Gaslit
Gaslit
Now Showing

Gaslit

"Watergate was wrong. Martha was right."

6.9
Yr 2022
Status Ended
Your Verdict

Rate this show to unlock picks like it. Create a free account.

Series Brief

Overview

A modern take on the 1970s political Watergate scandal centering on untold stories and forgotten characters of the time.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 78 /100

Gaslit received largely positive reviews from critics, who appreciated its fresh approach to the well-trodden Watergate scandal. By shifting the focus toward overlooked figures—most notably Martha Mitchell—and leaning into the absurd, sycophantic ineptitude of the Nixon administration's loyalists, the series managed to make a familiar historical event feel compelling and surprisingly light on its feet.

Performances were widely commended, with critics pointing to a fiery turn by Julia Roberts as a standout. Reviewers highlighted the show's dark, satirical edge, which stripped the behind-the-scenes players of their political gravitas and exposed the sheer arrogance and corruption beneath the scandal. Many praised the production for delivering a gripping docudrama that effectively brought long-buried history into the spotlight.

However, the series was not universally praised. Some reviewers noted that Gaslit struggled to smoothly navigate tone shifts, vacillating unevenly between quirky satire and gut-wrenching drama. A few dissenting critics found the show to be a letdown, arguing that it lost sight of its whistleblower focus and dissolved into a broad, rote recap of Watergate history.

“it has found a way in and not only does it feel fresh and unexplored (again, what a feat!), but it has also proven itself to be a damn fine TV show”

“a very good, very watchable drama that steadily finds its feet”

“the series effectively takes the events of Watergate—and many of its behind-the-scenes people—out from the shadows.”

“In nearly every aspect of that attempt, it fails.”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Why fans love it

Gaslit pulls the Watergate scandal away from the history books to focus on the erratic, often absurd dynamics behind the political theater. By anchoring the narrative in the fallout experienced by forgotten figures, the show strips away the formality usually associated with the 1970s. It frames the systemic corruption not as a dry procedural, but as a series of chaotic personal lapses among the architects of the coverup.

The series finds its edge in the volatile relationship between Martha Mitchell, portrayed by Julia Roberts, and her husband John. Their marriage disintegrates under the weight of political paranoia, demonstrating how the scandal fractured lives far beyond the Oval Office. It is a cynical, sharp look at the power players who gambled everything, based on the accounts originally mapped out in the narrative podcast. The production leans into the messy, human side of high-stakes dishonesty, favoring character-driven friction over typical historical reenactment.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 15
Longest run 8 eps
Show 67 more
Hamish Linklater as Jeb Magruder 4 episodes Allison Tolman as Winnie McLendon 4 episodes Chris Conner as John Ehrlichman 3 episodes Adam Ray as Ron Ziegler 3 episodes Anne Dudek as Diana Oweiss 2 episodes Allie Marie Evans as Francesca 1 episode Asha Kamali as Linda 3 episodes Ellen Karsten as Katarina 2 episodes Korbin Marum as Raymond Liddy 2 episodes Scott Michael Morgan as Bernard Barker 4 episodes Aleksandar Filimonović as Zolton 1 episode Allison Davies as Pat Nixon 1 episode Don DiPetta as Frank Sturgis 4 episodes Roy Abramsohn as Garry Moore 1 episode Oscar Torre as Virgilio Gonzalez 4 episodes Jordi Caballero as Eugenio Martinez 4 episodes Oscar Jordan as Random Office Drone 1 episode Alexander Crow as Photographer 1 episode David Chan as Party Photographer 1 episode Aisha Lomax as Waitress 1 episode Allan Wayne Anderson as White House Host 1 episode Alyssa Sabo as Carole Feraci 1 episode Alexis Beckley as Ray Conniff Protestor 1 episode Dave Beaudrie as Secret Service Agent 1 episode Michael McCartney as Panel Member 1 episode Frankie Corzo as Youngish Woman 1 episode Summer Schaeffer as Marty's Classmate #1 1 episode Erin Bowles as Hillary 1 episode Natalia Abelleyra as Skinny Nurse 1 episode J.C. MacKenzie as Howard Hunt 4 episodes Nate Corddry as Michael Deaver 1 episode Brian Geraghty as Peter 2 episodes Patrick Walker as Frank Wills 1 episode Bill Duke as Charles Anderson 1 episode Ivan Martin as Al Baldwin 1 episode Martha Kelly as Rose Mary Woods 3 episodes Paul Chirico as Carl Shoffler 1 episode Harley Jay as John Barrett 1 episode Jerry Hernandez as Alberto 1 episode Nathan Caywood as Paul Leeper 1 episode David Page as Hairstylist 1 episode Eliza Shin as Stewardess 1 episode Agapito Leal as Elderly Janitor 1 episode Jasmine Cowan as Flight Attendant 1 episode Rachelle Henry as Howard Hunt's Kid 2 episodes Derrick L. McMillon as Burger Guy 1 episode Jack Seavor McDonald as Young Man 1 episode John Carroll Lynch as L. Patrick Gray 3 episodes Chris Messina as Angelo Lano 4 episodes Carlos Valdes as Paul Magallanes 3 episodes Nelson Franklin as Dick Moore 3 episodes Patton Oswalt as Chuck Colson 2 episodes Jesse Bush as George Beall 1 episode Marin Ireland as Judy Hoback 2 episodes Kayden Brenna Tokarski as 13 Year Old Martha 1 episode Logan Coffey as Howard Hunt's 18 YO Son 2 episodes Emma Jessop as 19 Year Old Martha 1 episode Mo Allen as Maxine 1 episode Louise Barnes as Dorothy Hunt 1 episode Josh Covitt as Bennie McLendon 1 episode Christopher Wallinger as Seymour 1 episode Alejandra Flores as Gloria 1 episode Caden Dragomer as Robbie 1 episode Charley Rossman as Sheriff 1 episode Joseph Whipp as Farmer 1 episode John Ventimiglia as John Sirica 2 episodes Forte Rodriguez as Marshall Edmund 2 episodes
Production Board

Crew

Original Music Composer
Art Department Assistant
Director of Photography
Prosthetic Designer
Co-Producer
Supervising Art Director
Consulting Producer
Associate Producer
First Assistant Director
Director
Editor
Set Decoration
Production Design
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Gaslit overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

watergate scandal corrupt politician based on podcast
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
April 24, 2022
Status
Ended
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
81