The Best TV Shows on MSNBC

Andrea Mitchell Reports is a news show on MSNBC broadcast weekdays from 1 PM ET/10 AM PT hosted by Andrea Mitchell. She originally was an anchor under the MSNBC Live umbrella before getting her own distinct show. She is the NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs correspondent. While the show is based in Washington, D.C., it will typically go on location to where Mitchell is reporting for NBC News.

MSNBC’s Brian Williams brings you every late-breaking headline and puts each day into sharp context.

Morning Joe is a weekday morning talk show on MSNBC, with Joe Scarborough discussing the news of the day in a panel format with co-hosts Mika Brzezinski and Willie Geist. It was created as the replacement for Imus in the Morning, which was canceled in April 2007 after simulcasting on MSNBC since 1996. It airs from 6AM to 9AM Eastern Time.

To Catch a Predator is an American reality television series that features hidden camera investigations by the television newsmagazine program Dateline NBC. It was devoted to impersonating underage people and detaining male adults who contacted them over the Internet for sexual liaisons. People were lured to meet with a decoy under the pretense of sexual contact and then confronted. Show host Chris Hansen clarified in an interview with NPR News that these subjects should be labeled as potential sexual predators, and not pedophiles. "Pedophiles have a very specific definition, people who are interested in prepubescent sex," he stated. The series premiered in November 2004, and featured 12 investigations in total held across the United States. The investigations were conducted as undercover sting operations with the help of on-line watchdog group Perverted-Justice. Since the third installment, law enforcement and other officials were also involved, leading to the arrests of most individuals caught. No new episodes have aired since December 2007. NBC affiliates WTMJ in Milwaukee, KSHB in Kansas City and WBRE have also done local versions of To Catch a Predator. Various spin-offs have aired in the same format, including To Catch a Con Man, To Catch an ID Thief, To Catch a Car Thief and To Catch an i-Jacker, which featured iPod thieves. To Catch a Predator is also aired on FX and Crime & Investigation Network in the United Kingdom, the Crime & Investigation Network in Australia and New Zealand and FOX Crime in Portugal.

Lockup explore prison facilities throughout the United States, profiling notable inmates, incidents, and prison operations.

Ari Melber delivers the biggest political and news stories of the day, with interviews and original reporting from around the nation. An Emmy-winning journalist, attorney and former Senate staffer, Melber cuts through the spin and the noise to tell you what's really happening. Real news, every night.

Countdown with Keith Olbermann was an hour-long weeknight news and political commentary program hosted by Keith Olbermann that aired on MSNBC from 2003-2011 and Current TV from 2011-2012. The show presented five selected news stories of the day, with commentary by Olbermann and interviews of guests. At the start of Countdown, Olbermann told television columnist Lisa de Moraes: "Our charge for the immediate future is to stay out of the way of the news.... News is the news. We will not be screwing around with it.... As times improve and the war [in Iraq] ends we will begin to introduce more and more elements familiar to my style." The show was known for Olbermann's fast-paced rhetoric, historical and pop culture references, and liberal commentary. Olbermann melded news stories, both serious and light, with commentary, much of it critical of Republicans and conservative politics. The show has been the source of controversy due to these criticisms, as well as the host's ongoing commentary against Fox News and his feud with its leading primetime personality, Bill O'Reilly. During the January 21, 2011, edition of Countdown, Olbermann announced that it would be his last appearance on the show, but gave no explanation why. The New York Times reported the following day that Olbermann had negotiated his exit from MSNBC, with a secret deal. After being hired by Current TV, Olbermann announced on April 26, 2011, that his nightly news program on the new network would begin June 20, 2011, and would also be called Countdown with Keith Olbermann. On March 30, 2012, Current TV terminated its relationship with Olbermann and replaced his show with a program hosted by Eliot Spitzer.

The Rachel Maddow Show is a daily news and opinion television program that airs on MSNBC, running in the 9:00 pm ET timeslot. It is hosted by Rachel Maddow, who gained popularity with her frequent appearances as a liberal pundit on various MSNBC programs. It is based on her former radio show of the same name. The show debuted on September 8, 2008.

Chris Hayes delivers the biggest news and political stories of the day with a commitment to in-depth reporting that consistently seeks to hold the nation's leaders accountable for their actions. Drawing from his background as a reporter, Hayes at times reports directly from the scene of a news event as it occurs to provide a firsthand account, digging deep and speaking with people who represent different points of view. Hayes brings the nation's officials, legislators, policymakers, and local activists to the table to address key issues affecting communities across America.

National Geographic's Explorer gives viewers special access to the issues of the day.

Hardball with Chris Matthews is an American television talk show on MSNBC, broadcast weekdays at 7 PM ET hosted by Chris Matthews. It originally aired on now-defunct America's Talking and later CNBC. The current title was derived from a book Matthews wrote in 1988, Hardball: How Politics Is Played Told by One Who Knows the Game. Hardball is a talking-head style cable news show where the moderator advances opinions on a wide range of topics, focusing primarily on current political issues. These issues are discussed with a panel of guests that usually consists of political analysts and sometimes include politicians. It also runs in a "Best of" format Saturday mornings at 5 AM.

Hosted by Nicolle Wallace, this program provides in-depth reporting and dynamic discussions on the political stories driving the news cycle. Nicolle Wallace brings viewers the latest political developments of the day, in addition to interviews with leading newsmakers and influential politicians. Drawing on her years of experience as communications chief for President George W. Bush and senior advisor for the McCain-Palin campaign, Wallace provides political insight and clarity on where key decision-makers stand on complex issues.

The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell is an hour-long weeknight news and political commentary program on MSNBC. The program airs live at 10:00 P.M. Eastern Time Monday-Friday, and is hosted by Lawrence O'Donnell. O'Donnell is described by MSNBC as "providing the last word on the biggest issues and most compelling stories of the day." The show originally premiered in the 10pm slot Monday-Thursday on September 27, 2010, with the first episode featuring Vice President Joe Biden and Countdown host Keith Olbermann. The show was moved to the 8pm slot in January 2011 when Olbermann's show was canceled. Last Word returned to its original 10pm slot in October 2011. Guest hosts for the series include Ezra Klein and Steve Kornacki.

Jen Psaki breaks down the biggest issues of the week, featuring one-on-one interviews with newsmakers.

Joy Reid conducts one-on-one conversations with politicians and newsmakers while addressing provocative political issues both inside and outside of the beltway. Reid, who is also a best-selling author and public speaker, joined MSNBC in 2011 as a contributor. Drawing from her decades-long experience in politics, passion for addressing the intersection of race, justice and culture, as well as her signature tenacious interviewing style, Reid kicks off MSNBC’s primetime lineup by delving into American politics as they unfold.

Alex Wagner brings years of reporting experience and insight to covering the news of the day, politics and the cultural trends shaping the United States and American lives, giving viewers a better understanding of the rapidly changing world.

On Assignment with Richard Engel follows the NBC News correspondent as he reports on stories around the world. He draws from his twenty years of experience of original reporting from the field to host this series which features in-depth reporting and interviews with key figures around the world.

Examining the high stakes surrounding key issues affecting communities across America, cutting through the political noise with compelling, in-depth and unique viewpoints.

Sheds light on the criminal justice system by following a journalist and a man convicted of murder and the connection they formed within the walls of Sing Sing Correctional Facility.

The Weekend with Alicia Menendez, Symone Sanders-Townsend, and Michael Steele. Follow The latest breaking news, reporting and live coverage of the day's important stories; these dynamic hours offer discussions with newsmakers, journalists and politicians.