The Politician Review: 5 Ups & 3 Downs

3. The Cast

While there are a few occasions when it feels like The Politician misses the point of its story, the show never truly fails. Now that could be down to how aesthetically pleasing it is, or how the dialogue is rather strong, or even how unique the characters are. However, the one thing more consistent than any of that is the show's exceptional cast.

Ben Platt took this starring vehicle and turned protagonist Payton Hobart - a character that could have very easily become unlikable and irredeemable - into a surprisingly empathetic character, contrasting the cold statistics-loving politician with the emotional young man on the inside extremely well.

But he wasn't alone in doing so, as Zoey Deutch made us want to root for Infinity with ease, while Lucy Boynton's larger-than-life presence made it impossible for us to truly hate Astrid - in fact, by the end of the series, it was easier to love her. David Corenswet charmed us with his Clark Kent-like smile, showcasing why Payton fell for River, while Julia Schlaepfer was positively presidential herself as the brilliant First-Lady-to-be Alice Charles.

Then, there's Gwyneth Paltrow who, in spite of her character's lavish lifestyle and hilariously over-the-top personality, peppered Georgina Hobart with subtlety and heart that made all of us fall in love with her - even when the material robbed us of actually seeing her be anything other than a mother.

The Politician's story was good, but its cast was golden. Speaking of which...