School is back in session for Ryan Murphy. The first official trailer for the American Horror Story and Glee creator’s newest project, The Politician, has arrived and it seems we’re in for the most ruthless high school presidential campaign since Election.
The upcoming Netflix series follows Ben Platt’s Payton Hobart, an ambitious high school student running for student body president. For Payton, serving as student body president is the necessary ticket to his ultimate goal: becoming President of the United States. However, much like a real political campaign, Payton’s pledge for presidency won’t be easy. The trailer teases Payton dealing with fierce competition, mini-school scandals, and by the looks of it, a criminal investigation.
As Payton, Broadway superstar Platt trades the nervous energy of Evan Hanson for the cutthroat intensity of the study body presidential candidate. In the trailer, Platt oscillates between a sickly sweet persona and a ruthless, ambitious teen who won’t let anyone get in his way in his quest for success.
Even his mother, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, is scared of Payton’s ambition, and it seems like we should be nervous, too. Murphy favorite Jessica Lange, Set it Up star Zoey Deutch, and Lucy Boynton also star in the series.
Besides obvious star power that’s expected in a Murphy production, The Politician’s trailer also teases other Murphy essentials, including lavish set pieces used to accentuate the aristocratic Santa Barbara setting and elite image of Saint Sebastian High School.
Of course, perhaps most on-display is the whip smart, snarky dialogue the characters spat at each other as the race between Payton and Astrid (Boynton) heats up. Even in these little soundbites, Murphy’s satire rings sharp. We’re looking forward to seeing how the series tackles today’s politics within a prep school environment.
The Politician will premiere on Netflix September 27.
Featured Image: Netflix
