Episode 1
The Outsiders
29m9.0 / 10
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.
Where to watch The Circus
TV series
The Circus
2016TV-148 seasons6.5 / 10
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.
Streaming, rental and purchase options
Where to watch in United States
Checked Sep 3, 2026
The Circus is available to stream on Paramount+, Paramount+ (Via Amazon Prime), Paramount+ (Via Apple TV), and Fubo in United States. You can also buy it from Amazon, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Use the direct links below to open the provider.
Stream
Synopsis
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.
Season 1 episodes
Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.
Episode 2
Prisoner's Dilemma
29m8.0 / 10
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.
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Episode 3
Tension City
29m9.0 / 10
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.
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Episode 4
The Big Mo
29m9.0 / 10
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?
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Episode 5
The Winnowing
29m9.0 / 10
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.
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Episode 6
Fear and Loathing
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 - and the significance of falling behind.
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Episode 7
Confidence Game
29m9.0 / 10
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.
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Episode 8
The Reckoning
29m10.0 / 10
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?
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Episode 9
Dead or Alive
29m7.0 / 10
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?
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Episode 10
High Hopes
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 just delusional?
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Episode 11
Home And Abroad
29m7.0 / 10
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?
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Episode 12
On Wisconsin
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 finally be crowned their party's Big Cheese?
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Episode 13
Circus Recap
29m7.0 / 10
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.
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Episode 14
Game On
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 attack to take each other down.
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Episode 15
Veepstakes
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 job who will make, not break, their campaign?
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Episode 16
The Trump Show
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 Trump plus Pence finally rally a unified party?
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Episode 17
In the Arena
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 Kaine to unite the party into a winning coalition?
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Episode 18
Closing the Gap
29m8.0 / 10
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?
Where to watch The CircusEpisode 19
Fit to Serve
29m8.0 / 10
As Clinton's pneumonia and scrutiny about Trump's medical records comes to the forefront, their fitness to lead is questioned.
Episode credits
Guest stars Tim Kaine
Episode 20
Battleground
29m8.0 / 10
As Clinton and Trump prepare for their first debate, their campaigns target the swing states with an eye on Florida.
Where to watch The CircusEpisode 21
The Newsrooms
29m10.0 / 10
Preparations for the debate; the candidates cede the spotlight to those who cover the political news.
Where to watch The CircusEpisode 22
Tale of the Tape
29m8.0 / 10
The fallout from the second debate and the current scandal surrounding a recently publicized audio tape.
Where to watch The CircusEpisode 23
From Russia With Love
29m10.0 / 10
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.
Where to watch The CircusEpisode 24
His Word as Biden
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.
Where to watch The CircusEpisode 25
Nobody F... Knows
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.
Where to watch The CircusEpisode 26
President Trump
29m9.0 / 10finale
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.
Where to watch The CircusEpisode information updated Sep 18, 2026
More about The Circus
Cast
John HeilemannSelf - Co-Host
Alex WagnerSelf - Co-Host
Mark McKinnonSelf - Co-Host
Jennifer PalmieriSelf - Co-Host
Mark HalperinSelf - Co-Host
Charlie CristSelf
Ron DeSantisSelf (archive footage)
Hakeem JeffriesSelfCredits
- Created by
- John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon
Production details
- Status
- Ended
- Series type
- Documentary
- Episodes
- 130
- Original language
- English
Networks & production
ShowtimeUnited States
Left/RightUnited States
Themes
election campaignpoliticsusa politics
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