CBS' Forgotten Political Thriller Quietly Becomes a Streaming Hit 7 Years Later

Published Aug 25, 2026, 7:42 PM EDT

Erin Konrad’s love for everything entertainment dates back to elementary school when she became obsessed with classic Hollywood musicals. When she’s not catching up on all her favorite television shows, she’s advising her friends and family on what they should binge watch next.

She has her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing. Creating content for Collider gives her the opportunity to combine her writing skills with her passion for television and movies. She spends her free time trying to beat her personal record of reading 137 books in a year and cuddling with her dog, Gracie.

There have been some truly fantastic political thrillers in the past two decades. Whether you want high-stakes international espionage found in Homeland or a salacious White House romance over on Scandal, this genre always offers plenty of intrigue and drama. Some of these shows have more charming idealism, like The West Wing, while others offer heart-racing plot points, like The Diplomat. If you’re looking for a political thriller that combines the vibes of all of these dramas, there’s one CBS show that’s currently finding a whole new audience over on Apple TV.

Madam Secretary first started airing in 2014, and with a total of six seasons and 120 episodes, it’s completely worthy of a binge-watch. Created by **Barbara Hall **(Judging Amy), the series follows Elizabeth McCord (Téa Leoni), a former CIA analyst who is appointed the next United States Secretary of State. Elizabeth has a loving family, including her husband, Henry (**Tim Daly, **who would end up marrying Leoni in real life in 2025), and their three children. After retiring from the CIA to work as a political science professor, Elizabeth at first seems like an unusual candidate for such an esteemed and high-profile position. But her former CIA boss, Conrad Dalton (Keith Carradine), is now the President of the United States, and deems her worthy of the position.

Your answers point to the iconic universe your values, your instincts, and your particular way of seeing the world were built for. This is where you would find your people — and your purpose.

You believe in the cause — in the idea that freedom is worth fighting for even when the odds are impossible and the empire is vast.

You understand, in the deepest part of yourself, that the journey matters as much as the destination — and that the world’s beauty is worth protecting even at great cost.

You believe that love, loyalty, and doing what’s right are not naive sentiments — they are the most powerful forces in any world, magical or otherwise.

You see the world clearly — its power structures, its hypocrisies, its brutal arithmetic — and you are not paralysed by that clarity. You use it.

You believe the future is worth building — that curiosity, cooperation, and the expansion of understanding are not just ideals but the most practical path forward for any civilisation.

There’s just one catch: the previous Secretary of State has died in a mysterious plane crash, and part of Elizabeth’s new job responsibilities include trying to figure out who was behind his death. Elizabeth is quickly thrown into a high-pressure environment, including an icy chief of staff named Nadine Tolliver (Bebe Neuwirth), who is wary of Elizabeth’s lack of political experience. With all of these obstacles, it would be easy for someone to crumble, but Elizabeth rises to the occasion, leading the country (and her family) to peace.

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