Sigourney Weaver claims that her role in Political Animals is her best role ever. Whilst the jury is still out on that particular issue (and we reckon Ridley Scott may have a thing or two to say on the matter), the reviews have started to come in for the new political TV drama and so far, opinion seems to have swung in the favor of the show. Attention is drawn, somewhat inevitably, to the similarities between Weaver's character Elaine Barrish Hammond and the real-life story of Hilary Clinton but the critics seem to have been able to see past those similarities and appreciate the quality of the script and the performances of the actors.
New York Daily News have given the show an encouraging 4 out of 5 stars, concluding that although "it's neither a typical Usa series nor a typical summer series, breezy as a warm day on the beach," it does however "(plunge) into the complex relationship between politicians and the media, the corrupting dynamics of the political process, the thin lines between private benefit and public good and the impact of public life on those who are drawn into it against their will." They commend the scriptwriters, too, for portraying the politicians not as superheroes but as everyday folk faced with tackling complex situations.
The Huffington Post review describes Sigourney Weaver's performance in the series as "terrific" and explains that, watching the show, the biggest pleasure is taking in Weaver's portrayal of Hammond's quest for political recognition, as well as Carla Gugino, who plays her nemesis, Susan Berg. They surmise that "the first two hours of "Political Animals" make a decent run at reclaiming the word "bitch" and turning it into a compliment." High praise, then, for Weaver's foray into television.