Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

7.8
2014

Production

Logo for Avalon Television

A half-hour satirical look at the week in news, politics and current events.

Seasons

24 Episodes • Premiered 2014

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 1: POM Wonderful v. Coca-Cola

1. POM Wonderful v. Coca-Cola

7.1

John talks about the Indian election, Pom Wonderful and talks with the former NSA Director General Keith Alexander.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 2: Capital Punishment

2. Capital Punishment

7.8

John talks about the recent issues of the death penalty, François Hollande and the rising issues happening in Brunei.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 3: Climate Change Denial

3. Climate Change Denial

6.9

John talks about Eurovision, Ukraine and Russia's relations and interviews Bill Nye about Climate Change.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 4: The Right to Be Forgotten

4. The Right to Be Forgotten

8.4

John talks about the product recall going on at General Motors, the EU Court of Justice "Right to be Forgotten" ruling and updates us on how the Indian election is going with help from Fareed Zakaria.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 5: Net Neutrality

5. Net Neutrality

7.8

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.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 6: FIFA and the World Cup

6. FIFA and the World Cup

6.9

John talks about California Chrome and the Belmont Stakes, FIFA and the 2014 World Cup, and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 7: Immigration Reform

7. Immigration Reform

6.6

John talks about US Immigration and interviews Professor Stephen Hawking.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 8: Dr. Oz

8. Dr. Oz

8.1

John talks about Iraq, Antarctica tourism and Dr. Oz's "Miracle Drug".

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 9: Burwell v. Hobby Lobby

9. Burwell v. Hobby Lobby

6.3

John Oliver sheds light on recent Supreme Court cases and discusses gay rights in Uganda with activist Pepe Julian Onziema.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 10: Income and Wealth Inequality

10. Income and Wealth Inequality

7.8

John talks about modern American income inequality, Warren G. Harding's love letters and President Obama's "Day In The Life" tour.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 11: Incarceration in the United States

11. Incarceration in the United States

7.7

John talks about the Gaza crisis, the decay of American prisons and the gambling addiction problem in Singapore.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 12: Nuclear Weapons and the United States

12. Nuclear Weapons and the United States

8.1

John talks about human rights violations in the Middle East, nuclear disarmament and Russia's science satellite that lost communication.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 13: Native Advertising

13. Native Advertising

8.0

John talks about Uganda's anti-gay laws, the CIA's recent report on their use of torture, the New York Port Authority, Argentina's default on debt and native advertising.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 14: Payday Loans

14. Payday Loans

7.9

John talks about the return of US military actions in Iraq, replacing all passwords due to a global security breach and the terrible practices of the Payday Loan industry.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 15: Shooting of Michael Brown and Police Militarization

15. Shooting of Michael Brown and Police Militarization

8.2

Focuses on the shooting of Michael Brown and police militarization in Ferguson, MO. John also discusses the topic of equal pay for equal work.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 16: Student Debt

16. Student Debt

8.1

John talks about ISIS and student loan debt. Musical group A Great Big World make a special appearance.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 17: Scottish Independence Referendum

17. Scottish Independence Referendum

8.1

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.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 18: United States Embargo Against Cuba, Miss America 2015

18. United States Embargo Against Cuba, Miss America 2015

7.4

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.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 19: Drones

19. Drones

7.9

John discusses U.S. military drones and the Kansas state budget shortfall. Also, Narendra Modi, the Prime Minster of India visited New York and did some classic New York things.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 20: Civil Forfeiture

20. Civil Forfeiture

7.3

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.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 21: Military Translators

21. Military Translators

8.4

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.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 22: Sugar

22. Sugar

8.0

John Oliver talks about a Russian submarine in Sweden, ebola in New York, added sugar in food, Rob Ford's brother and interviews Jane Goodall.

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 23: State Legislatures and ALEC

23. State Legislatures and ALEC

8.0

While midterm coverage is largely focused on the parts of Congress that do very little, vital (and bizarre) midterm elections are going unexamined. State legislators pass a lot of bills, and some of that efficiency is thanks to a group called ALEC that writes legislation for them. It’s as shady as it sounds!

Still image for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver season 1 episode 24: The Lottery

24. The Lottery

8.0

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.

Cast

Photo of John Oliver

John Oliver

Self - Host

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Reviews

N

Peter McGinn

8/10

I usually, but not always, get something out of each episode of John Oliver’s show. Since he goes into great detail on a different topic each week, it depends on the topic as to whether Inenjoy the episode. Sometimes he takes matters further than just talking about issues. For example, my favorite show was when he talked about how easy it is to beget non-taxable status as a church, and to illustrate, the show started its own church. It was humorous, informative and the donations they collected went to a charity, not to buy a jet for an evangelist.

The other part of the show is the opening monologue, which I find usually makes some great points and produces laughs, but he also seems to push a joke too far for my taste, like, I got it already. And of course it is HBO so sex jokes come into play. Still, it usually is worth watching, especially when he tackles topics that interest me.

T

tournelhenry

3/10

I don't know if this show was always this bad or Oliver lost his mind.

A that criticises current political events should at least gets its facts straight, insane political bias aside. This show has just turned into a Chinese-communist-style propaganda arm of a particular political group (I won't mention for the sake of keeping this review neutral), but Oliver boldly tells blatant lies to his audience while completely abandoning the "comedy" aspect of a show that is supposed to be political comedy

K

Dasha K

1/10

I am so tired of this annoying smug British loser. He thinks he is so clever and funny and I read that the "laughter" from the audience is all fake. Total junk and I'm glad I'm not paying for HBO. Has Been Office.

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