Latest in The Circus

Showtime’s aptly titled docuseries The Circus is set to return with eight new episodes in the fall, this time shining the spotlight on the many Democrats who aspire to challenge President Donald Trump in 2020. Tracking the largest field of presidential candidates in U.S. history, Season 4 of The Circus will continue…

Traditional circuses still crisscross the country, but on a much-reduced scale from when they ruled America as the undisputed "greatest show on earth." Sharon Grimberg's two-part documentary The Circus rewinds to that era of big tops and big crowds that exploded more than 100 years ago. The circus helped knit together…

One on TV’s most aptly titled series is returning in a few weeks. Showtime said today that Season 4 of The Circus, its docuseries that covers the titular ridiculousness that is late-2010s American politics, will premiere at 8 PM Sunday, January 27. Watch a teaser above. Hosted by John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon, and…

Even after Brett Kavanaugh was sworn in as the newest Supreme Court justice, political pundits continue to evaluate the fall-out from a confirmation process that underscored the nation’s deep divisions. MSNBC political analyst Steve Schmidt said Kavanaugh should have withdrawn his nomination to preserve the integrity…

Veteran political strategist and commentator Steven Schmidt has boarded Showtime’s weekly political docuseries The Circus as a recurring on-air contributor. He’ll join hosts John Heilemann, Alex Wagner and Mark McKinnon when the show returns this Sunday, September 16. Schmidt is no newcomer to The Circus, having made…

Showtime’s The Circus has set a return date of Sunday, September 16, with nine new episodes paving the way for the midterm elections. The political documentary series, hosted by John Heilemann, Mark McKinnon and Alex Wagner, resumes its third season, which started this past spring. According to Showtime, the spring…

Showtime’s weekly half-hour political docuseries The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth returns for its third season tonight. Co-hosts John Heilemann and Mark McKinnon will be joined by new host Alex Wagner, who has replaced Mark Halperin. The show hit a decidedly uncertain period in October when…

Showtime has extended the order of its half-hour animated series Our Cartoon President, picking up seven new episodes to air in the summer. The series airs the last of its initial 10-episode run on April 8, a week before the April 15 season premiere of political docuseries The Circus. Our Cartoon President will then…

“I became aware with a phone call from Mark, a day or so before the story broke,” Showtime CEO David Nevins told TV critics at TCA when asked how he became aware of sexual harassment/assault allegations against Showtime’s The Circus EP/co-star Mark Halperin. “I have known Mark for many years; he is an old friend. That…

The Circus has survived. Showtime made it official Wednesday morning,  announcing it had ordered a third season of the docu series, which will be divvied up, so a run of new episodes will air in the spring and another in the fall. More to the point, John Heilemann is back as host, ditto Mark McKinnon. But Mark Halperin…

Mark Halperin won’t be part of Showtime’s The Circus if the political documentary series returns, Deadline has confirmed. "Should 'The Circus' move forward with another season, Mark Halperin will not be a part of it," said a Showtime spokesperson in a statement. The network had previously said it was “reevaluating&#8221…

Showtime today made good on chief David Nevins’ comments that he’d love to continue the premium network’s relationship with Mark Halperin and John Heilemann. It has ordered a new season of their political documentary series The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth. It will return at 8 PM  Sunday, March…