Real Time with Bill Maher: Season 20
Season 20 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of Real Time with Bill Maher Season 19.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Episode Guide
Season 20 Progress Shield
January 21, 2022: Timothy Snyder, Bari Weiss, Rep. Ritchie Torres
Jan 21, 2022 · 60 min
Kicking off the new season, Bill interviews Yale University history professor Timothy Snyder about the repercussions of The Big Lie and the January 6th insurrection. For the panel
January 28, 2022: Ira Glasser, Fiona Hill, Matt Welch
Jan 28, 2022 · 60 min
Bill opens the show this week by interviewing former Executive Director of the ACLU, Ira Glasser. For the panel, he's joined by former Senior Director at the U.S. National Security
February 4, 2022: Rep. Ro Khanna, Johann Hari, Katherine Mangu-Ward
Feb 4, 2022 · 60 min
This week, Bill interviews Rep. Ro Khanna, the U.S. Congressman representing California's 17th district. On the panel, he is joined by British author Johann Hari and Katherine Mang
February 11, 2022: Ricky Williams, Vivek Ramaswamy, Marianne Williamson
Feb 11, 2022 · 60 min
Bill starts this week's show by interviewing Ricky Williams, a former NFL star and cannabis entrepreneur. On the panel, he is joined by Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and
February 18, 2022: Brooke Jenkins, John Avlon, Katrina Vanden Heuvel
Feb 18, 2022 · 60 min
This week, Bill interviews Brooke Jenkins, a former San Francisco Assistant District Attorney. For the panel discussion, he is joined by John Avlon, a senior Political Analyst and
February 25, 2022: Ruben Gallego, Bret Stephens, Chloé Valdary
Feb 25, 2022 · 60 min
Bill opens the show by interviewing Rep. Ruben Gallego, Democratic Congressman from Arizona. Joining him on the panel are entrepreneur Chloé Valdary and New York Times columnist B
March 11, 2022: Kenneth Branagh, Frank Bruni, Batya Ungar-Sargon
Mar 11, 2022 · 60 min
Bill opens this week's show by interviewing award-winning actor and director, Kenneth Branagh. On the panel, he is joined by Frank Bruni, a Professor of Public Policy at Duke Unive
March 18, 2022: Ernest Moniz, Kristen Soltis Anderson, Max Brooks
Mar 18, 2022 · 60 min
This week, Bill interviews Ernest Moniz, who served as the U.S. Secretary of Energy from 2013-2017. On the panel, he is joined by pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson and author Max Br
March 25, 2022: Julia Ioffe, John Heilemann, Sen. Jon Tester
Mar 25, 2022 · 60 min
Bill kicks off this week's episode by interviewing journalist and Russian expert, Julia Ioffe. On the panel, he is joined by Sen. Jon Tester, the senior Democratic Senator from Mon
April 1, 2022: Nicole Perlroth, Laura Coates, Andrew Yang
Apr 1, 2022 · 60 min
Kicking off this week's episode, Bill interviews Nicole Perlroth, former lead cybersecurity and digital espionage reporter for The New York Times. On the panel, he is joined by Lau
April 8, 2022: David Mamet, Nancy MacLean, David Leonhardt
Apr 8, 2022 · 60 min
Bill interviews Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and author, David Mamet and is joined on the panel by historian Nancy MacLean and columnist David Leonhardt.
April 22, 2022: Bob Odenkirk, Mary Katharine Ham, Caitlin Flanagan
Apr 22, 2022 · 60 min
Bill returns this week by interviewing comedian Bob Odenkirk and is joined for the panel discussion by CNN Commentator Mary Katharine Ham and writer at The Atlantic, Caitlin Flanag
April 29, 2022: Fran Lebowitz, Ali Velshi, Doug Jones
Apr 29, 2022 · 60 min
Opening the show this week, Bill interviews author Fran Lebowitz. On the panel, he is joined by MSNBC journalist Ali Velshi and former Democratic Senator from Alabama Doug Jones.
May 6, 2022: Chloe Maxmin, Paul Begala, Michele Tafoya
May 6, 2022 · 60 min
This week, Maine State Senator Chloe Maxmin is Bill's first guest and for the panel discussion he is joined by Democratic strategist Paul Begala and former NBC Sports reporter Mich
May 13, 2022: Rod Stewart, Ian Bremmer, Jane Harman
May 13, 2022 · 60 min
Legendary musician Sir Rod Stewart is Bill's interviewee this week. On the panel, he is joined by political scientist Ian Bremmer and former Representative for California Jane Harm
May 20, 2022: Mark Esper, Donna Brazile, Adam Carolla
May 20, 2022 · 60 min
This week, Bill opens the show by interviewing Dr. Mark T. Esper, the former Secretary of Defense under President Trump. On the panel, he is joined by veteran political strategist
June 3, 2022: Eric Holder, Michael Shellenberger, Douglas Murray
Jun 3, 2022 · 60 min
Eric Holder, former US Attorney General, is this week's opening interviewee. On the panel, Bill is joined by California gubernatorial candidate Michael Shellenberger and columnist
June 10, 2022: Dr. Cornel West, Kellyanne Conway, Josh Barro
Jun 10, 2022 · 60 min
Dr. Cornel West, Dietrich Bonhoeffer Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practice at Union Theological Seminary and contributor to The Guardian; Kellyanne Conway - former Senior
June 17, 2022: Danny Strong, Krystal Ball, James Kirchick
Jun 17, 2022 · 60 min
Bill interviews actor and director Danny Strong at the top of the show. For the panel, he is joined by political commentator Krystal Ball and conservative reporter James Kirchick.
