'The Politician' Starring Gwyneth Paltrow Premieres on Netflix

Netflix’s newest original series has been released and it’s got quite a few East End connections. The Politician, by mega-producers Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan and Hamptonite Brad Falchuk, is a satirical new series about Payton Hobart (portrayed Ben Platt), a high school student who has dreams of the Oval Office—but first, he’s got to become student body president. The show also stars East Enders Gwyneth Paltrow (Falchuk’s wife) and Bob Balaban. 

Here’s what critics are saying about the eight-part series:

“While it’s been released as eight episodes, what you really get is a seven-episode season followed by what feels like the first episode of what would be the second season. There’s such a strong, firm break between the first seven installments and the last one that it’s hard to treat them as one unit — particularly because the final episode that moves the story forward into a new chapter seems more interesting and appealing than the previous ones.” — Linda Holmes, NPR

“It’s another dazzling Murphy triumph. It has his trademark hurricane of a narrative that sweeps you up and deposits you breathless and agape somewhere else entirely an hour later. He has garnered a set of blistering performances from his actors. The laurels should go to Platt, whose Hobart has layers of sincerity and insincerity he riffles effortlessly through in every scene.” — Lucy Mangan, The Guardian

“The acting, across the board, is very good, although the single best performance comes from Gwyneth Paltrow as Payton’s rich, often wayward mother. (Paltrow and her husband, Brad Falchuk, are executive producers for the show.) Her performance is unforced, unmannered, tart  but without edges — as clean and smoothly elegant as a minimal-fragrance bar of soap. Paltrow remains a formidable actress.” — Tom Gliatto, People

Watch all eight episodes of The Politician on Netflix.