River Barkley

River Barkley, played by David Corenswet, is an important recurring character in the Netflix satirical dramedy, The Politician.

Blessed with Superman-level good looks and sports prowess as well as being fluent in Mandarin, River cuts a smart figure as the big man on campus in his Santa Barbara prep school. While most of those characteristics would add up to a belligerent jock-like personality, River, by comparison, is gentle, thoughtful, and kind— but not without his own self-doubt and inner demons. 

He tends to see the good in others around him— including his same-sex lover, Payton (Ben Platt). But when he decides to run for student body president in opposition to Payton, both of their worlds are turned upside-down.

River is very accepting of being “sexually fluid,” as his girlfriend Astrid explains to Payton. While the series does not show any outward signs of River being open to the student body about his sexuality, he embraces his orientation and wants to make his lovers feel better about themselves, both in and out of the bedroom. 

Unfortunately, River battles with depression and a sense of imbalance within himself, ultimately dying by suicide. His spirit continues to show up to Payton, giving him advice and direction in times of crisis.