7.0/1034 votes#1 - January 17, 2014
Season 12 Episode 1 - Aired 1/17/2014
Interviewee: Glenn Greenwald Panelists: Steve Schmidt, Jennifer Granholm, James Carville Panel Guest: (a very stoned) Mary Matalin Topics: Obama's speech on NSA reform, Chris Christie's Fort Lee lane closure scandal, Benghazi, Independents' self-identification rising, 2014 Elk River chemical spill, marriage between a Democrat and a Republican, global warming affecting animals, Republicans' war against the poor, unemployment benefits, minimum wage, women in US politics.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.9/1031 votes
#2 - January 24, 2014
Season 12 Episode 2 - Aired 1/24/2014
Interviewee: Erin Brockovich Panelists: Josh Barro, Howard Dean, Carly Fiorina Panel Guest: Willie Nelson Topics: 2014 Elk River chemical spill and coal mining, Republicans and women issues, Obamacare, Richard Sherman's outburst after game against the San Francisco 49ers, Obama's inconsistent policies about marijuana, poverty and income inequality, 2014 Winter Olympics and Vladimir Putin's comments on LGBT people.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.7/1029 votes
#3 - January 31, 2014
Season 12 Episode 3 - Aired 1/31/2014
Interviewee: John Ridley ("12 Years a Slave" screenwriter) Panelists: Chrystia Freeland (Canadian Member of Parliament), Ronan Farrow (MSNBC host), Darrell Issa (R-CA) Panel Guest: Stephen Merchant (writer/actor "Hello Ladies") Topics: Solomon Northup and slavery, 2014 State of the Union Address, minimum wage in the United States, income inequality, demographics of the top 1%, Gerrymandering, differences between UK and US politics, stand-your-ground laws and African Americans, gun politics, Michael Grimm threatening a reporter, Flip a District, puritanism.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.3/1031 votes
#4 - February 7, 2014
Season 12 Episode 4 - Aired 2/7/2014
Interviewee: Charlie Crist Panelists: Tom Colicchio, Alicia Menendez, S. E. Cupp Panel Guest: P. J. O'Rourke Topics: Independents in US politics, Cuban embargo, immigration reform, executive orders, Congressional Budget Office's report on Obamacare's effect on jobs, lowest abortion rates in 30 years, Russia and communism, heroin and prescription drugs, United States Department of State's report on the Keystone Pipeline, federal spending for children vs. for senior citizens.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.5/1031 votes
#5 - February 14, 2014
Season 12 Episode 5 - Aired 2/14/2014
Interviewee: Jeremy Scahill ("Dirty Wars" Docu-maker) Panelists: Andrew Sullivan ("Daily Dish" blogger), Mayim Bialik ("Big Bang Theory" star and vegan author), Eric Klinenberg ("Going Solo" author) Panel Guest: Bill Nye Topics: Creationism vs. science, Comcast–Time Warner Cable merger, net neutrality, drop in infrastructure spending, targeted killings of US citizens who plot against other Americans, veganism, attachment parenting, World Health Organization's warning about cancer, Philip Seymour Hoffman's published diaries, Edward Snowden praising Russia.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.1/1030 votes
#6 - February 21, 2014
Season 12 Episode 6 - Aired 2/21/2014
Interviewee: Michelle Alexander Panelists: Charles Cooke, Jane Harman, Rachel Maddow Panel Guest: Steve Coogan Topics: The New Jim Crow, incarceration in the US, human rights in North Korea, MSNBC's overcoverage of the Chris Christie scandal, BYU's anti-masturbation campaign, Philomena, forced adoptions in the Catholic Church, Pat McCrory blocking lawsuits against Duke Energy, drought in California and regulations, John Kerry's statement about climate change.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.5/1026 votes
#7 - February 28, 2014
Season 12 Episode 7 - Aired 2/28/2014
Interviewee: Christopher Leonard (author "The Meat Racket") Panelists: Austan Goolsbee, Margaret Hoover, William Kristol Panel Guest: Bruce Dern Topics: The Meat industry's secretiveness, Obama's failed efforts to reform corporate agribusiness, azodicarbonamide in Subway bread, Tea Party movement and bailouts, military budget of the United States, intervention vs. diplomacy, poverty in the Midwest, WhatsApp acquired by Facebook, homophobia in the bible, victim playing by the 1 percent.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.8/1031 votes
#8 - March 14, 2014
Season 12 Episode 8 - Aired 3/14/2014
Interviewee: Alan Weisman (author of "Countdown") Panelists: Andrew Sullivan, Salman Rushdie, Amy Chua Panel Guest: Seth MacFarlane Topics: Environmentalism and overpopulation, family planning in Iran, 2014 Crimean crisis, Rand Paul winning the 2014 CPAC straw poll, paid time off in the United States and Europe, Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, Rush Limbaugh's comment on 12 Years a Slave winning the Academy Award for Best Picture, SAT changes for 2016, random religious rules.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.2/1030 votes
#9 - March 21, 2014
Season 12 Episode 9 - Aired 3/21/2014
Interviewee: Errol Morris (author of "The Unknown Known") Panelists: Keith Ellison, Sheila Bair, Simon Schama Panel Guest: Shane Smith (host of Vice) Topics: The Unknown Known, Donald Rumsfeld & the Iraq War, 2014 midterm elections, Democrats & gun politics, Flip a District candidates: Michael Grimm & Blake Farenthold, Greenland & climate change in the Arctic, CNN & quality of journalism in the 24-hour news cycle, 2014 Russian military intervention in Ukraine, relationship between Pakistan & bin Laden.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 5.9/1023 votes
#10 - March 28, 2014
Season 12 Episode 10 - Aired 3/28/2014
