SERIES PREMIERE: Ryan Murphy was lured to Netflix with a very lucrative contract, and this new series is the initial result of that new arrangement. Ben Platt from Broadway’s Dear Evan Hansen stars as an ambitious high-schooler who runs for class president, and is faced with all manner of obstacles and opponents while pursuing his goal. Co-stars include some familiar faces from some of Murphy’s previous series – Gwyneth Paltrow from Glee, Dylan McDermott from American Horror Story – as well as strong performances from some younger players, especially Zoey Deutch and Lucy Boynton. The season is stolen, though, by Jessica Lange, who once again dives headfirst into what Murphy gives her, and is so much fun to watch. The series itself, less so: It’s quite uneven, in tone and with its content. But if you want to hear Platt sing, The Politician finds several opportunities to accommodate that – including in the premiere episode. For my full review on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross, listen today, or visit the Fresh Air website, and for a full review here at TVWW, see David Hinckley's All Along the Watchtower.

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