Season pulse
Episodes
30 episodes
Trump vs. The World
America's reputation is being damaged by its own president. John Oliver, several dinosaurs, and the NYC Gay Men's Chorus remind the world that our country is...complicated.
Italian Election
Italy is in the throes of a turbulent race to elect a new prime minister. John Oliver discusses the colorful contenders and introduces an equally ridiculous candidate.
NRA TV
The NRA's streaming lifestyle network aims to boost gun sales, often by using an ominous tone that would make just about anything sound terrifying...including muffins.
Cryptocurrencies
Digital currencies are generating a lot of excitement. John Oliver enlists Keegan-Michael Key to get potential investors equally excited about the concept of caution.
Mike Pence
John Oliver can't help but say nice things about the Vice President's rabbit, Marlon Bundo. Last Week Tonight even wrote a children's book about him.
Immigration Courts
America’s dysfunctional immigration court system forces many children to appear in court alone. That’s as ridiculous in real life as it would be on a courtroom television show.
Crisis Pregnancy Centers
Crisis pregnancy centers deceptively steer woman away from abortion. They can be started way too easily by religious groups like, for instance, a late night talk show’s megachurch.
Corporate Taxes
Many of America’s largest corporations shift a surprising portion of their profits overseas to avoid paying taxes. Even more surprisingly, that’s a legal thing to do.
Iran Deal
Donald Trump could soon dismantle the agreement designed to curb the Iranian nuclear program. Our catheter cowboy will do his best to keep that from happening.
Rudy Giuliani
Rudy Giuliani is new to Trump’s legal team, but not to public controversy. Last Week Tonight examines his turbulent record in the wake of his recent political upsets.
Venezuela
John Oliver discusses the devastating economic crisis in Venezuela and enlists the help of a large bird who bears a striking resemblance to Wilmer Valderrama.
Drug Rehabilitation Clinics
Other segments: Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, proposed 2018 North Korea-United States summit
Guardianship
It’s alarmingly easy for a total stranger to gain total control over the life of a senior citizen. We enlisted a group of celebrities to offer a warning about predatory behavior...in a legal guardian or a hippo.
Stupid Watergate II
John Oliver explains how the president and his allies are going full O. J. in order to undermine the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Xi Jinping
Chinese president Xi Jinping is amassing an alarming amount of political power. If only his propaganda videos made the idea of unrestricted authority seem as troubling as the concept of singing children.
Mexican Elections
Mexico is on the verge of a major election. John Oliver discusses some things we should know about the races and one thing we should not know about Santa Claus.
Gene Editing
Scientists are developing new ways to alter the genetic code of living organisms. John Oliver explores the risks, rewards, and wolf-related hazards of gene editing.
Workplace Sexual Harassment
With a national dialogue underway about sexual harassment in the workplace, John Oliver sits down with Anita Hill to discuss the recent response to a not-so-recent problem.
Prosecutors
John Oliver explains how prosecutors use, or in some cases misuse, their power within our criminal justice system and why it’s important to know whether or not your district attorney is a dog.
Astroturfing
Organizations can hire fake advocates who create the illusion of real support for their message. It’s a shady practice called astroturfing that can warp the public perception of anything...even astroturfing.
Trade
Donald Trump is waging a trade war that hurts a lot of American workers. Maybe he would understand that if our heavy-handed documentaries about the global trading system were more informative.
Felony Disenfranchisement
Many people with felony convictions are unfairly prohibited from voting, and the worst state for this — surprise — is Florida.
Facebook’s global expansion has been linked to political turmoil overseas, so maybe their ads should focus less on how they “connect the world” and more on why connecting people isn’t always the best idea.
Brett Kavanaugh
John Oliver discusses the ongoing controversy surrounding Brett Kavanaugh, the sexual assault allegations against him, his Supreme Court nomination, and what that could all mean for the highest (mostly-dog) court in the land.
Brazilian Elections
Brazil is about to elect a new president during a turbulent period of political corruption and economic uncertainty. John Oliver urges the people of Brazil not to figuratively fingerbang their democracy.
Saudi Arabia
Following the alarming disappearance of a Saudi journalist and political dissident, John Oliver examines America's uncomfortably comfortable relationship with Saudi Arabia.
State Attorneys General
State AGs have become major partisan players in national politics, so the races to elect them are worth your attention.
Family Separation
John Oliver discusses the disturbing policy that separated migrant families detained at our southern border, and the disturbingly real chance that it could happen again.
Drain the Swamp
Donald Trump promised to “drain the swamp.” But considering the culture of corruption inside of his administration, Washington is looking awfully...swampy.
Authoritarianism
John Oliver discusses the growing number of authoritarian leaders around the world, their common characteristics, and whether or not one of them is currently our president.