The 25 best political comedies

Benson was a spin-off of the randy ABC sitcom Soap. Robert Guillaume played the sarcastic titular butler on that series, then got his own show when Benson went on to run the household for a widowed governor and his daughter in the late 1970s into the '80s. The show lasted an impressive seven seasons, and Guillaume won an Emmy Award in 1985 for his starring role.

A fictional account of the buoyant Louisiana governor Earl Long (Paul Newman). While there have always been questions about how accurate this 1989 film is, the gist is Long's relationship with a stripper named Blaze. Obviously, from a political perspective, that could damage one's public image. Either way, it makes for a rather comical film.

This Tim Robbins-led mockumentary is about a conniving, conservative folk singer running for the United States Senate. Many might not remember this under-the-radar Robbins cult classic from 1992, but it's worth celebrating because Roberts is one character that fans of the film love to hate. Not everything is what it appears to be on the surface.

This was just a lot of good fun. Extraterrestrial bugs terrorizing the political scene and others in Washington, D.C. Starring the great Tony Shalhoub and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, the show lasted only one season on CBS in 2016. Perhaps it was a little too far-fetched for network television.

Dark political satire is somewhat of a running theme on this list. With Warren Beatty in the starring role, Bulworth is one of the better films within this particular genre. Beatty's Jay Bulworth is a California senator who has become burned out on politics and is even running from an assassin. 

This is a severely underrated film starring big names such as Alan Alda and the late great John Candy, directed by Michael Moore. It's Moore's only film movie that's not a documentary. The idea of the United States and Canada possibly going to war is comical, much like this entire film that should have been more celebrated than it was upon release in 1995.

This doesn't seem like a non-plausible idea to put a look-a-like into the role of president when the real one is unable to do the job. Presidential impersonator Dave Kovic (Kevin Kline) pulls off the ploy quite well and learns a lot about himself and what's right for the American people. For those who have never seen it, Dave is a fun watch that makes more sense in today's climate. 

A fun little fictional play on the Watergate scandal. Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams star in this 1999 comedy as two teenagers who are hilariously caught up in the infamous political scandal that would ultimately take down President Richard Nixon. While the movie isn't great from top to bottom, it's not a waste of time and offers plenty of laughs.

Eddie Murphy stars as Thomas Jefferson Johnson, a con man from Florida who works his way into the United States Congress. Johnson's goal is to make money off lobbyists, but he learns a few lessons along the way. It's not one of Murphy's best films but good enough to keep our interest and draw a sufficient amount of laughs. 

One of the great movies of all time. Directed by the legendary Stanley Kubrick, this dark comedy takes viewers into the dysfunctional governmental intricacies of the Cold War. Peter Sellers plays multiple roles to perfection. Of course, the highlight remains Slim Pickens' Major T. J. "King" Kong riding that bomb into oblivion.

We're talking high school student body elections, but the intensity is no less great. At least, not for overachiever Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon). Another classic from Alexander Payne is a dark comedy that stars Matthew Broderick and Chris Klein. It's brilliantly done to the point that each character's flaws are pronounced in a human, relatable way.

Chris Rock stars in this early 2000s film as a Washington, D.C. alderman reluctantly thrown into the presidential race. Like most Rock films, the laughs can be hit or miss, but it's more than a serviceable political comedy. The late Bernie Mac stars as Rock's character's brother and running mate. 

It's funny that when this Mike Judge cult classic came out in 2006, we did not think the dystopian U.S. or a deluded, pro-wrestler-esque president in Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho (Terry Crews) was possible. Maybe many people have not seen this film, which stars Luke Wilson, but it's entertaining and worth the time.

Even with big-name stars like Jack Lemmon, James Garner, and Dan Aykroyd, this political comedy about the accessions of candidates to the U.S. presidency flew relatively under the radar. The film received lukewarm reviews, but Lemmon and Garner are expectedly solid in their roles. 

We're talking about local politics within Pawnee, Ind. Parks and Rec spanned the Pawnee political scene, from Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) and Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) running the parks department (and eventually a high-up state position) to the quirky mayor of the small town. While there was plenty of dysfunction among the political higher-ups of Pawnee, we could not get enough.

Ben Platt stars in this Netflix series as an ambitious teenager with dreams of becoming the President of the United States. While some critics saw the show, particularly Platt's Payton Hobart, as a little pretentious, it was fun to see this talented and versatile performer in a starring role. Zoey Deutch also shines as a budding environmental activist.

Long believed to be based on the political rise of Bill Clinton to the U.S. presidency, Primary Colors is actually one of John Travolta's more underrated films. Travolta stars as Jack Stanton, the Governor of Arkansas running for president, and he is ruthlessly endearing in the role. Kathy Bates and Billy Bob Thornton shine in supporting roles. 

Goldie Hawn earned a lot of work during the 1980s. In this 1984 movie, Hawn plays Sunny Davis, a waitress who ends up thwarting the assassination attempt of a foreign diplomat. It's not one of Hawn's most notable films, but if we don't take it seriously, it's fun to watch and good enough to make this list. 

No offense to Charlie Sheen, but this ABC super hit was at its best with Michael J. Fox in the starring spot. Fox's role as Deputy Mayor of New York Mike Flaherty revived his career and made him a household name in Hollywood once again. However, co-stars Richard Kind, Alan Ruck, and Michael Boatman were nearly as special. A great comedy from when there was still plenty on network TV.

Simply magnificent. And it's not just Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the hilariously and incompetently ruthless vice president Selina Meyer. The rest of the main cast is just so much fun and dysfunctional. From her chief of staff, Amy (Anna Chlumsky), to the doofy Jonah (Timothy Simons), the laughs are non-stop.