A soap opera or a House of Cards imitation?

That's how the Jami-Lee Ross and Simon Bridges saga is being viewed by reporters and politicians.

ZB Political Editor Barry Soper said you would have to go back 30 years, to the fallout of the Lange-Labour government, to get anywhere near the shambolic events of this week.

"It's pretty unique for an MP who was a close buddy of the leader, to come out in the way Jami-Lee Ross has."

Soper said one of the more extraordinary moments comes from Paula Bennett suggesting Ross' behaviour was unacceptable for "a married Member of Parliament".

"I think it's pushing it too far. Certainly, if you've got nothing to hide then you're able to do that sort of thing, but many people in this place do have a lot to hide."

He said the point was rightly made in Parliament last night if one MP starts pointing a finger at another, then fingers would be flailing all over the place.

"They cannot enter into a moral argument given the way it has operated over the years."

However, ACT leader David Seymour said the real issues this week have been overshadowed and this shows we have a generation of politicians who think political TV drama is the real world.

"They almost believe that that stuff's real, rather than making New Zealand a better place for the rest of us."

He said there are more important things to focus on than 'bed sheet behaviour'.

"We don't want to end up with an American style of politics where 'who's up who' matters more than what policies the people are getting."