Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

ICE⁩

John Oliver discusses ICE's repeated atrocities over the past months and explores the massive entity overseeing it: Homeland Security.

Epstein Files & Twitter

John Oliver discusses former Prince Andrew's arrest and why the Epstein files are causing political unrest in the UK. Then, how an already flawed Twitter got worse under Elon Musk, and why Donald Trump needs to tell the American people whether or not ants have dicks. You read that right. If he was a real leader he'd get in the White House garden and get to the bottom of this.

Body Cameras

John Oliver discusses why police body cameras can be useful, or useless, depending on whether they're used properly, and yeah, he also discusses what it looks like to arrest a giant mouse. Because of course he does.

USAID

John Oliver discusses the United States Agency for International Development, why the Trump Administration has gutted it, and who is being impacted.

JD Vance

John Oliver discusses J.D. Vance, what he really believes, who he is without Donald Trump, and most importantly: what he looks like without a beard.

Police Stings⁩

John Oliver discusses police stings, why they can seem like they're creating more crime than they're stopping, and the best alias for any undercover cop, ever, in history. Ok, fine, we'll just tell you: It's a tie between Angelo Lasagna and Rico Rigatone.

Hungary⁩

John Oliver discusses the elections on the horizon for Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán, why conservatives in the US are so invested in him maintaining power, and what it all has to do with Rob Schneider.

Prediction Markets

John Oliver discusses prediction markets – platforms where you can bet on basically anything, from the weather to the war in Iran – and the legal and moral questions posed by their existence.

AI Chatbots⁩

John Oliver discusses AI chatbots, and how their flaws can be genuinely hazardous to the public.

Gas Station Drugs

John Oliver discusses the sprawling industry of "gas station drugs" – a world of questionable supplements and boner pills – which is posing a risk to the public by putting underregulated substances over the counter.

Shadow Docket

John Oliver examines the Supreme Court's shadow docket, a procedural mechanism that allows the Court to issue major emergency orders without the full briefing, oral argument, or detailed public reasoning normally associated with its merits docket. The episode explains how the shadow docket has increasingly been used for consequential legal and political decisions, why that shift raises transparency and accountability concerns, and how it can accelerate major policy changes with limited public scrutiny. The episode also includes a lighter recurring thread about turtles, used to break up the legal discussion with the show's usual absurdist humor.

Structured Settlements⁩

John Oliver examines structured settlements, the long-term payment arrangements often created for people who have received compensation after serious injury or wrongful death. The episode focuses on factoring companies that buy those future payments for lump sums, explaining how the industry can exploit vulnerable recipients, why court oversight does not always protect them, and how an arrangement intended to provide lasting financial security can be turned into a high-pressure business opportunity.

Presidential Pardons⁩

John Oliver examines presidential pardons, focusing on Donald Trump's use of the pardon power since returning to office. The episode looks at the people who have received clemency, the political and ethical concerns surrounding those decisions, and the broader risks of a presidential power that can be used with few checks. The episode also touches on the administration's plans for America's 250th anniversary celebration and closes with a comedic awards-campaign bit involving Ghanaian artists.

New College of Florida

John Oliver examines New College of Florida, a small public liberal arts college reshaped by Governor Ron DeSantis's political agenda. The episode looks at the school's controversial takeover, the ideological changes imposed on its leadership and academic direction, and the broader implications for public higher education, using the show's usual mix of investigative reporting, satire, and absurd comedic asides.

UK & Makerfield Election

John Oliver discusses the upcoming elections in the UK, why the race for prime minister hinges on 76,000 voters who live in a small area called Makerfield, and which party leader looks like his first words were British East India Company.

Feral Hogs

John Oliver discusses one of the most destructive invasive species in America: feral hogs. How they got here, the damage they're doing, and why the Discovery Channel should really consider doing "Cow Week."

Congressional Maps

John Oliver discusses how the Supreme Court has paved the way for the redrawing of congressional maps across the country, and what it means for the midterm elections. Plus, an urgent update on Gavin Newsom's summer reading. John also reveals his upcoming guest starring roles on General Hospital and Days of Our Lives.

Episode 18