Real Time with Bill Maher: Season 21
Season 21 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 20.
- 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 21 Progress Shield
January 20, 2023: William Barr, Andrew Sullivan, Rep. Nancy Mace
Jan 20, 2023 · 57 min
To kick off the new season, Bill interviews Bill Barr, former Attorney General under Presidents George H. W. Bush and Donald Trump, and for the panel he is joined by conservative c
January 27, 2023: Frances Haugen, Bari Weiss, Tim Ryan
Jan 27, 2023 · 57 min
This week, Bill starts the show by interviewing Frances Haugen, the social media activist and author of "The Power of One: How I Found the Strength to Tell the Truth and Why I Blew
February 3, 2023: Medaria Arradondo, Bret Stephens, Ruben Gallego
Feb 3, 2023 · 57 min
To open this week's show, Bill interviews Medaria Arradondo, the former Minneapolis Police Chief who served from 2017-2022. For the panel discussion, he is joined by Rep. Ruben Gal
February 10, 2023: Malcolm Nance, Kristen Soltis Anderson, Paul Begala
Feb 10, 2023 · 57 min
This week, Bill opens the show by interviewing counterterrorism expert Malcolm Nance. On the panel, he is joined by Democratic strategist Paul Begala and pollster Kristen Soltis An
February 17, 2023: Christoph Waltz, Ari Melber, Sarah Isgur
Feb 17, 2023 · 57 min
Bill interviews actor Christoph Waltz to open the show. He is then joined on the panel by Ari Melber, MSNBC's chief legal correspondent, and Sarah Isgur, political commentator and
March 3, 2023: Bernie Sanders, John Heiligman, Russell Brand
Mar 3, 2023 · 57 min
This week, Bill starts the show by interviewing Bernie Sanders, the Independent Senator from Vermont. On the panel, he is then joined by actor Russell Brand and journalist John Hei
March 10, 2023: David Byrne, John McWhorter, Josh Tyrangiel
Mar 10, 2023 · 57 min
Opening this week's show, Bill interviews Oscar-nominated musician David Byrne. On the panel, he's joined by author John McWhorter and journalist Josh Tyrangiel.
March 17, 2023: Noa Tishby, Andrew Yang, Rep. Elissa Slotkin
Mar 17, 2023 · 57 min
Noa Tishby, an actress and activist who serves as Israel's Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism and Delegitimization, is Bill's interviewee to open this week's show. For the pa
March 24, 2023: David Sedaris, Scott Galloway, Annie Lowrey
Mar 24, 2023 · 57 min
Bill's interview guest this week is humorist David Sedaris. On the panel, he is joined by Scott Galloway, a professor of marketing at the New York University Stern School of Busine
March 31, 2023: Chris Sununu, James Kirchick, Winsome Sears
Mar 31, 2023 · 57 min
Bill's interview guest this week is Republican Governor of New Hampshire, Chris Sununu. On the panel, he is joined by James Kirchick, a columnist at Tablet Magazine, and Winsome Se
April 14, 2023: Ben McKenzie, Rep. Katie Porter, Piers Morgan
Apr 14, 2023 · 57 min
Bill's interview guest this week is Ben McKenzie, actor and co-author of the forthcoming book, "Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud". On the
April 21, 2023: Esther Perel, Daniel Bessner, Glenn Loury
Apr 21, 2023 · 57 min
Bill opens this week's show by interviewing Belgian-American psychotherapist Esther Perel. For the panel discussion, he is joined by Daniel Bessner, Professor at the Henry M. Jacks
April 28, 2023: Elon Musk, Michael Moynihan, Konstantin Kisin
Apr 28, 2023 · 58 min
Bill opens this week's show interviewing billionaire businessman Elon Musk. For the panel discussion, he is joined by Michael Moynihan, journalist and co-host of The Fifth Column p
September 29, 2023: Gov. Ron Desantis, Sam Harris, Mary Katharine Ham
Sep 29, 2023 · 56 min
Guests: Gov. Ron DeSantis - Republican Governor of Florida who is running to be the 2024 Republican nominee for President; Sam Harris - host of the "Making Sense" podcast; Mary Kat
October 6, 2023: Keegan-Michael Key, Elle Key, Matt Welch, Sarah Isgur
Oct 6, 2023 · 56 min
Guests: a one-on-one interview with Emmy and Peabody Award-winning actor, writer, and producer, Keegan-Michael Key and award-winning film and TV director, writer, and producer, Ell
October 13, 2023: Tristan Harris, James Kirchick, Matt Duss
Oct 13, 2023 · 59 min
Guests: Tristan Harris - tech ethicist, co-founder and executive director of the nonprofit organization Center for Humane Technology, and podcast co-host; James Kirchick - columnis
October 20, 2023: Alexandra Pelosi, Paul Begala, Bret Stephens
Oct 20, 2023 · 58 min
Guests: Alexandra Pelosi - director and producer of HBO Original documentary "The Insurrectionist Next Door"; Paul Begala - Democratic strategist and CNN political contributor; Bre
October 27, 2023: Andrew Cuomo, Melissa DeRosa, Scott Galloway
Oct 27, 2023 · 57 min
Guests: former Democratic Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo and his former Chief of Staff, Melissa DeRosa; Scott Galloway - professor of Marketing at NYU Stern School of Business
November 3, 2023: Rep. Dean Phillips, Fareed Zakaria, Ian Bremmer
Nov 3, 2023 · 57 min
Guests: Rep. Dean Phillips - Democratic Congressman from Minnesota's 3rd district who recently announced his campaign to primary Biden for the 2024 Presidential nomination; Fareed
November 10, 2023: Sen. Ted Cruz, Jordan Peterson, Pamela Paul
Nov 10, 2023 · 58 min
Guests: Sen. Ted Cruz - Republican senator from Texas and author of "Unwoke: How to Defeat Cultural Marxism in America"; Jordan Peterson - professor emeritus of psychology at the U
November 17, 2023: Rob Reiner & Albert Brooks, Donna Brazile, Adam Kinzinger
Nov 17, 2023 · 57 min
Guests: An interview with Rob Reiner, director of the HBO Original documentary "Albert Brooks: Defending My Life," and Albert Brooks, Oscar(R)-nominated actor, comedian, director,
December 1, 2023: David Mamet, James Carville, Dave Rubin
Dec 1, 2023 · 57 min
Guests: An interview with David Mamet, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, screenwriter, and director who wrote and illustrated his newest book, "Everywhere an Oink Oink: An Embitte
December 8, 2023: Greg Lukianoff, Jane Ferguson, John Avlon
Dec 8, 2023 · 57 min
Guests: An interview with Greg Lukianoff, President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and co-author of "The Canceling of the American Mind." Thi
December 15, 2023: Ray Romano, Laura Coates, Walter Kirn
Dec 15, 2023 · 59 min
Guests: An interview with Ray Romano, award-winning actor and comedian who directed, wrote, produced, and starred in the new film "Somewhere in Queens." This week's panel discussio