Interviewee: Jimmy Carter (former U.S. President) Panelists: W. Kamau Bell, Neera Tanden, Rick Lazio Panel Guest: Josh Gad Topics: A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power, treatment of women in various countries, militarized police force, GM's recall of vehicles & corporations' liability, Paul Ryan's statements about inner cities compared to Michelle Obama's, Erdoğan banning Twitter and YouTube, Frozen & gay conspiracy theory, Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby, marine pollution.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.5/1019 votes
#11 - April 4, 2014
Season 12 Episode 11 - Aired 4/4/2014
Interviewees: Paul Watson (Captain) Panelists: Alex Wagner (MSNBC host), Tom Davis (R-VA), and Carrie Sheffield (Forbes columnist) Panel Guest: Nas (Hip Hop icon) Topics: Marine pollution, Obamacare reaching its target number of enrollees, Flip a District candidates: Kerry Bentivolio & Scott Garrett, gerrymandering, McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission & unlimited campaign contributions, 2014 Fort Hood shooting & PTSD, United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence's report on torture.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.5/1019 votes
#12 - April 11, 2014
Season 12 Episode 12 - Aired 4/11/2014
Interviewees: Maria Alyokhina & Nadezhda Tolokonnikova (members of Pussy Riot) Panelists: Rob Lowe, Duncan D. Hunter, Ana Marie Cox Panel Guest: Matt Taibbi Topics:
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.1/1027 votes
#13 - April 25, 2014
Season 12 Episode 13 - Aired 4/25/2014
Interviewee: Tom Steyer (Hedge Fund Manager & Philanthropist) Panelists: John Avlon ("Daily Beast" Editor), Charles Murray ("Curmudgeon" author), and Christine Quinn (Ex-NYC Councilwoman) Panel Guest: Annabelle Gurwitch (Comedian) Topics:
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.8/1026 votes
#14 - May 2, 2014
Season 12 Episode 14 - Aired 5/2/2014
Musician Ziggy Marley, Ex-NBA Player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA), "Blood Will Out" Author Walter Kirn, and Financial Consultant Monica Mehta.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.8/1029 votes
#15 - May 9, 2014
Season 12 Episode 15 - Aired 5/9/2014
Interviewee: Sister Simone Campbell ("Nun on a Bus") Panelists: Matt Welch ("Reason" magazine Editor-in-Chief), Baratunde Thurston (Author and Comic), Arianna Huffington ("Thrive" Scribe and HuffPost Founder) Panel Guest: Dinesh D'Souza (Conservative Film-maker) Topics:
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.6/1029 votes
#16 - May 16, 2014
Season 12 Episode 16 - Aired 5/16/2014
Comedian and Actor Kevin Nealon, Ex-Governor Brian Schweitzer (D-MN), from "Fed Up" Dr. Robert Lustig, GOP Pollster Kellyanne Conway and Author of "Every Nation for Itself" Ian Bremmer.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.8/1030 votes
#17 - May 23, 2014
Season 12 Episode 17 - Aired 5/23/2014
Jose Antonio Vargas, Anna Deavere Smith, Michael Smerconish, David Frum and Sarah Silverman.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.3/1032 votes
#18 - June 6, 2014
Season 12 Episode 18 - Aired 6/6/2014
John Waters, Anthony Weiner, Ralph E. Reed, Jr., Nicolle Wallace and Jim Geraghty
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.2/1033 votes
#19 - June 13, 2014
Season 12 Episode 19 - Aired 6/13/2014
EPA Head Gina McCarthy, MSNBC Co-Host Krystal Ball, Novelist Richard Clarke, Comedian Carol Leifer and Conservative Blogger Tom Rogan.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.1/1031 votes
#20 - June 20, 2014
Season 12 Episode 20 - Aired 6/20/2014
"No Place to Hide" Author Glenn Greenwald, Linkin Park's Michael Shinoda, Atlantic Journalist Ta-Nehisa Coates, I.A.V.A. Founder Paul Rieckhoff, and Conservative Pollster Kristen Soltis.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.0/1033 votes
#21 - June 27, 2014
Season 12 Episode 21 - Aired 6/27/2014
Bill's guests are: Martin Blaser, Max Brooks, Bobby Ghosh, Andy Litinsky, and Joy-Ann Reid.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.0/1033 votes
#22 - July 11, 2014
Season 12 Episode 22 - Aired 7/11/2014
Author Sandra Tsing-Loh, Pulitzer prize-winner Ron Suskind, Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD), and National Review's Reihan Salam.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.2/1035 votes#23 - July 18, 2014
Season 12 Episode 23 - Aired 7/18/2014
Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, president of North Carolina NAACP; actor George Takei; former Rep. Jane Harman (D- Calif.); statistician Nate Silver; editor Jamie Weinstein.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.3/1034 votes#24 - July 25, 2014
Season 12 Episode 24 - Aired 7/25/2014
"Cosmos" star Neil deGrasse Tyson, Democracy Now's Amy Goodman, Freedomworks' Matt Kibbe, GOP Strategist Hogan Gidley.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.3/1033 votes#25 - August 1, 2014
Season 12 Episode 25 - Aired 8/1/2014
Political activist Ralph Nader; author Douglas Brinkley; deputy chief of staff to the House Majority Leader, Doug Heye; Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.).
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of Real Time with Bill Maher Season 12
Every episode of Real Time with Bill Maher Season 12 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Real Time with Bill Maher Season 12!
Each week Bill Maher surrounds himself with a panel of guests which include politicians, actors, comedians, musicians and the like to discuss what's going on...
Genres:ComedyTalk
Network:HBO
Season 12 Ratings Summary
"January 17, 2014" is the best rated episode of "Real Time with Bill Maher" season 12. It scored 7/10 based on 34 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 1/17/2014. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "January 24, 2014".