The Best Episodes of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Season 8

Main story: How few guardrails there are on the use of police raids; plus, New York governor Andrew Cuomo faces multiple scandals.

Director: Paul Pennolino, Christopher Werner

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Ben Silva, Seena Vali

John Oliver explains why the integrity of local news is so important, how sponsored content could damage that integrity, and why the Venus Veil is so much more than a blanket. (It's not.)

Director: Paul Pennolino, Christopher Werner

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Ben Silva, Seena Vali

John Oliver discusses the end of America's war with Afghanistan and the humanitarian crisis being left behind.

Director: Paul Pennolino, Christopher Werner

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Ben Silva, Seena Vali

Main story: How plastics are harming the planet, and why recycling isn’t the solution you think it is; plus, the Atlanta mass shootings and hate crimes against Asian-Americans.

Director: Paul Pennolino, Christopher Werner

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Ben Silva, Seena Vali

John Oliver discusses PFAS - a class of chemicals linked to an array of health issues - and why their widespread use isn't as magical as it may seem.

Director: Paul Pennolino

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Seena Vali

John Oliver discusses the mechanics of union busting, why the companies who do it face so few consequences, and what it really means when your manager wants to talk to you about "your attendance."

Director: Paul Pennolino, Christopher Werner

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Seena Vali

John Oliver discusses the longtime leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, and the many reasons his country's citizens have not to like him.

Director: Paul Pennolino

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Seena Vali

John Oliver discusses how misinformation spreads among immigrant diaspora communities, how little some platforms have done to stop it, and, most importantly, how to have a very good morning.

Director: Paul Pennolino

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Seena Vali

John Oliver discusses Taiwan's history of being governed by other countries, its fraught present-day relationship with China, and what its citizens would want their future to look like.

Director: Paul Pennolino

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Seena Vali

Main story: Where Tucker Carlson came from and why he's admired by white nationalists; plus, reaction to the Biden COVID-19 relief bill.

Director: Paul Pennolino, Christopher Werner

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Ben Silva, Seena Vali

John Oliver explains why some people don't want to get the Covid-19 vaccine and how they might be reassured.

Director: Paul Pennolino, Christopher Werner

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Ben Silva, Seena Vali

John Oliver explains how emergency medical services function in the U.S., why they can be so expensive, and what we can do to fix things.

Director: Paul Pennolino, Christopher Werner

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Ben Silva, Seena Vali

With homelessness increasing nationwide, John Oliver takes a look at the way we discuss the unhoused, what policy failures are making the problem worse, and how we can help.

Director: Paul Pennolino

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Seena Vali

Main story: Working conditions in the meatpacking industry; plus, the Texas power crisis in the wake of severe winter weather.

Director: Paul Pennolino, Christopher Werner

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Ben Silva, Seena Vali

John Oliver breaks down the long history of housing discrimination in the U.S., the damage it's done, and, crucially, what we can do about it.

Director: Paul Pennolino, Christopher Werner

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Ben Silva, Seena Vali

John Oliver discusses ransomware attacks, why they’re on the rise, and what can be done about them.

Director: Paul Pennolino, Christopher Werner

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Ben Silva, Seena Vali

John Oliver discusses the current attacks on voting rights, who's behind them, and what we can do about it. Plus, John enters several paintings in the annual Duck Stamp contest.

Director: Paul Pennolino

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Seena Vali

John Oliver discusses the current state of the nation's power grid, why it needs fixing, and, of course, how fun the balloons are.

Director: Paul Pennolino

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Seena Vali

Main story: What could cause the next pandemic, what we can do to avoid it, and why you shouldn’t kiss pigs; plus, Impeachment Part 2.

Director: Paul Pennolino, Christopher Werner

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Ben Silva, Seena Vali

Main story: How national debt works and why it might be more helpful than you'd think; plus, Giuliani freaks over Lil Nas X; Amazon's anti-union tactics; Peeps and Pepsi form an unholy alliance.

Director: Paul Pennolino, Christopher Werner

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Ben Silva, Seena Vali

Health Care Sharing Ministries, or HCSMs, advertise themselves as a more affordable, faith-based alternative to health insurance. But John Oliver explains some of the massive limitations these plans can have.

Director: Paul Pennolino, Christopher Werner

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Ben Silva, Seena Vali

John Oliver explains how the Sackler family has been handling lawsuits related to the opioid crisis, how hard they've been fighting to defend their name, and why you should judge the situation for yourself.

Director: Paul Pennolino, Christopher Werner

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Ben Silva, Seena Vali

Main story: The many obstacles that impede access to unemployment benefits; plus, Fox News freaks out over Dr. Seuss.

Director: Paul Pennolino, Christopher Werner

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Ben Silva, Seena Vali

Main story: Why nursing homes and assisted living facilities need fixing; plus, the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program; Matt Gaetz and Venmo; R.I.P. Yahoo! Answers.

Director: Paul Pennolino, Christopher Werner

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Ben Silva, Seena Vali

John Oliver explains how the failure to air-condition prisons can cause both physical and mental health issues for incarcerated people, and why the solution is simpler than you might think. Plus, some truly unique local car dealership ads.

Director: Paul Pennolino, Christopher Werner

Writer: John Oliver, Johnathan Appel, Ali Barthwell, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Mark Kramer, Daniel O'Brien, Owen Parsons, Charlie Redd, Joanna Rothkopf, Chrissy Shackelford, Ben Silva, Seena Vali