8.6
5,088 votes
HBO 2014
Warning: the following content contains spoilers!
There are very few government checks on what America’s sweeping surveillance programs are capable of doing. John Oliver sits down with Edward Snowden to discuss the NSA, the balance between privacy and security, and dick-pics.
The episode was rated 8.69 from 561 votes.
John talks about the rise of the far-right political parties in Europe, the Ukrainian election, Afghanistan, Net Neutrality, Australia's hard-line right-wing Prime Minister Tony Abbott and the 2014 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
The episode was rated 8.52 from 334 votes.
Thanks to tobacco industry regulations and marketing restrictions in the U.S., smoking rates have dropped dramatically. John Oliver explains how tobacco companies are keeping their business strong overseas and how Phillip Morris International in particular is employing some unethical legal practices while suing some of the world's poorest countries. Plus, we've noticed that the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue still exists but can’t quite figure out why.
The episode was rated 8.51 from 346 votes.
John covers the results of the Scottish referendum that took place the week before and explains why the policy of United States having embargo against Cuba doesn't make sense . The main story focuses on the Miss America pageant and their scholarships to women. John explains how outdated and absurd the requirements for the contestants are and to illustrate these problems, stages his own pageant with the help of a guest star - Kathy Griffin.
The episode was rated 8.48 from 356 votes.
The Lottery: State lotteries claim to be good for education and the general wellbeing of citizens. But are they? (Spoiler alert: No.) Also, there is a cannon that shoots salmon over dams. It’s awesome. Check it out.
The episode was rated 8.46 from 369 votes.
After winning a legal battle involving a coal executive and a giant squirrel, John Oliver explains how SLAPP suits are designed to stifle public dissent.
The episode was rated 8.43 from 621 votes.
Main story: how desperate the American law enforcement is to make money out of everyone by using the process called the "civil asset forfeiture," and how it would make for a weird episode of "Law and Order." Plus, John wants to host the 2022 Winter Olympics and how is Columbus Day still a thing.
The episode was rated 8.43 from 362 votes.
Translators who have aided the U.S. Military in Afghanistan and Iraq are in great danger in their home countries, but red tape is making it impossible for many of them to leave. John Oliver interviews FNU Mohammad, one translator who made it out. Plus, since cameras aren’t allowed in the Supreme Court discussions, most coverage of the important cases looks like garbage. John fixes that problem with real animals and fake paws.
The episode was rated 8.43 from 375 votes.
Our main story was about Donald Trump. We can't believe we're saying that either.
The episode was rated 8.42 from 733 votes.
John talks about California Chrome and the Belmont Stakes, FIFA and the 2014 World Cup, and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The episode was rated 8.41 from 386 votes.
John discusses predatory churches and televangelism, and how the U.S. tax law allows them to get away with almost anything. Plus, the raising of the American flag in Cuba, the redesign of New Zealand's flag, and President Harding's illegitimate child.
The episode was rated from 577 votes.
John talks about US Immigration and interviews Professor Stephen Hawking.
The episode was rated from 368 votes.
John talks about the NFL's decision on Ray Rice's contract, the international response to ISIS, Scotland's separation from the United Kingdom and Twitter hashtags that are being misused by corporations.
The episode was rated from 359 votes.
The US Senate Torture Report revealed horrifying details of America's interrogation program. Helen Mirren will fill you in. Plus, information about the 2015 European Games and the Canadian Senate expenses scandal.
The episode was rated from 462 votes.
Donald Trump spreads a lot of false information thanks to his daily consumption of morning cable news. If only we could sneak some facts into the president’s media diet.
The episode was rated from 1607 votes.
John talks about ISIS and student loan debt. Musical group A Great Big World make a special appearance.
The episode was rated from 346 votes.
Sex education varies widely between school districts, leaving many teens without comprehensive information. We made a video that covers what some schools are too embarrassed to teach.
The episode was rated from 551 votes.
Focuses on the shooting of Michael Brown and police militarization in Ferguson, MO. John also discusses the topic of equal pay for equal work.
The episode was rated from 335 votes.
This episode tackles the hard truth about the history of Police in the United States and the many problems that are faced in fixing those problems.
The episode was rated from 566 votes.
John talks about Iraq, Antarctica tourism and Dr. Oz's "Miracle Drug".
The episode was rated from 369 votes.Last updated: dec 06, 2022
This just keeps on getting better and better.
Absolutely love this show. Oliver does a great job at really making you think at the very important issues that just constantly get swept under the rug. Highly recommend this show.
For the most part, this is a wonderful show. There have been a couple segments over these initial 2 seasons where he made some questionable statements, but I'll write those off as well-intentioned mistakes.