The Politician | Season 1

"Pilot"

Payton Hobart, a student at St. Sebastian High School in Santa Barbara, California, is running for student body president, which he explains to a Harvard admissions representative is one step in his dream to become President of the United States. However, he is waitlisted. He lives with his wealthy adopted family, led by the matriarch Georgina. His opponent in the race is River Barclay, a friend of Payton's with whom he'd previously had a relationship. Payton is advised by his friends McAfee, James, and his girlfriend Alice. When Payton learns that River has convinced Skye Leighton, a gender-nonconforming black classmate, to be his running mate, Payton confronts him. River informs Payton that he only did so on his girlfriend Astrid Sloan's direction, apologizes to Payton, telling him that he loves him, and commits suicide in front of Payton. Following River's death, Astrid takes his spot on the ticket, retaining Skye as her running mate. Alice and Payton agree to a public breakup to gain sympathy for him. Payton later chooses Infinity Jackson, a student suffering from cancer, as his running mate, but is told by a student named Andrew that she is faking it.

"The Harrington Commode"

Georgina tells Keaton, Payton's adoptive father, that she's in love with a woman and wants a divorce, leading Keaton to attempt suicide; he survives, and is put into a medically-induced coma. When Payton's adopted brothers, twins Martin and Luther, plan to use a clause in their parents' prenuptial agreement to take the fortune, Payton schemes with Keaton, who recently woke up from his coma, allowing Keaton to foil an attempt at patricide from the twins; Keaton writes the twins out of the will. Meanwhile, following a suggestion from McAfee, Payton organizes a blood drive for a campaign event, allowing them to run tests on Infinity's blood, which reveals she does not, in fact, have cancer, and that her grandmother Dusty is making her sick on purpose.

"October Surprise"

Payton meets with the Harvard Admissions representatives, who promised to remove him from the waitlist if he donates millions for a new department. Payton, however, tells them he doesn't need Harvard, which causes Harvard to accept him unconditionally. He goes to tell Alice, but finds her in bed with James. James, however, shows loyalty by tricking Astrid and Skye into making themselves look bad at a campaign event. Meanwhile, Infinity's boyfriend Ricardo gives Astrid a tape to make Payton look bad. The tap shows Infinity calling a reporter 'buttmunch' and she comes under fire, with Payton removing her from the ticket. Infinity breaks up with Ricardo, who breaks into Astrid's house and seemingly kidnaps her.

"Gone Girl"

Infinity, after being told by Payton that her grandmother is making her sick, confronts Dusty at dinner and walks away from her. While the school community believes Astrid was kidnapped, it is revealed that Astrid convinced Ricardo to run away with her to New York City. Payton is interrogated for his possible role in Astrid's disappearance, but Georgina and Keaton pay off the officer to bring Payton back to their home. Astrid later returns home, explaining that she wanted to see another side of life, but her mother scolds her for it. Meanwhile, Skye grows disillusioned with Astrid's campaign and offers to switch tickets. Later, McAfee visits Skye at their home, where they have sex.

"The Voter"

On the day of the election, Payton, Astrid, and their staffs all attempt to court the undecided voters, which were determined through an algorithm. One of the undecideds, Elliot Beachman, is uninterested in the election. He checks out passing women when approached by Astrid's campaign manager, punches James, and vapes through the final debate. At the debate, Skye is officially announced as Payton's new running mate, where they take shots at Astrid. Astrid announces Haitian student Pierre Toussaint as her VP, while Infinity storms in with Ricardo, announcing that Payton used her for her illness and that Astrid ran off with Ricardo and had sex with him. Payton has a one-on-one with Elliot where he attempts to gain Elliot's feel for the school. Elliot goes to vote, but when he sees Georgina arguing that the school is suppressing a student's vote, Elliot leaves without voting. 

"The Assassination of Payton Hobart"

On election day, Astrid tells Payton she's dropping out; Payton wins the election but is deprived of the satisfaction of achieving his goal. This shakes his confidence, and he fails to get any initiatives passed. Skye plans with McAfee to remove Payton from office, and Payton gets sick after eating a cupcake made by McAfee and Skye. After Infinity moves out, Dusty enlists Ricardo to kill Payton, blaming him for what has happened. Ricardo shoots Payton with a BB gun pellet dipped in possum guts, which will give Payton sepsis.

"The Assassination of Payton Hobart: Part 2"

The secrets behind Payton's campaign come to light, so he is forced to resign as president and Skye takes his place. It is also revealed that Harvard rescinded Payton's admission. Skye offers the VP spot to McAfee, but McAfee reveals she knows Skye poisoned Payton and has them arrested. Meanwhile, Keaton discovers Georgina's plan to run away with her ex-lover, so he writes her and Payton out of the will, per their agreement. Infinity learns of Ricardo's plan and tells the doctors, saving Payton's life. Infinity and Ricardo both converge on Dusty's home, which ends with Dusty accidentally shooting Ricardo. Ricardo agrees to tell the police everything Dusty did, including poisoning Infinity's mother, which led to her death. Meanwhile, Alice and James both leave Payton's team, while Astrid turns in her father to the FBI for wire fraud. Payton and Georgina drive to the train station, where Georgina tearfully departs.

"Vienna"

Three years in the future, Payton attends New York University, where he rooms with James. He performs in cocktail lounges and suffers from borderline alcoholism. He is visited by Infinity and Skye, who have both reconciled with him. Meanwhile, McAfee, having graduated with a political science degree from Columbia, begins interning for state senate leader Dede Standish. Due to Standish not having an opponent for years, the campaign is not up to date. McAfee contacts James, and the pair pitch a possible run to Payton, since he can capitalize off of the poor state of the MTA. Payton is initially reluctant. He visits Alice before her wedding to another man, and later speaks to River's ghost, who convinces him to run. Payton returns to his dorm, where he is met by James, McAfee, and Skye, as well as Alice, who ran away from the altar, and Astrid, who has been working as a server. Astrid reveals that, while catering an event, she discovered that Standish is in a three-way marriage, a scandal that Payton can use to his advantage. With his team by his side, Payton declares his run for state senate, though all are unaware that Standish is secretly planning on running for Vice President of the United States.