The BEST episodes of Real Time with Bill Maher season 18

#1 - Episode 542

Season 18 - Episode 27 - Aired 9/18/2020

This week, Bill interviews actress and activist Jane Fonda and Donald Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen. For the panel segment he's joined by writer Tim Miller and comedian Trae Crowder.

#2 - Episode 534

Season 18 - Episode 19 - Aired 6/19/2020

This week Bill interviews former US Ambassador to the UN who served as President Obama's National Security Advisor from 2013-2017, Susan Rice, and columnist for The Washington Post, George Will. For the panel discussion, he is joined by career U.S. Counterterrorism Intelligence Officer and MSNBC contributor, Malcolm Nance, and Writer-at-Large for New York Magazine, Andrew Sullivan.

#3 - Episode 535

Season 18 - Episode 20 - Aired 6/26/2020

This week, Bill interviews Former National Security Advisor John Bolton, and co-host of the award-winning podcast "Pivot" and New York Times columnist Kara Swisher. Plus, a virtual panel with president of the Robin Hood Foundation and New York Times bestselling author, Wes Moore; and author, Tulane University professor and MSNBC political analyst, James Carville.

#4 - Episode 536

Season 18 - Episode 21 - Aired 7/31/2020

#5 - Episode 537

Season 18 - Episode 22 - Aired 8/7/2020

This week, Bill interviews former chief of staff to Colin Powell, Lawrence Wilkerson, and actor Chris Evans. Joining him for the panel discussion are former adviser to President Bill Clinton, Paul Begala, and author Meghan Daum.

#6 - Episode 538

Season 18 - Episode 23 - Aired 8/14/2020

This week, Bill interviews Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and sports anchor Colin Cowherd. For the panel discussion, he chats with former Democratic 2020 presidential candidates Andrew Yang and Pete Buttigieg.

#7 - Episode 539

Season 18 - Episode 24 - Aired 8/21/2020

This week, Bill interviews former Governor of Ohio John Kasich about his endorsement of Joe Biden and also lauded director Oliver Stone. For the panel discussion, author Thomas Frank and Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II join Bill to talk about the direction of the Democratic party.

#8 - Episode 540

Season 18 - Episode 25 - Aired 8/28/2020

Bill returns to the studio for the first time since March and remote-interviews former federal prosecutor Trey Gowdy and musician Wynton Marsalis, while journalist Nina Burleigh and political strategist Rick Wilson join him for the remote panel discussion.

#9 - Episode 541

Season 18 - Episode 26 - Aired 9/11/2020

This week, Bill interviews former FBI agent Pete Strzok and actor Ewan McGregor, and joining him in the studio for the panel discussion are journalists Jessica Yellin and Peter Hamby.

#10 - Episode 533

Season 18 - Episode 18 - Aired 6/12/2020

This week, Bill interviews Radley Balko, an opinion journalist for The Washington Post, and Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and public health expert. Joining him for the panel discussion are writer Larry Wilmore and Matt Welch, Editor-at-Large of Reason Magazine.

#11 - Episode 543

Season 18 - Episode 28 - Aired 9/25/2020

Joining Bill this week are Senator Bernie Sanders, actor Jim Belushi, journalist Coleman Hughes, and Bakari Sellers former Representative for South Carolina.

#12 - Episode 544

Season 18 - Episode 29 - Aired 10/9/2020

This week, Bill interviews Congressman Adam Schiff and Former CIA Director John O. Brennan. Joining him for the panel discussion are conservative journalist Bret Stephens and writer Keli Goff.

#13 - Episode 545

Season 18 - Episode 30 - Aired 10/16/2020

Bill interviews political scientist Fareed Zakaria and actor John Leguizamo. For the panel discussion he's joined by John Avlon, CNN's Senior Political Analyst, and Noah Rothman, MSNBC and NBC News contributor.

#14 - Episode 546

Season 18 - Episode 31 - Aired 10/23/2020

This week, Bill interviews actor Matthew McConaughey and author Ben Sheehan. Joining him for the panel discussion are Senator Heidi Heitkamp and Donald Trump's former Director of Communications, Anthony Scaramucci.

#15 - Episode 547

Season 18 - Episode 32 - Aired 10/30/2020

Bill interviews former Democratic U.S. Senator from Minnesota, Al Franken and New York Times national security correspondent, David E. Sanger. Joining him on the panel are MSNBC political analyst John Heilemann and Lis Smith, former Senior Advisor to Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s 2020 presidential campaign.

#16 - Episode 548

Season 18 - Episode 33 - Aired 11/6/2020

This week, Bill interviews former Google Design Ethicist, Tristan Harris. Joining him for the panel discussion are Counter-terrorism Intelligence Officer and MSNBC contributor, Malcolm Nance, and Law & Policy professor at Georgetown School of Law, Rosa Brooks.

#17 - Episode 549

Season 18 - Episode 34 - Aired 11/13/2020

Following the election, Bill interviews constitutional law attorney and Senior Legal Adviser for the Trump 2020 campaign, Jenna Ellis. For the panel discussion, he is joined by writer Caitlin Flanagan and author Max Brooks.

#18 - Episode 550

Season 18 - Episode 35 - Aired 11/20/2020

For his final show of 2020, Bill interviews author Professor Michael Eric Dyson. On the panel, he is joined by contributing writer for 'The Atlantic' Alex Wagner and historian Jon Meacham.

#19 - Episode 525

Season 18 - Episode 10 - Aired 4/10/2020

Once again hosting from his backyard, Bill's remote interviewees this week are: Former Vice President Al Gore, New York City mayor Bill de Blasio, political commentator Ian Bremmer, and comedian Nikki Glaser.

#20 - Episode 517

Season 18 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/24/2020

First interview: Megyn Kelly. On the panel: Michael McFaul, Alex Wagner, and Erick Erickson. Second interview: Ingrid Newkirk.

#21 - Episode 518

Season 18 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/31/2020

First Interview with Mayor Pete Buttigieg. On the panel former mayor of New Orleans & lieutenant governor of Louisiana Mitch Landrieu, Representative Mikie Sherrill a Democrat representing New Jersey’s 11th congressional district & Rick Wilson a Republican political strategist. Second Interview with Author and sociology professor Michael Eric Dyson.

#22 - Episode 519

Season 18 - Episode 4 - Aired 2/7/2020

First interview: Steve Bannon. On the panel: Mayor Andrew Gillum, Sarah Isgur, and Ezra Klein. Second interview: Fareed Zakaria.

#23 - Episode 520

Season 18 - Episode 5 - Aired 2/14/2020

Bill's special interview this week is with the 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidate and US Senator from Minnesota, Amy Klobuchar. His midway interview is with the Democratic US Congresswoman from Washington, Pramala Jayapal. Bill's roundtable panel includes the award - winning journalist Katie Couric, the CEO of Reform Alliance and an CNN host, Van Jones and the columnist for the New York Times and an MSNBC contributor, Bret Stephens.

#24 - Episode 521

Season 18 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/28/2020

First interview: Dr. Anne Rimoin. On the panel: Jane Kleeb, EJ Dionne, and Buck Sexton. Second interview: Nicholas Kristof.

#25 - Episode 522

Season 18 - Episode 7 - Aired 3/6/2020

First interview: Rachel Bitecofer. On the panel: Caitlin Flanagan, Ross Douthat, and Anthony Scaramucci. Second interview: Brian Cox.