TV Review: 'The Diplomat' Season 2

Keri Russell as Kate Wyler, Rufus Sewell as Hal Wyler in Season 2 of 'The Diplomat'. Image: Courtesy of Netflix © 2024.

Arriving on Netflix on October 31st, the second season of ‘The Diplomat’ may not be the most Halloween-centric offering, but it certainly has enough to scare you about how the world works.

“The West Wing” veteran Deborah Kahn’s political drama continues the story from the beginning, as ambassador Keri Russell balances her learning curve while representing the United States in Britain as she quickly learns about an unfolding conspiracy.

Does ‘The Diplomat’ send the right message?

Keri Russell as Kate Wyler in Season 2 of 'The Diplomat'. Image: Courtesy of Netflix © 2024.

Early in The Diplomat’s first season, many comparisons were drawn between the series and The West Wing, due to creator Deborah Kahn’s experience on the show’s writing staff and the familiar atmosphere of political chess moves between different administrations.

While they’re still relatively fair (the show has a lot of walking and talking and the occasional spiky dialogue scene), ‘The Diplomat’ has long since evolved into its own thing, in both positive and negative ways.

It’s rarely as compelling as Aaron Sorkin’s classic series when it could have wished, but at the same time we can’t forget that the previous show had about 24 episodes per year to develop characters, backstories and plotlines. which was shortened to six more episodes in Season 2 (although that’s because it was renewed for two seasons at once, and the third was shot back-to-back with the second for a total of 12 episodes, with the latter half remaining next year).

Yet judged on its own merits, ‘The Diplomat’ has plenty to offer.

Scripts and instructions

Kate Wyler and Keri Russell as executive producer/director Simon Ceylan Jones on the set of Season 2 of 'The Diplomat'. Photo: Alex Bailey/Netflix © 2023.

Cahn leads his own writing team with aplomb, focusing more tightly on a core group of characters who all bring something to the table. And showing that he knows his way around a conspiracy plot, he creates an entertaining story full of twists and turns. Just when you think you know the truth, it pivots in impressive ways to reveal more layers.

The interpersonal conflicts between the characters also work well, especially between Russell’s ambassador Wyler and her husband Hal (Rufus Sewell) — the scenes get heated whenever they bicker over the latest situation.

And while the other characters don’t have much to do outside of their jobs, they’re fun to watch.

On the directing front, it’s glamorous enough, with the visuals led by Caine’s fellow ‘West Wing’ alumnus Alex Graves, making good news for some very impressive British locations, including the opportunity to shoot outside the US Embassy in London.

performance

Along with Russell and Sewell as the main drivers of the play, there are other characters and performances that stand out.

Keri Russell as Kate Wyler

Wyler is a fireball of a character, a woman who might seem an unlikely choice for ambassadorship because of her temperament, but who nonetheless excels at the job. Russell, an already well-rounded character, does a really good job, balancing his anger with what he learns and putting his intelligence to work on the job.

Rufus Sewell as Hal Wyler

Sewell also shines as Wyler’s husband, a seasoned diplomat who can’t help but meddle in her affairs and uses his own connections to dig up information and put out fires (though he occasionally does). He’s a great portrait of a strong man who can’t quite let go of the idea that he’s no longer as indispensable as he used to be.

Rory Keener as Prime Minister Nicole Trowbridge

Rory Keener as Nicole Trowbridge in Season 2 of 'The Diplomat'. Image: Courtesy of Netflix © 2024.

Kinnear is usually found as the kind of supporting character he excels at (see Tanner from the Daniel Craig Bond movies), but Trowbridge is his chance to embrace a strong, conflicted persona, and he fully realizes it. The British Prime Minister is a fascinating, insecure man and all the more reason for this year’s plot line.

Ali Ahan as Eidra Park

Ali Ahn as Eidra Park in Season 2 of 'The Diplomat'. Photo: Alex Bailey/Netflix © 2024.

Kate Ahns, head of the US embassy’s CIA station and ally, is a great foil to Park’s ambassador, eminently capable and yet emotionally vulnerable when it comes to her on-off-again relationship with Atto Essandoh’s Stuart Hayford, the ambassador’s chief aide.

Allison Janney as Grace Payne

Allison Janney as Grace Penn in Season 2 of 'The Diplomat'. Photo: Alex Bailey/Netflix © 2024.

Janney, another ‘West Wing’ stalwart, entered the show late this season and picked up the scenes in which she appeared. Accomplished actors like Russell and Sewell really know how Kahn and co. Its dialogues have to be sung.

Other notable characters

Celia Imrie as Margaret Roylin in Season 2 of 'The Diplomat'. Photo: Alex Bailey/Netflix © 2024.

The supporting cast is populated with a quality group of actors who perform at various levels. Essandoh does well as Stewart, while David Gyasi (as the British Foreign Secretary) and Celia Imrie (as Trowbridge’s confidante-turned-whistleblower Margaret Roylin) bring all their British national treasure chops to the interesting roles.

final thought

Ali Ahn as Idra Park, Keri Russell as Kate Wyler in Season 2 of 'The Diplomat'. Image: Courtesy of Netflix © 2024.

Effectively picking up the story strands of the first season, the second season of the drama proved to be even more entertaining. Digging deeper into the conspiracy story but never losing sight of the personal stakes involved, ‘The Diplomat’ is one of Netflix’s strongest titles.

‘The Diplomat’ Season 2 received 7.5 out of 10 stars.

“Keep your friends close. Keep your enemies close.”

TV-MA2 seasons20th April, 2023

What is the story of ‘The Diplomat’ season 2?

A deadly explosion in central London shatters US ambassador Kate Wyler’s (Keri Russell) world. Struggling to rebuild a life shattered and a team torn apart, Kate’s worst fears are revealed: the attack that brought her to the UK didn’t come from a rival country, it came from within the British government.

As Kate chases the truth, her only real ally is her almost-ex-husband Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell), very much alive and very involved. He faces a complicated marriage, a complicated dynamic with British Foreign Secretary Austin Denison (David Giassi) and a threatening visit from Vice President Grace Penn (Allison Janney).