Bud arrives and Elaine leaves to confront Garcetti, who has learned that China's plans to scuttle the submarine will release a radioactive plume over San Diego. Elaine convinces Garcetti to ignore Chinese threats and successfully rescue the crewmen.
|LineColor = 000
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 6
|Title = Resignation Day
|DirectedBy = David Petrarca
|WrittenBy = Molly Newman & Speed Weed
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2012|08|19}}
|ShortSummary = Garcetti refuses Elaine's resignation, asking her to run in the next election as his Vice President. Douglas comes clean about his betrayal to his mother after leaking out family secrets, including Elaine's resignation letter, to Susan. Air Force One crashes in France with President Garcetti aboard. Elaine helps avert a potential constitutional crisis by convincing Vice President Collier to invoke the Twenty-fifth Amendment to become Acting President, rather than taking the presidential oath of office. Douglas and his fiancée Anne elope but the Hammonds crash the wedding after T.J. figures out where they have gone. Bud tries to persuade Elaine to run against Collier.
|LineColor = 000
}}
}}
International broadcasts
The show aired on the Bravo specialty channel in Canada, with episodes playing on the same day as in the United States.{{cite web |url= http://jam.canoe.ca/Television/TV_Shows/P/Political_Animals/2012/07/13/19983781.html?cid=rssentertainment |archive-url= https://archive.today/20130115112506/http://jam.canoe.ca/Television/TV_Shows/P/Political_Animals/2012/07/13/19983781.html?cid=rssentertainment |url-status= usurped |archive-date= January 15, 2013 |title=Political_Animals: Sigourney Weaver talks 'Political Animals' |first= Bill|last= Harris|work=jam.canoe.ca |date= 2012-07-14|access-date=15 July 2012}}
Reception
=Critical reception=
Political Animals received "generally favorable" reviews based on an aggregate score of 65/100 from 33 critics on Metacritic.{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/political-animals|title=Political Animals - Season 1 Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More|work=Metacritic|access-date=20 September 2020|archive-date=24 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150824231528/http://www.metacritic.com/tv/political-animals|url-status=live}} Rob Brunner of Entertainment Weekly called the series a "well-acted, entertainingly soapy drama" that "offers a fun and credible look at the complicated intersection of love, gender, and politics."{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2012/07/13/political-animals/|title=TV Review - Political Animals|last=Brunner|first=Rob|date=July 11, 2012|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=July 16, 2012|archive-date=October 22, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022151822/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20611062,00.html|url-status=live}} The Los Angeles Times{{'}} Robert Lloyd called the series "a high-class, relatively naturalistic, behind-closed-doors soap opera that plays in fairly obvious yet also fairly affecting ways with the space between public face and private pain and is made highly watchable by an excellent cast that finds the human among the hokum."{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-political-animals-sigourney-weaver-20120714,0,6416103.story|title=Review: 'Political Animals' is a biting family drama|last=Lloyd|first=Robert|date=July 13, 2012|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=July 16, 2012|archive-date=July 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716101553/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-political-animals-sigourney-weaver-20120714,0,6416103.story|url-status=live}} Alan Sepinwall of HitFix stated: "with a cast this good, and with so many potentially juicy conflicts already in play, I'm going to take a more optimistic point of view than Elaine Barrish might."{{cite web|url=http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/review-usas-political-animals-takes-compelling-look-at-an-alternate-clinton-family|title=Review: USA's 'Political Animals' takes compelling look at an alternate Clinton family|last=Sepinwall|first=Alan|date=July 11, 2012|work=HitFix|access-date=July 16, 2012|archive-date=July 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715013205/http://www.hitfix.com/whats-alan-watching/review-usas-political-animals-takes-compelling-look-at-an-alternate-clinton-family|url-status=live}}
However, there were some detractors. Linda Stasi of the New York Post simply stated: "The actors are great, but the show isn't."{{cite web|url=http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/over_the_hill_COqUVSnd6wO1kxr5pt2rfN|title=Over the Hill: Laughable 'Political Animals' channels the Clintons|last=Stasi|first=Linda|date=July 13, 2012|work=New York Post|access-date=July 16, 2012|archive-date=July 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715233719/http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/over_the_hill_COqUVSnd6wO1kxr5pt2rfN|url-status=live}} The Hollywood Reporter{{'}}s Tim Goodman commented: "what Animals is trying to do is take The West Wing and turn it into Dallas. And if you don't like Dallas, that can be a real let down [sic]."{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/political-animals-tv-review-sigourney-weaver-348063|title=Political Animals: TV Review|last=Goodman|first=Tim|date=July 11, 2012|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=July 16, 2012|archive-date=July 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715060435/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/political-animals-tv-review-sigourney-weaver-348063|url-status=live}} Verne Gay of Newsday was the harshest critic, calling the series "stupendously silly," adding "it's a clanking, clattering collection of collagenous clinkers—of dialogue so inept, of acting performances so preposterous, of plot points so clichéd that the only question worth posing is why someone of Weaver's stature would be caught anywhere near a turkey like this."{{cite web|url=http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/political-animals-review-stupendously-silly-1.3831561|title='Political Animals' review: Stupendously silly|last=Gay|first=Verne|date=July 11, 2012|work=Newsday|access-date=July 16, 2012|archive-date=July 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715225155/http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/political-animals-review-stupendously-silly-1.3831561|url-status=live}}
Accolades
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.usanetwork.com/series/politicalanimals/}}
- {{IMDb title|2239947|Political Animals}}
{{Greg Berlanti}}
{{USANetwork Shows|state=collapsed}}
Category:2012 American television series debuts
Category:2012 American television series endings
Category:2010s American comedy-drama television series
Category:2010s American comedy television miniseries
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Category:2010s American political television series
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Category:American political drama television series