June 24, 2022: Christine Emba, Andrew Sullivan, Katie Herzog
Jun 24, 2022 · 60 min
Bill begins this week's show by interviewing author and Washington Post columnist Christine Emba. On the panel, he is joined by political commentator Andrew Sullivan and culture wr
July 29, 2022: Chris Cuomo, John McWhorter, Sam Stein
Jul 29, 2022 · 57 min
Returning from his Summer break, Bill opens the show by interviewing journalist Chris Cuomo. On the panel he is joined by John McWhorter, associate professor of English and compara
August 5, 2022: David Duchovny, Matt Taibbi, Lis Smith
Aug 5, 2022 · 57 min
Bill opens this week's episode interviewing award-winning actor David Duchovny about his new book. For the panel, he is joined by author Matt Taibbi and Democratic political strate
August 12, 2022: Ross Douthat, Rikki Schlott, Piers Morgan
Aug 12, 2022 · 57 min
This week, Bill interviews columnist Ross Douthat about his recent experience with Lyme disease. For the panel he's joined by journalist Piers Morgan and GenZ columnist Nikki Schlo
August 19, 2022: B.J. Novak, Catherine Rampell, Noah Rothman
Aug 19, 2022 · 57 min
Bill opens this week's show by interviewing actor and director B.J. Novak about his new film, Vengeance. On the panel, he is joined by CNN political and economic commentator Cather
August 26, 2022: John Waters, Amy Klobuchar, Rob Reiner
Aug 26, 2022 · 57 min
This week, Bill interviews filmmaker John Waters and is joined on the panel by senior Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar and filmmaker Rob Reiner.
September 9, 2022: Wynton Marsalis, Scott Galloway, Matt Welch
Sep 9, 2022 · 57 min
Bill opens this week's show by interviewing jazz musician Wynton Marsalis. For the panel, he is joined by author and business professor Scott Galloway and journalist Matt Welch.
September 16, 2022: Trace Adkins, Julia Ioffe, Jon Meacham
Sep 16, 2022 · 57 min
Country singer Trace Adkins is Bill's interviewee this week, while on the panel he is joined by Julia Ioffe, founding partner and Washington Correspondent for the media company Puc
September 23, 2022: Michael Moore, Jonathan Lemire, Vivek Ramaswamy
Sep 23, 2022 · 57 min
Bill opens this week's episode by interviewing award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore. For the panel discussion, he is joined by journalist Jonathan Lemire and entrepreneur Vivek Ra
September 30, 2022: Masih Alinejad, Van Jones, Caitlin Flanagan
Sep 30, 2022 · 57 min
This week, Bill begins the show by interviewing Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad. For the panel, he is joined by political commentator Van Jones and journalist Caitlin Flanagan.
October 7, 2022: Chris Wallace, Katty Kay, Chris Christie
Oct 7, 2022 · 57 min
Bill opens this week's show by interviewing CNN anchor Chris Wallace. On the panel, he is joined by former Republican Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie and Special Corresponden
October 14, 2022: Netanyahu, Smerconish, Degrasse Tyson
Oct 14, 2022 · 57 min
This week, Bill opens the show by interviewing Benjamin Netanyahu, the former Prime Minister of Israel. For the panel, he is joined by columnist Michael Smerconish and astrophysici
October 28, 2022: Quentin Tarantino, Gillian Tett, Yuval Noah Harari
Oct 28, 2022 · 57 min
Acclaimed movie director Quentin Tarantino is Bill's interviewee to open the show, while on the panel he is joined by Gillian Tett, Editor-at-Large of the Financial Times, and Yuva
November 4, 2022: Richard Reeves, Maggie Haberman, Fareed Zakaria
Nov 4, 2022 · 57 min
This week, Bill begins the show by interviewing Richard Reeves, author and Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. On the panel, he is joined by Maggie Haberman, Senior Politic
November 11, 2022: Jared Polis, Robert Costa, Ro Khanna
Nov 11, 2022 · 57 min
Democratic Governor for Colorado, Jared Polis is Bill's interviewee to open the show. On the panel, he is joined by Robert Costa, Chief Election and Campaign Correspondent for CBS
November 18, 2022: Matthew Perry, Laura Coates, Jonathan Haidt
Nov 18, 2022 · 57 min
For the last show of the season, Bill interviews actor Matthew Perry about his new book. On the panel, he is joined by CNN anchor Laura Coates and Jonathan Haidt, a social psycholo