The Best Episodes of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Season 12

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7.9/10(303 votes)
#1 - February 16, 2025: Trump 2.0
S12:E12/16/2025
John Oliver discusses the first four weeks of Donald Trump's second term as president, the strategy behind some of the choices his administration has made, and why it is indeed f**k time. You heard us: It's f**k time.
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7.6/10(274 votes)
#2 - February 23, 2025: Facebook
S12:E22/23/2025
John Oliver discusses Facebook's controversial new plans for content moderation and DOGE's continued firing of government workers, including some of America's best dorks: park rangers.
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7.7/10(263 votes)
#3 - March 2, 2025: Tipping
S12:E33/2/2025
John Oliver discusses the right-wing personalities who are now in charge of the FBI, the White House's disastrous meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and why tipping is more complicated and fraught than you might realize.
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7.6/10(249 votes)
#4 - March 9, 2025: ICE Detention Facilities
S12:E43/9/2025
John Oliver discusses Donald Trump's address to Congress, why Republicans have been having a rough time at town halls, the reality of ICE detention facilities, and one very special establishment in Maine.
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7.5/10(250 votes)
#5 - March 16, 2025: Sports Betting
S12:E53/16/2025
John Oliver discusses the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, the continued firing of federal workers, the world of sports betting, and what John likes to read in his spare time. You'll see.
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7.6/10(244 votes)
#6 - March 30, 2025: Tasers
S12:E63/30/2025
John Oliver discusses whether Tasers are as safe and effective as the company that makes them claims, the broader effect Tasers have had on policing, and why you shouldn't test Tasers out on any of your family members.
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The 20 BEST Episodes of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

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7.0/10(345 votes)
#7 - April 6, 2025: Trans Athletes
S12:E74/6/2025
John Oliver discusses Donald Trump's sweeping new set of tariffs and why trans athletes seem to be at the center of U.S. politics.
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7.6/10(255 votes)
#8 - April 13, 2025: Trump & Tariffs
S12:E84/13/2025
John Oliver discusses the ongoing chaos surrounding Donald Trump and tariffs, and why it's important to understand exactly how stupid the past week has been. Plus: Some stuff about fish having sex, why a doorbell is involved, and one very special guest.
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7.9/10(236 votes)
#9 - April 27, 2025: Health Agency Cuts
S12:E94/27/2025
John Oliver discusses the budget and staffing cuts being made to public health agencies in the U.S. under RFK Jr.'s leadership, the many ways those cuts will impact all of us, and some sad news about a beloved cereal mascot.
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8.0/10(238 votes)
#10 - May 4, 2025: Deportations
S12:E105/4/2025
John Oliver discusses the recent deportations by the Trump administration.
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7.5/10(233 votes)
#11 - May 11, 2025: Alliance Defending Freedom
S12:E115/11/2025
John Oliver takes a look at the Alliance Defending Freedom – the legal organization behind several landmark Supreme Court cases, including the Dobbs case that overturned Roe v. Wade. Plus, a five-star book review of a one-star book.
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7.9/10(233 votes)
#12 - May 18, 2025: Trump in the Press
S12:E125/18/2025
John Oliver discusses how Donald Trump is becoming an increasing threat to the press, reveals which Minor League Baseball team we've chosen for a rebrand, and explores what it means to "serve kant"!
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7.6/10(236 votes)
#13 - June 1, 2025: Air Traffic Controllers
S12:E136/1/2025
John Oliver discusses the working conditions of air traffic controllers, why those conditions are impacting us all, and – for those under 30 – what a "floppy disk" is.
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7.2/10(222 votes)
#14 - June 8, 2025: Med Spas
S12:E146/8/2025
John Oliver discusses the feud between Donald Trump and Elon Musk, Mike Lindell's trial, the lack of regulation at med spas, and a fun new way to spell "scumbag."
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7.7/10(215 votes)
#15 - June 15, 2025: Child Incarceration
S12:E156/15/2025
John Oliver discusses the past week's protests against ICE's escalating deportation strategies, how the U.S. is incarcerating kids at a rate that may exceed other nations, and what it looks like to be teargassed in a chill way.
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7.7/10(227 votes)
#16 - June 22, 2025: AI Content
S12:E166/22/2025
John Oliver discusses the U.S.'s involvement in the war between Israel and Iran, the recent influx of AI-generated online content, and the unexpected downsides of hiking near the Hollywood sign.
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7.4/10(226 votes)
#17 - June 29, 2025: Trump's Big Beautiful Bill
S12:E176/29/2025
John Oliver discusses the race for mayor in New York City and what could happen if Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" is passed, and unveils the new mascot for Erie, Pennsylvania's Minor League Baseball team. A mascot to eclipse all other mascots.
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7.5/10(220 votes)
#18 - July 27, 2025: Gang Databases
S12:E187/27/2025
John Oliver discusses why Donald Trump spent the past week deflecting from developments concerning Jeffrey Epstein, the massive problems caused by gang databases, and what happened at Erie's inaugural Moon Mammoths game.
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7.4/10(214 votes)
#19 - August 3, 2025: Deferred Prosecution Agreements
S12:E198/3/2025
John Oliver discusses how Israel is starving civilians in Gaza by blocking vital aid, how deferred prosecution agreements are helping corporations sweep serious crimes under the rug, and the least horny message you could possibly get on Hinge.
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7.5/10(213 votes)
#20 - August 10, 2025: Deportation Promise
S12:E208/10/2025
John Oliver discusses the Trump administration's promise to deport one million immigrants, what the follow through on that promise looks like in practice, and what the actual rules are about the masked police arresting civilians across the country.
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7.3/10(205 votes)
#21 - August 17, 2025: Make America Healthy Again
S12:E218/17/2025
John Oliver discusses why Donald Trump seized control of the police in Washington, D.C., where the "Make America Healthy Again" movement in the U.S. could be headed, and whether or not you can buy testicles on Amazon. Three issues of equal importance.
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7.4/10(194 votes)
#22 - September 7, 2025: Higher Education
S12:E229/7/2025
John Oliver discusses Florida's move to end vaccine mandates, Trump's war on higher education, and why universities should start acting more like tough little shrimp. Ya, you heard us: tough little shrimp.
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8.1/10(243 votes)
#23 - September 21, 2025: Jimmy Kimmel Suspension
S12:E239/21/2025
John Oliver discusses ABC's move to pull Jimmy Kimmel off the air, what it has to do with Brendan Carr and the FCC, and what it means for free speech in the United States, plus some pertinent information about one very depressed loaf of bread.
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7.8/10(219 votes)
#24 - September 28, 2025: Benjamin Netanyahu
S12:E249/28/2025
John Oliver discusses Benjamin Netanyahu's grip on power in Israel, why he's allied with some of the most extreme voices in his country today, and finally, a summary of one iconic meltdown we think TikTok is gonna wanna revisit.
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7.3/10(186 votes)
#25 - October 5, 2025: Presidential Libraries
S12:E2510/5/2025
John Oliver discusses what presidential libraries are exactly, how presidents use them to fundraise in office, how Donald Trump might make existing problems even worse and – of course – some stuff about one president's unique inseam.
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