Alpha House Information

Alpha House is an American political satire television series produced by Amazon Studios. The show stars John Goodman, Clark Johnson, Matt Malloy and Mark Consuelos as four Republican U.S. Senators who share a house in Washington, D.C. It was created by Doonesbury creator Garry Trudeau. The show premiered on Amazon.com on April 19, 2013.

The series is inspired by several actual Democratic legislators who share a row house in D.C.: Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Representative George Miller (D-CA). The series has a number of cameos from celebrities such as Bill Murray (as Senator Vernon Smits) and politicians such as Schumer as himself. Amazon Studios offered the first three episodes of Alpha House for free, with each subsequent episode released weekly thereafter for Amazon Prime members on Amazon Video.

On February 11, 2014, the series was renewed for a second season. Production for the second season began filming in July 2014, and the entire second season became available on Amazon.com on October 24, 2014.

Cast

Starring

• John Goodman as Gil John Biggs, a Republican U.S. Senator from North Carolina and former basketball coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels.
• Clark Johnson as Robert Bettencourt, a Republican U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania who is currently eighth in seniority.
• Matt Malloy as Louis Laffer, a Republican U.S. Senator from Nevada who owns the house where the four Senators live.
• Mark Consuelos as Andy Guzman, a Republican U.S. Senator from Florida.
• Yara Martinez as Adriana de Portago, Andy Guzman's girlfriend and Cuban-American heiress who runs a super PAC that assists Republican campaigns.
• Alicia Sable as Tammy Stackhouse, a legislative assistant to Senator Biggs.
• Julie White as Maddie Biggs, the demanding wife of Senator Biggs.

Recurring

• Bill Murray as Senator Vernon Smits (3 episodes, 2013-14)
• Haley Joel Osment as Shelby Mellman, a reporter from Reno, Nevada (12 episodes, 2013-14)
• Amy Sedaris as Louise Laffer, the wife of Senator Laffer (14 episodes, 2013-14)
• Wanda Sykes as Sen. Rosalyn DuPeche (D-IL), the senators' next-door neighbor and the Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee (14 episodes, 2013-14)
• Brooke Bloom as Julie Carrell, Senator Laffer's Chief of Staff (18 episodes, 2013-14)
• Kobi Libii as Aaron Stimson, a legislative aide to Senator Bettencourt (7 episodes, 2013-14)
• Ben Rameaka as James Whippy, Senator Laffer's social media aide (17 episodes, 2013-14)
• Bjorn Dupaty as Hakeem Agabi, body man to Senator Biggs and one of his former players (5 episodes, 2013)
• Willa Fitzgerald as Lola Laffer, Senator Laffer's daughter (12 episodes, 2013-14)
• Lila Newman as Charlotte "Cee" Biggs, Senator Gil John Biggs' daughter (6 episodes, 2014)
• Natalie Gold as Katherine Sims, Senator Guzman's chief of staff (15 episodes, 2013-14)
• Sofiya Akilova as Marta Stjepanovi-Majdandzic, the Senators' Croatian housekeeper and mistress of Senator Guzman (7 episodes, 2013-14)
• Tony Plana as Benito "Benny" Lpez, Adriana's aide (6 episodes, 2013-14)
• Richard Cox as Graydon Talbot, a spin doctor counseling Senator Guzman (9 episodes, 2013-14)
• Owen Campbell as Dilly DeSantis, loosely based on the young data scientists that worked on the Barack Obama presidential campaign in 2012 (3 episodes, 2013-14)
• Molly Kate Bernard as Angie Sullivan, a videographer working for the Republican Party Chair (4 episodes, 2013-14)
• Lee Tergesen as Col. Eugene Drake, a gay army commander who intrigues Louis (3 episodes, 2014)
• William Thomas Evans as Senator Lamar Farkus (R-DE) (9 episodes, 2013-14)
• Cynthia Nixon as Sen. Carly Armiston (D-NY), the chair of the Senate Ethics Committee (6 episodes, 2013)
• Kenneth Tigar as Sen. Paul Mower, (R-ID) (5 episodes, 2013-14)
• Marylouise Burke as Sen. Betty Mower (R-ID), widow of Sen. Paul Mower (4 episodes, 2013-14)
• Janel Moloney as Sen. Peg Stanchion (R-ND), Libertarian activist and member of the Tea Party (4 episodes, 2014)
• Bianca Amato as Sen. Alice Graves (R-ME) (2 episodes, 2014)
• Bob Balaban as Sen. Elliot Robeson (D-CA) (2 episodes, 2014)
• Lucy DeVito as Charity Robeson, daughter of Senator Robeson (4 episodes, 2014)
• Anita Petry as Camila Perez, a Spanish Professor visiting from Barcelona (3 episodes,2013)
• Chance Kelly as Bo Carthage, the CEO of a private military contractor (2 episodes, 2013)
• Matty Blake as Captain Brandon Carshaw, Ret. (2 episodes, 2013 )
• Wendy Makkena as Molly P. Andresun (2 episodes, 2014)
• Tracy Howe as Colonel Wozniak (2 episodes, 2013)
• Ted King as Al Hickok, a Tea Party activist running for Senator Laffer's seat during the primaries (2 epidodes, 2013)
• Penn Jillette as a fictionalized version of himself, running as the Democratic candidate for Laffer's Senate seat (5 episodes, 2014)
• Ed Rendell as a fictionalized version of himself, running as the Democratic candidate for Robert Bettencourt's Senate seat (2 episodes, 2014)
• Matthew Humphreys as Colonel Leland Grimmel, a war hero and former basketball player running as the Democratic candidate for Senator Biggs' Seat (4 episodes, 2014)
• Tod Susman and Lee Wilkof as the Watt Brothers, wealthy casino owners and business men from Nevada funding Louis Laffer and Gil John Biggs (4 episodes, 2013-14)
• Tamara Tunie as Eve Bettencourt, Robert Bettencourt's divorced wife (2 episodes, 2014)

