New documentary takes a very intimate look at Barack Obama’s final year as President

This really is like a real-life version of The West Wing.

While he was far from a perfect President, it is all too easy to look back on Obama's years in office with a gentle sentimentality. Earlier this week, current White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders took to Twitter to make a comparison of her life to everyone's favourite political show: https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/933039246818119682 Sanders was referencing an episode of The West Wing in which White House press secretary C.J. Cregg was forced to contend with turkeys in her office. This comparison did not sit well with the stars of the show, however: https://twitter.com/WhitfordBradley/status/933166631538237440 https://twitter.com/AllisonBJanney/status/933395508458115077 Not even fictional characters want to be compared to the current administration. Which is why now is as good a time as any to look back on Obama's time in office, which is exactly what HBO are doing with their new documentary The Final Year. With the ticking-clock element of a proper political thriller, the real-life members of office - including John Kerry, Samantha Power, Ben Rhodes, Susan Rice and Barack Obama himself - give unprecedented (Unpresidented?) access to their day-to-day dealings, attempting to get America as good as it can be before handing over the keys to the country to Donald Trump. We also get to see a more human side to the Presidential office, as they tackle everything from Syria to "a fallen pacifier, that could be a potential threat to the President", in a far more human and emotional way than you'd be used to seeing from a robotic press conference.

The Final Year will be released in cinemas across the UK & Ireland on 19^th January by Dogwoof

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqizZH_Gv1Q