Episode guide
The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth
26 episodes · premiered Jan 17, 2016
Season one pulls back the curtain on the 2016 presidential race, revealing the stories behind the headlines.
- Episode 1: The Outsiders Jan 17, 2016 · 29m 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.
- Episode 2: Prisoner's Dilemma Jan 24, 2016 · 29m 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…
- Episode 3: Tension City Jan 31, 2016 · 29m 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…
- Episode 4: The Big Mo Feb 7, 2016 · 29m 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…
- Episode 5: The Winnowing Feb 14, 2016 · 29m 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…
- Episode 6: Fear and Loathing Feb 21, 2016 · 29m 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…
- Episode 7: Confidence Game Feb 28, 2016 · 29m 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…
- Episode 8: The Reckoning Mar 6, 2016 · 29m 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…
- Episode 9: Dead or Alive Mar 13, 2016 · 29m 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…
- Episode 10: High Hopes Mar 20, 2016 · 29m 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…
- Episode 11: Home And Abroad Mar 27, 2016 · 29m 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…
- Episode 12: On Wisconsin Apr 3, 2016 · 29m 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…
- Episode 13: Circus Recap Apr 10, 2016 · 29m 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…
- Episode 14: Game On Jul 10, 2016 · 29m 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…
- Episode 15: Veepstakes Jul 17, 2016 · 29m 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…
- Episode 16: The Trump Show Jul 24, 2016 · 29m 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…
- Episode 17: In the Arena Jul 31, 2016 · 29m 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…
- Episode 18: Closing the Gap Sep 11, 2016 · 29m 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…
- Episode 19: Fit to Serve Sep 18, 2016 · 29m As Clinton's pneumonia and scrutiny about Trump's medical records comes to the forefront, their fitness to lead is questioned.
- Episode 20: Battleground Sep 25, 2016 · 29m As Clinton and Trump prepare for their first debate, their campaigns target the swing states with an eye on Florida.
- Episode 21: The Newsrooms Oct 2, 2016 · 29m Preparations for the debate; the candidates cede the spotlight to those who cover the political news.
- Episode 22: Tale of the Tape Oct 16, 2016 · 29m The fallout from the second debate and the current scandal surrounding a recently publicized audio tape.
- Episode 23: From Russia With Love Oct 23, 2016 · 29m 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…
- Episode 24: His Word as Biden Oct 30, 2016 · 29m 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.
- Episode 25: Nobody F... Knows Nov 6, 2016 · 29m 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.
- Episode 26: President Trump Nov 13, 2016 · 29m 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…