Cameos

• Stephen Colbert
• Chris Matthews
• Joe Scarborough
• Mika Brzezinski
• Michael Steele
• Chuck Schumer
• Dick Morris
• Anthony Weiner
• Grover Norquist
• Tom Brokaw
• Chris Jansing
• Matt Lauer
• Jane Pauley
• Kelly Ripa
• Rachel Maddow
• Jon Ralston
• Elizabeth Warren
• John McCain
• David Axelrod
• Bradley Whitford

Episodes

Season 1 (2013-14)

| DirectedBy = Adam Bernstein |WrittenBy = Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = Re-election battles, looming indictments, parties, their Party... these senators need a drink. And a new housemate. | LineColor = 0F4D92 }}

| DirectedBy = Adam Bernstein |WrittenBy = Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = The senators adjust to their new roommate, and his girlfriend, as preparations for the Congressional Delegation to Afghanistan continue. Meanwhile, Louis' appearance on The Colbert Report takes a wrong turn, leaving him to search for an alternate way to win over voters. | LineColor = 0F4D92 }}

| DirectedBy = Adam Bernstein |WrittenBy = Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = As the re-election battles heat up the four senators travel to Afghanistan as part of a Congressional Delegation and encounter a surprise. | LineColor = 0F4D92 }}

| DirectedBy = Jake Schreier |WrittenBy = Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = After a surprise explosion in Afghanistan leaves Louis recovering from an injury, Adriana makes controversial private arrangements for the group to return home. | LineColor = 0F4D92 }}

| DirectedBy = Michael Mayer |WrittenBy = Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = Tempers heat up as Gil John's wife Maddie (Julie White) arrives to help him prepare for his upcoming debate with Digger Mancusi. Meanwhile, Louis continues to recover in the hospital and Senator Armiston (Cynthia Nixon) leads an ethics committee investigation against Robert. | LineColor = 0F4D92 }}

| DirectedBy = Bob Balaban |WrittenBy = Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = Louis continues to gain constituent support as Shelby (Haley Joel Osment) chronicles his recovery. Gil John faces Digger Mancusi in a town hall where he struggles to keep up with his polished and well-liked opponent, despite much help and coaching from Robert and Andy. | LineColor = 0F4D92 }}

| DirectedBy = Bob Balaban |WrittenBy = Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = Rosalyn (Wanda Sykes) organizes a prayer brunch to celebrate Louis' homecoming from the hospital, but the Senators and their fellow Democrats find it difficult to set aside their differences. Aaron and Tammy's relationship continues to grow and Lola has a surprise in store for James. | LineColor = 0F4D92 }}

| DirectedBy = Michael Mayer |WrittenBy = Peter Gwinn & Alison McDonald and Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = While on the campaign trail through North Carolina, Gil John blows off a meeting with the governor to visit Ruby Shoals where he becomes re-inspired about his campaign. Robert's pro-fracking visit to a constituent's home in Pennsylvania does not go as planned. | LineColor = 0F4D92 }}

| DirectedBy = Jann Turner |WrittenBy = Will Graham & Jared Gruszecki and Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = Robert proves to the ethics committee that he would never take a mohair suit while Andy prepares to deliver a rebuttal after the State of the Union. Louis is put in the spotlight on his first day back when James mistakenly tweets a photo intended for Lola from the wrong account. | LineColor = 0F4D92 }}

| DirectedBy = Andrew McCarthy |WrittenBy = Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = Louis decides to help showgirls organize, but the Watt brothers stand in his way. A video of Gil John hitting a soldier with a chair in Afghanistan goes viral so Maddie looks for a way to humanize him and Andy's Vanity Fair cover shoot takes an unexpected direction. | LineColor = 0F4D92 }}

| DirectedBy = Clark Johnson |WrittenBy = Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = When another senator dies unexpectedly, Gil John is asked to organize the funeral arrangements. Louis wins the Nevada primary, but Robert has to face off in a Pennsylvania debate to cool the competition. | LineColor = 0F4D92 }} }}

