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The Circus

The Circus
★ 6.5/10•2016•29m•TV-14•Documentary
Similars

Inside the Craziest Political Campaign on Earth

Come one, come all to The Circus. This real-time documentary series pulls back the curtain on the current political stories, revealing the intense, inspiring and infuriating stories behind the headlines. Key characters and events are presented in real time, as they are happening.

StatusEnded
Runtime29m
LanguageEN
First Air DateJan 17, 2016

Episodes

Episode 1 - The OutsidersE129m

The Outsiders

The campaigns of three "outsiders" - Ted Cruz, Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump - are given behind-the-scenes attention on the road to the Iowa caucus. Series premiere.

Jan 17, 2016

Episode 2 - Prisoner's DilemmaE229m

Prisoner's Dilemma

The second episode follows Sen. Marco Rubio, Gov. Chris Christie, former Gov. Jeb Bush and Gov. John Kasich as they prepare for the all-important, first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire.

Jan 24, 2016

Episode 3 - Tension CityE329m

Tension City

This episode follows the angst and drama leading up to the Iowa caucuses, with a showdown brewing between Democrats Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton and the GOP's first real test of outsider candidates versus the establishment.

Jan 31, 2016

Episode 4 - The Big MoE429m

The Big Mo

The fourth episode goes inside the Iowa fallout and the momentum leading into New Hampshire's primary. Who¿s got it? Who doesn't? And how can the Clinton and Trump campaigns pick up the pace to beat back the surge of Sanders and Cruz?

Feb 7, 2016

Episode 5 - The WinnowingE529m

The Winnowing

From the electric jolt of New Hampshire to the hard truths coming up in South Carolina and Nevada. Trump tastes victory, Kasich picks up momentum - and Bush faces the prospect of an impending do-or-die reality.

Feb 14, 2016

Episode 6 - Fear and LoathingE629m

Fear and Loathing

As the campaigns head towards the final stretch leading to Nevada and South Carolina, there's growing anxiety among both frontrunners and stragglers about just how high the stakes are - and the significance of falling behind.

Feb 21, 2016

Episode 7 - Confidence GameE729m

Confidence Game

With the field narrowed down to The Big Five, the campaigns spread their game across the country and play to their strengths - with eyes squarely focused on the all-important upcoming prize: Super Tuesday.

Feb 28, 2016

Episode 8 - The ReckoningE829m

The Reckoning

With big wins for the frontrunners on Super Tuesday the rest of candidates are reckoning with the results. But the biggest story of all might be one both Democratic and Republican establishments can agree on: how do they stop Trump?

Mar 6, 2016

Episode 9 - Dead or AliveE929m

Dead or Alive

It's make or break time for Rubio, Kasich and Sanders. As the candidates pin their hopes on Florida and Ohio, can they gather enough momentum to force a brokered convention - or will their campaigns finally run out of steam?

Mar 13, 2016

Episode 10 - High HopesE1029m

High Hopes

While Rubio gets trumped in Florida, the rest of the candidates remain cautiously optimistic. But are high hopes what they need to pull off a win and secure the nomination - or are they just delusional?

Mar 20, 2016

Episode 11 - Home And AbroadE1129m

Home And Abroad

Foreign policy comes to the fore as the political climate grows fiery in the wake of the attacks in Brussels. As Trump and Clinton prepare to square off, can either of them prove their presidential mettle in handling the heat?

Mar 27, 2016

Episode 12 - On WisconsinE1229m

On Wisconsin

Ahead of a Wisconsin showdown the candidates crisscross the state in pursuit of competing agendas. Can Kasich, Cruz or Sanders secure their position as spoilers - or will Clinton and Trump finally be crowned their party's Big Cheese?

Apr 3, 2016

Episode 13 - Circus RecapE1329m

Circus Recap

From the early primary battles to the Super Tuesday showdown and beyond, pull back the curtain on the 2016 presidential race with Mark Halperin, John Heilemann and Mark McKinnon - and catch up on the electrifying first twelve weeks.

Apr 10, 2016

Episode 14 - Game OnE1429m

Game On

While the nation celebrates July 4th, Trump and Clinton engage in their own fireworks. With the reemergence of Clinton's email scandal and Trump's latest faux pas, the titans go on the attack to take each other down.

Jul 10, 2016

Episode 15 - VeepstakesE1529m

Veepstakes

No president is complete without a veep. As Trump auditions Chris Christie, Mike Pence and Newt Gingrich and Clinton considers Tim Kaine, can the candidates find the right-hand man for the job who will make, not break, their campaign?

Jul 17, 2016

Episode 16 - The Trump ShowE1629m

The Trump Show

The political circus goes into overdrive as Trump is crowned the Republican nominee - and Melania, controversially, speaks! Capitalizing on his children to help humanize his image, can Trump plus Pence finally rally a unified party?

Jul 24, 2016

Episode 17 - In the ArenaE1729m

In the Arena

The jeers and boos of Sanders diehards ring out in Philadelphia, before the Democrats at last make Hillary a historic nominee. But is shattering a glass ceiling enough for Clinton and Kaine to unite the party into a winning coalition?

Jul 31, 2016

Episode 18 - Closing the GapE1829m

Closing the Gap

With ten weeks to go until the election the Trump campaign finds itself running from behind. As members of his party start to publicly jump ship, can Trump find a way to close the gap with Clinton or will he just fall further behind?

Sep 11, 2016

E1929m

Fit to Serve

As Clinton's pneumonia and scrutiny about Trump's medical records comes to the forefront, their fitness to lead is questioned.

Sep 18, 2016

E2029m

Battleground

As Clinton and Trump prepare for their first debate, their campaigns target the swing states with an eye on Florida.

Sep 25, 2016

E2129m

The Newsrooms

Preparations for the debate; the candidates cede the spotlight to those who cover the political news.

Oct 2, 2016

E2229m

Tale of the Tape

The fallout from the second debate and the current scandal surrounding a recently publicized audio tape.

Oct 16, 2016

E2329m

From Russia With Love

Clinton faces the scandal of her highly sensitive, private emails being made public on WikiLeaks, amid claims of foreign hacking and intervention and international espionage of the 2016 election.

Oct 23, 2016

E2429m

His Word as Biden

With only two weeks until election day, Clinton bets on the one man who has the potential to swing those states still up for grabs: Joe Biden.

Oct 30, 2016

E2529m

Nobody F... Knows

Polls predict the differing outcomes; both campaigns make a case in "far-fetched battlegrounds"; to most, the race is either up for grabs or already decided.

Nov 6, 2016

E2629m

President Trump

In a special hour-long episode of the real-time documentary series, Mark Halperin, John Heilemann and Mark McKinnon go behind the scenes of both campaigns in the lead up to Election Day - and the fallout that followed.

Nov 13, 2016

Actors

John Heilemann

John Heilemann

Self - Co-Host

Mark McKinnon

Mark McKinnon

Self - Co-Host

Jennifer Palmieri

Jennifer Palmieri

Self - Co-Host

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