Ep 1. Pilot

Alpha House is an American political comedy web television series, which was created by Garry Trudeau. The show premiered on Amazon Prime on April 19, 2013. This series follows four Republican Senators who live together in a townhouse on Capitol Hill, as they balance their political careers and personal lives. The show stars John Goodman, Clark Johnson, Matt Malloy, and Mark Consuelos.

The Pilot episode begins with Senator Gil John Biggs (John Goodman) jogging through a suburban neighborhood when he gets a call from his colleague and roommate, Louis Laffer (Matt Malloy), warning him that a reporter is outside their townhouse. When Gil returns home, he finds the other two roommates, Robert Bettencourt (Clark Johnson) and Andy Guzman (Mark Consuelos), and their staff discussing how to handle the reporter. It turns out that the journalist is there to investigate allegations that Gil misused campaign funds. Gil is initially defensive but eventually admits that he made an honest mistake and promises to pay back the money.

Meanwhile, Andy is having trouble recruiting African-Americans for his campaign. His staff suggests hiring Trent Lott, the former Republican Senate Majority Leader, to endorse him and help bring in black voters. Robert is also under scrutiny after he is caught on tape making a comment about "wetbacks" while campaigning for the Hispanic vote. He apologizes but still faces backlash from his fellow party members.

The four roommates attend a party thrown by Senator Biggs' ex-wife, Maddie. There, they run into their colleague, Senator Amy Breslin (Julie White), who is campaigning for re-election. She is seen as a rising star in the party, and her presence makes the other senators nervous. The group takes a photo together, but Gil later realizes that in the photo, he is standing next to Breslin, a position that might make him look like her running mate.

After the party, the roommates discuss their respective campaign strategies. Andy agrees to hire Trent Lott, but only if he promises not to make any controversial comments. Robert is considering dropping out of the race, but his staff convinces him to stay in and turn the controversy around by painting himself as a "truth-teller." Gil, on the other hand, is focusing on a "humble roots" campaign, emphasizing his working-class upbringing.

The episode ends with the roommates watching a TV news report. The reporter announces that Senator Biggs has paid back the campaign funds and will not face charges. However, the report also reveals that Senator Breslin has received an endorsement from the White House. The roommates realize that they are in for a tough election cycle, with both Breslin and the President supporting her.

Overall, the Pilot episode of Alpha House sets up the premise of the show and introduces the characters and their challenges. The show does a great job of balancing political satire with character-driven comedy, and the cast, led by John Goodman, is excellent. With strong writing and performances, Alpha House sets itself up to be an excellent addition to the political comedy genre.