Planet America

Love the show, however, we must continually must turn the sound level up and then turn the sound level back down several times during each show. This is because Chas tends to swallow some words or lean in or out of the boom microphone range or turn off camera making the volume of his voice vacillate widely. A similar scenario occurs with the clips of some people being interviewed. Their voices also vacillate widely and make it difficult to understand them. It would be nice if all sound bites had a similar sound level. Please edit accordingly so that we can continue to enjoy this delightful show.

ABC's Planet America continues to distinguish itself as a premier source for insightful and balanced coverage of U. S.politics from an Australian perspective. Hosted by Chas Licciardello and John Barron, the program consistently demonstrates a high standard of critical thinking-prioritising facts, context, and evidence over sensationalism or partisan spin. Tonight's episode (April 30, 2025) exemplified this commitment. The hosts delved into President Trump's first 100 days in office, scrutinising the administration's actions and the resulting shifts in public opinion, as reflected in recent polls. They also examined the escalating immigration crackdown, including the arrest of a judge, and discussed a disgraced Congressman's plea for a presidential pardon to avoid jail time. In line with their dedication to presenting diverse perspectives, Chas and John welcomed Republican strategist Ford O'Connell to the program. His insights provided a valuable counterpoint to the discussions, ensuring that viewers were exposed to a broad spectrum of viewpoints. In an era where political discourse is often polarised, Planet America stands out for its unwavering commitment to evidence-based analysis and inclusive dialogue. Chas and John's ability to dissect complex issues with clarity and a touch of humour makes the show both informative and engaging. For anyone seeking a deeper understanding of American politics, Planet America is essential viewing.

Great research goes into each and every episode, which covers federal, state, and local governing in America, as well as reporting on political-adjacent areas such as the Supreme Court, protests on all sides, and, of course, the horrid American media (Fox, CNN, MSNBC, etc). One of the few shows on TV that backs up their claims with current research, and to the other Trumpian hacks reviewing this I'd suggest that "facts don't care about your feelings". This show, while heavily anti-Trump, doesn't pull punches from the rest of the US political class, either. Definitely worth a watch!

A lot of people here are complaining that this is a 'leftist' TV show. I disagree. The ABC does have something of a centre-left bias, which makes a lot of their political panels and analysis pretty irritating to sit through. Planet America is an exception, and is very refreshing for that reason.

The show does make fun of Trump, that's true. And they also make fun of Biden, Harris, Pelosi, and the Democratic party. They make fun of all politicians - that's the point. It's part satire, part political analysis. Having a comical Trump impersonator narrate the president's tweets isn't left wing bias.

It's very strongly researched, and they delve deeply into the details while remaining funny and entertaining. I have not once heard the political, social, or moral opinions of the hosts injected into the show. They talk about how the politics works, how it is structured, rather than their own beliefs.

They interview people from all sides of the political spectrum. This is in contrast to most panels on the ABC, which generally consist of people on some part of the left all agreeing with each other and not addressing the opposing points.

Some of the interviewees can be a bit biased, bizarre or extreme in their statements or beliefs (on both sides). They should still be kept on the show: they are interviewed fairly, in an objective manner. They are there so that we can see who holds what views in US politics.

My only complaint are the short skits that have been appearing recently by Zoe Norton Lodge at the end. I get that she needs to promote her new show, but I really don't find them funny at all, and they're not exactly biting satire.

But overall a great show. Really hope they'll continue for a long time now that the election is over.

Although the premise of this program is well intentioned, the excitable presentation of Chas spoils it - swallowing words, turning away from the camera to give unintelligible asides to John, rushing through his words thus making it impossible to read the accompanying text on the screen, applying his personal feelings as if he's in a play on the stage instead of a steady, lower key chat - his diction is appalling and very difficult to understand. Shame because he no doubt has some good points of view and is obviously intelligent. By comparison, John is measured and provides the reason for watching the show.