Season 2 (2014)

On February 11, 2014, the series was renewed for a second season. Production for the second season began filming in July 2014, and the entire season premiered on Amazon.com on October 24, 2014.

| DirectedBy = Michael Mayer |WrittenBy = Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = Gil John helps a former player become a war hero, and quickly regrets it. Robert hosts an engagement party for his latest matchmaking success, but isn't prepared for the surprise guest. | LineColor = AE0202 }}

| DirectedBy = Andrew McCarthy |WrittenBy = Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = Gil John pays a visit to the Watt brothers, Louis worries when an old college friend threatens to share stories, and Andy tries to talk his way out of "Gaffergate," only to learn he's got bigger image problems. | LineColor = AE0202 }}

| DirectedBy = Michael Mayer |WrittenBy = Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = Andy and Adriana start planning for a future worthy of a first family. Louis preps for the "Funniest Celebrity in Washington" contest, while his opponent, Penn Jillette, preps for their senate race. Back at the house, the Watt brothers find a new way to taunt Gil John. | LineColor = AE0202 }}

| DirectedBy = Andrew McCarthy |WrittenBy = Will Graham, Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = Cee Biggs brings her reality show cameras to her father's office - just in time for gunshots that trigger a lockdown on Capitol Hill. Rosalyn (Wanda Sykes) forces Robert to face the truth about his marriage, and Louis is forced to let go of a fantasy. | LineColor = AE0202 }}

| DirectedBy = Michael Mayer |WrittenBy = Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = Gil John tries to right things after the Watts brothers "Swift Boat" his former player. Julie shocks Louis and Louise (Amy Sedaris) by announcing she's pregnant from an anonymous donor, while Adriana confronts Marta the housekeeper about Andy. Louis tries to debate Penn Jillette, but he's no match for what the magician has up his sleeves. | LineColor = AE0202 }}

| DirectedBy = Andrew McCarthy |WrittenBy = Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = The senators head to a Republican retreat at a Virginia plantation, where they're haunted by the ghosts of slavery, Ronald Reagan and their exes. After a soul-cleansing bonfire with the housemates, Gil John awakes with a new fire in his belly. | LineColor = AE0202 }}

| DirectedBy = Jann Turner |WrittenBy = Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = Gil John finally breaks through to daughter Cee, then gets a lesson in civility from the women's caucus. Andy heads to Miami to try and win back Adriana, and gets some insights into his "condition" from a therapist. Meanwhile, Robert ignores his advisors and helps register black voters. | LineColor = AE0202 }}

| DirectedBy = Bob Balaban |WrittenBy = Will Graham, Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = After a break-in at the Alpha House, the NSA does a sweep, and gets suspicious - which lands Robert a new covert mission. Meanwhile, Gil John goes to bat for the women's caucus bill, earning him a whole new following. And Louis's aides inspire him to publicly "evolve" on gay marriage, much to their chagrin. | LineColor = AE0202 }}

| DirectedBy = Antoine Douaihy |WrittenBy = Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = Gil John gets attacked by Sarah Palin and embraced by the media. Pressured by the party chair, Louis nudges Julie to consider a big wedding. Robert is forced to kiss up to his ex-wife's new beau, but gets some help from Rosalyn (Wanda Sykes). | LineColor = AE0202 }}

| DirectedBy = Adam Bernstein |WrittenBy = Will Graham, Garry Trudeau | ShortSummary = As the election returns come in, Gil John meets with a presidential campaign advisor, while Robert wonders if he still has a job. Katherine and Julie discover their wedding has been turned into a major political event - after they arrive. | LineColor = AE0202 }} }}

Reception

Reaction to Alpha House has been generally positive. Metacritic gives season 1 an average rating of 68/100 based on reviews from 18 critics. Rotten Tomatoes gives the show a score of 72% based on reviews from 25 critics.

Broadcast

In Australia, where Amazon Video isn't available, the series airs on SoHo, premiering July 14, 2014, and returning for season two on February 26, 2015.

Production

Post production including ADR recording for the series was done at recording studio Cherry Beach Sound.

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Recipients	Result
2014	Satellite Awards	Television Series, Comedy or Musical	Amazon Studios
		Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical	John Goodman