Barack Obama’s TV Watchlist Proves He Has Excellent Taste

Barack Obama is known for having pretty impeccable taste in pop culture. The former POTUS often releases lists of music he’s been listening to, the books he’s reading, and the TV shows and movies he loves. 

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Obama discussed the shows he watched as he wrote his new memoir, A Promised Land. Yes, even ex-presidents need to take breaks when they’re writing. So what did watch during those moments? 

“Better Call Saul, because of its great characters and examination of the dark side of the American dream. The Good Place—it’s a wise and sweet combination of goofy comedy and big philosophical questions,” Obama said. “And Watchmen and The Boys, for how they turn superhero conventions on their heads to lay bare issues of race, capitalism, and the distorting effects of corporate power and mass media. Oh, and the NBA playoffs—because it’s hoops!”

The reactions from the stars and creators of these shows are incredible. “Ummm. You guys? HOLY. SHIT. Thanks for watching, @BarackObama,” Eric Kripke, the showrunner for Hulu’s The Boys tweeted. “If you ever wanna hang out, hit me up in my DM’s. (But seriously, this is amazing, THANKS for the shout out).”

The Good Place’s D’Arcy Carden wrote, “The first time I heard @BarackObama liked @nbcthegoodplace I fell to the floor. For real.”

But what about the music? “I actually can’t listen to music when I’m writing. I start humming along and lose my train of thought,” Barack Obama said. And as for the first thing he did after finishing the book, well, of course that involved Michelle. 

“[I] went on a long bike ride with Michelle. She’d been so patient and supportive, and it was great to spend time with her without a book hanging over our heads,” he said.

A Promised Land is available now.