Streaming now: 3 political TV series to make you forget that speaker of the house debacle

What would “The West Wing” do?

Versions of that question popped up on social media recently while the U.S. House of Representatives conducted their exercise in futility — otherwise known as trying to pick a speaker. How would Aaron Sorkin, the show’s creator, have resolved the mess?

Theorizing about that was certainly a lot more fun than watching the coverage of Kevin McCarthy’s ritual humiliation. (The house finally elected Rep. Kevin McCarthy as speaker in the wee hours of Jan. 7 on the 15th ballot.) But not as fun as watching "The West Wing" itself.

Politics is no stranger to TV shows and movies, after all. The massive egos, lies and back-stabbing make great subjects for drama.

And, honestly, comedy.

Think of these three streaming viewing options as palate cleansers. After all, political fantasy is a lot more fun than reality.

Enough already:We can't stop watching McCarthy's speaker of the house debasement

‘The West Wing’

Naturally. Liberal wish fulfillment has never looked so good. Sorkin created the show, about the fictional Jeb Bartlet presidential administration, just before the election of George W. Bush. A great cast (Martin Sheen, Allison Janney, Rob Lowe, Richard Schiff, Bradley Whitford and the late, great John Spencer) made it an Emmy magnet and a reminder that being smart used to be a plus in politics, not a liability.

How to watch: Stream on HBO Max.

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‘Veep’

During this show’s great run, the outlandish plot lines seemed intentionally over the top in their absurdity. Now, alas, they don’t seem absurd enough. The brilliant Julia Louis-Dreyfus stars as the title character (though eventually, she gets a promotion). It’s tempting to call Armando Iannucci’s show the most biting political satire ever, but you should also check out another show he created and based this on, “The Thick of It” (which streams on Hulu).

How to watch: Stream on HBO Max.

'Impeachment: American Crime Story'

The Monica Lewinsky story gets the Ryan Murphy treatment, which is to say it's an absolute cringefest. In a satisfying way, for the most part. Clive Owen, of all people, plays Bill Clinton, and Beanie Feldstein in an empathetic performance plays Lewinsky, never letting us forget the toll this took on her. But an unrecognizable Sarah Paulson steals the limited series as Linda Tripp, who betrayed Lewinsky's trust in a desperate attempt to become relevant in D.C. circles. It's garish and icky, but it's also a tragedy.

How to watch: Streaming on Hulu.

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Reach Goodykoontz at bill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com. Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. Twitter: @goodyk. Subscribe to the weekly movies newsletter.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Best political TV shows to stream after house speaker election