The Best Episodes Written By Tim Carvell

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
   

   9.3/10(7 votes)

   #1 - Government Surveillance

   S2:E84/5/2015

   There are very few government checks on what America’s sweeping surveillance programs are capable of doing. John Oliver sits down with Edward Snowden to discuss the NSA, the balance between privacy and security, and dick-pics.

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   Writer:Tim Carvell

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2. 

   8.9/10(7 votes)

   #2 - FIFA II

   S2:E155/31/2015

   After the arrests of numerous top officials, John Oliver decided to give an update on the state of FIFA. Also, Thailand's ignorance about the world's history involving Hitler might require some re-education.

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   Writer:Tim Carvell

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3. 

   8.8/10(6 votes)

   #3 - Torture

   S2:E176/14/2015

   The US Senate Torture Report revealed horrifying details of America's interrogation program. Helen Mirren will fill you in. Plus, information about the 2015 European Games and the Canadian Senate expenses scandal.

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   Writer:Tim Carvell

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4. 

   8.7/10(6 votes)

   #4 - Transgender Rights

   S2:E196/28/2015

   This week’s gay rights victory was historic, but the transgender community still faces staggering challenges. John Oliver focuses on the “T” in “LGBT."

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   Writer:Tim Carvell

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5. 

   8.7/10(6 votes)

   #5 - The Internet

   S2:E186/21/2015

   Online harassment is a major problem, but it’s rarely prosecuted. If only we’d been warned about this in the early days of the internet.

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6. 

   8.5/10(6 votes)

   #6 - Bail

   S2:E166/7/2015

   John Oliver explains why America’s bail system is better for the reality TV industry than it is for the justice system.

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   Writer:Tim Carvell

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7. 

   8.5/10(6 votes)

   #7 - Paid Family Leave

   S2:E135/10/2015

   Many American companies do not offer paid leave after the birth of a child, which means they probably shouldn’t run sappy Mother’s Day ads. Also, the Japanese have some unhealthy obsession with mascots and John proposes to adopt some of that culture in the U.S. government agencies as well.

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8. 

   8.5/10(6 votes)

   #8 - Patents

   S2:E104/19/2015

   For inventors, patents are an essential protection against theft. But when patent trolls abuse the system by stockpiling patents and threatening lawsuits, businesses are forced to shell out tons of money. Also, CNN produced an actual doomsday video to broadcast when the world is ending and it’s incredibly dull. We've enlisted Martin Sheen to help make humanity’s final moments happier!

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9. 

   8.5/10(2 votes)

   #9 - U.S. Territories

   S2:E53/8/2015

   A set of Supreme Court decisions made over 100 years ago has left U.S. territories without meaningful representation. That’s weird, right? Plus, daylight saving time doesn’t actually benefit anyone. Strangely, it’s still a thing!

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10. 

    8.4/10(7 votes)

    #10 - Food Waste

    S2:E217/19/2015

    Producers, sellers, and consumers waste tons of food. John Oliver discusses the shocking amount of food we don’t eat.

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    Writer:Tim Carvell

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11. 

    8.4/10(10 votes)

    #11 - The Right to Be Forgotten

    S1:E45/18/2014

    John talks about the product recall going on at General Motors, the EU Court of Justice "Right to be Forgotten" ruling and updates us on how the Indian election is going with help from Fareed Zakaria.

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12. 

    8.3/10(6 votes)

    #12 - Stadiums

    S2:E207/12/2015

    Cities spend massive amounts of public money on privately-owned stadiums. Cities issue tax-exempt municipal bonds that — wait, don’t fall asleep!

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    Writer:Tim Carvell

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13. 

    8.3/10(6 votes)

    #13 - Standardized Testing

    S2:E125/3/2015

    American students face a ridiculous amount of testing. John Oliver explains how standardized tests impact school funding, the achievement gap and how often the kids are expected to throw up while taking one.

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14. 

    8.3/10(6 votes)

    #14 - Fashion

    S2:E114/26/2015

    John explores the concept of changing and cheap fashion and some of the ugliest truths of the manufacturing process.

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15. 

    8.2/10(8 votes)

    #15 - Dr. Oz

    S1:E86/22/2014

    John talks about Iraq, Antarctica tourism and Dr. Oz's "Miracle Drug".

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16. 

    8.2/10(8 votes)

    #16 - Nuclear Weapons and the United States

    S1:E127/27/2014

    John talks about human rights violations in the Middle East, nuclear disarmament and Russia's science satellite that lost communication.

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17. 

    8.2/10(8 votes)

    #17 - Scottish Independence Referendum

    S1:E179/14/2014

    John talks about the NFL's decision on Ray Rice's contract, the international response to ISIS, Scotland's separation from the United Kingdom and Twitter hashtags that are being misused by corporations.

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18. 

    8.2/10(15 votes)

    #18 - Scientific Studies

    S3:E115/8/2016

    John Oliver on Sticking to the Facts: Media outlets often report new findings from scientific studies, but how many are true?

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    Writer:Tim Carvell

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19. 

    8.2/10(8 votes)

    #19 - November 5, 2023: Abortion Rights

    S10:E1611/5/2023

    John Oliver discusses the ongoing fallout from the overturning of Roe v. Wade as the November elections approach.

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    Writer:Tim Carvell

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20. 

    8.1/10(7 votes)

    #20 - Mandatory Minimum Sentencing Laws

    S2:E227/26/2015

    Mandatory minimums require fixed prison sentences for certain crimes. John Oliver explains why we treat some turkeys better than most low-level offenders.

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21. 

    8.1/10(7 votes)

    #21 - Municipal Violations

    S2:E73/22/2015

    If you have money, committing a municipal violation may pose you a minor inconvenience. If you don’t, it can ruin your life. Also, the New Hampshire legislature refused to make the red-tailed hawk the official raptor of their state... so Last Week Tonight made it the official raptor of the show.

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22. 

    8.1/10(7 votes)

    #22 - Daily Fantasy Sports

    S2:E3411/15/2015

    John talks about the recent Paris attacks, China's Singles Day, the Koh-i-Noor diamond and Daily Fantasy Sports.

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    Writer:Tim Carvell

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23. 

    8.1/10(7 votes)

    #23 - Elected Judges

    S2:E32/22/2015

    The vast majority of US judges are elected, forcing many judges to pander to the electorate and accept campaign money in order to keep their jobs. This seems slightly troubling... The UK's Labour Party has painted a campaign van pink in an attempt to attract women voters. We are glad they didn't keep going with that strategy.

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24. 

    8.1/10(7 votes)

    #24 - Refugees & Pennies

    S2:E3511/22/2015

    John reflects on the aftermath of Paris attacks and how it affects refugees worldwide. Plus, he questions the usefulness of the U.S. penny, since minting the coins costs more than they're actually worth.

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25. 

    8.1/10(7 votes)

    #25 - Shooting of Michael Brown and Police Militarization

    S1:E158/17/2014

    Focuses on the shooting of Michael Brown and police militarization in Ferguson, MO. John also discusses the topic of equal pay for equal work.

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