Political Drama "Whitehall" is Top Show of the Year in 1923, Second Year in a Row

Once again the gritty political drama focused on the backroom deals of Davintharian politics has captured the imaginations of viewers around the world, as the show "Whitehall" garnered nearly 15.2 million viewers per episode.

The show centers around the dealings of fictional politician Kaegan Rosby, a young single father of a divorce, who finds himself in season 1 as the new party leader in the House of Commons under the Democratic Center Party - a fictional, small, centrist party modeled after the real world Davintharian Moderate Party. As apart of the unified opposition, he is idealistic, and is unaware of the scandal about to unfold when the House Opposition Leader from the Social Labour Party, based on the real life Davintharian Centre-Left Party, falls to scandal - and he is appointed the new Leader of the Opposition.

Actor Oliver Wyl is the shows actor, playing Rosby.

"Season 1 really is about Keagan managing the fallout from his divorce at home and the demands on family life that takes, while also trying to manage the turmoil the nation find's itself in" said Rosby in an interview with ABO 3 - Night With the Stars. "It was really fun to make, and I feel it showed the human side of politicians that many try to or have to hide from the public."

When it comes to light that the Prime Minister, Oliver Campbell of the Liberal Party, the show equivalent of the Centre-Right, was the one who obtained the material which brought down the former opposition leader through illegal means, Keagan is forced to hold the Prime Minister to account - despite calls from his party to ignore the findings. Despite their pleas, Keagan calls for a parliamentary inquiry and the nation is plunged into political crisis - with Season 1 ending with the Progressive Party, the show's equivalent to the Socialist Party, calling for a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister.

"What do you think was the overall message of Season 1 of Whitehall?" we asked Wyl on Night with the Stars.

"I think the story is that Keagan Rosby comes into the season extremely idealistic - but also extremely weak and beaten down through his divorce proceeding. Throughout the season he is also seen drinking and gambling in Avelene Village, a neighborhood in Wellington, the Davintharian capital, known for its crime and seedy businesses. I think it shows how people cope when they are under pressure to show no weakness, and it shows him, as the season goes on and he realizes he is needed in service, he tries to pull himself out of his spiral. I think it also shows how far people are willing to go to keep their power when his own party urges him to ignore the allegations against the Prime Minister even though he is the opposition leader."

Season 2 opens where the first left off: the Prime Minister in turmoil as the House of Commons debates a vote of no confidence against him, that apparently Rosby has supported with the opposition. While the house is considering the bill, Hygessivini begins to project its power under its rouge President Rujut Acharya, just as an island to the south of Hygessivini which is a Davintharian Protectorate, Rujuu, begins to call for independence, bolstered by the actions of Acharya. After a fierce debate in the House, Prime Minister Campbell looses the confidence vote, and a snap election is called, and with both of the major parties down in the polls its anyone's game. After a fierce campaign, the Democratic Center under Rosby becomes the second largest party in the House, and agrees to form a shaky coalition with the Progressives and the Greens - with Rosby as the newly elected Prime Minister.

"The election in the show was happening simultaneously with elections here in Davintharia for real, where Prime Minister Eva Stewart and her left winged coalition won." we said to Wyl on the talk show. "They said in the show that Keagan does well because he comes off as a human being, which is something the papers said the PM and the opposition leader Harley Blythe struggled with. Was this a reference to the real campaign?"

"I think it was a reference to politics overall" said Wyl. "politicians often seem to forget they are people, and think they are above the law. It is this arrogance that causes the scandals of politics, like the ones we see in Whitehall. So I think it was not really a jab at the candidates, no, but a jab at politics in general, and how removed from reality they are."

The season begins to pick up with Rosby's Premiership, taking up residence at Whitehall, the Prime Minister's official home. As he does, the media digs into his personal life, and a certain news reporter, Elaine Black, begins to take a keen interest into his marriage. The conflict on Rujuu comes into the spotlight immediately as the native population calls for independence and the Davintharian government says no. The Greens and Progressives are against this, but Rosby is suspicious about the ordeal. It comes to light that the Hygessivinians want the island independent so they can build a military base there to better project power into eastern Ashanor, and calls for independence become louder, with many accusing Rosby of being a colonialist for his continued objections to the move. Meanwhile, back in Davintharia, Elaine Black releases a report on his divorce and his old gambling habits - which causes a media frenzy over his morality, which is only solved when he takes to the media to talk about his struggles with depression after the divorce, and his recovery.

"We never see a man be depressed and recover from a divorce on television" says Wyl. "I think here in Whitehall we show that men can be vulnerable to these situations as well, and that drinking or using other vices as therapy is not the best way to solve your issues."

But the crisis in Rujuu is still ongoing, and with the aid of his Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rosby is able to meet with the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Hygessivini to discuss the crisis. However Elaine Black is undeterred, and continues her investigation. Hygessivini agrees to stop funding the independence movement if Davintharia will allow the Hygessivinian company Raj Co. to invest in the Davintharian Railways company. Rosby tentatively agrees to put the proposal up to parliament, but while he does, Elaine Black comes out with evidence that the CEO of Raj CO. owns one of the casino's Rosby gambled at, and claims the two are colluding together. The story causes a scandal, and at first Rosby refuses to address it, but as his party suffers, he is forced to deny the allegations via an email. When President Rujut Acharya sends Hygessivinian naval vessels near Rujuu, despite their agreement, Rosby responds by deploying a naval fleet to the island with troops. In the final episode of the season, we learn that Hygessivini has backed down, but with pressures mounting on Rosby's party, his coalition partners demand he go on air and explain himself to the public, or they withdraw from the coalition.

The end of season 2 of Whitehall ends with Rosby about to take the stage to give his interview to the public to save his Premiership.

The show garnered massive support, with a 98% approval ranking on DNM 1, the Davintharian station airing the program, and it was picked up by ABO Streaming, DRT Public Broadcasting Streaming, and OEI Studios online streaming service, and was translated or dubbed into 45 languages.

What is next for season 3? Will Rosby keep his job as Prime Minister? Will he be forced to resign? The bigger question for viewers in Arganorh and worldwide is - how long will they have to wait to find out?

"Season 3 of Whitehall has been confirmed by DNM 1, and airing has already begun" the company released on its Connectid account "release date to be mid 1924."

Will Season 3 continue to be a success and capture the minds of viewers? We will have to wait and see.