The Diplomat Season 2 Review: More pulpy thrills

IN The DiplomatKate Wyler is always a little nervous. Accustomed to holding posts in war zones, she feels out of place in her new position as the US ambassador to Britain, with butlers ready to serve her in a house that is almost a castle. Kate’s discomfort, thanks series star Keri Russellis palpable: she makes twisted facial expressions, walks with obvious agitation and has contempt for her outfits. (God forbid she wears colorful clothes or brushes a comb through her hair.) Along with this junk, Russell also gives the character a quick wit, confidence, and tenderness. She makes Kate feel relatable and helps anchor this Netflix drama even as it moves into very soapy territory.

Of course, Russell has fully embodied characters in his last two major TV projects: Felicity and The Americans. The Diplomatfrom creator Debora Cahn, may bear a surface-level resemblance to the latter series. After all, Kate, like Elizabeth Jennings, is also mired in complex intergovernmental conflicts and a thorny marital union. While not almost as sharp or moving as that FX gem, The Diplomat has some addictive pulpy thrills that continue in these six new hour-long episodes that test Kate’s commitment to her job and husband Hall (Rufus Sewell).

By season two, she has marginally adjusted to British life, even if it involves donning a maroon trouser suit and tying her hair up in a bun once in a while, learning to better exercise her power. As a refresher, Kate learned in the Season 1 finale that the terrorist attack that brought her to London in the first place was likely orchestrated by the country’s prickly Prime Minister (Rory Kinnear). So now, as she appeases him, she must find out the extent of his deception. Are other countries like Russia and Iran involved? Is it all a hoax? And how much can she trust the Prime Minister’s former campaign manager/current whistleblower (Celia Imrie)?

Kate’s investigation takes her on a warpath with some surprising people, pushing season two in wild directions where not every plot twist lands with the intended punch. (Often, these twists can feel ridiculous or revealing, as if plucked from Homeland and The West Wingas Cahn wrote for both.) But the show’s tight pace makes these curveballs pretty fun to watch anyway. The last few installments are particularly enticing with the arrival of Allison Janney as US Vice President Grace Penn, who is about to resign due to a potential scandal. As revealed in Season 1, Kate is the top candidate to replace her, and the UK gig is a test run to see how she fares in the public eye.

Russell and Janney chew up the scenery with their many tête-à-têtes. Whether Kate and Grace are arguing or going on about what it’s like to be a leader fighting misogyny, the actors are on fire here. Plus, it’s hard to tell right away where Grace’s intentions really lie because projects don’t cast Janney in one-note roles (unless it’s Apple TV+’s Palm Royale). Like Russell, she immediately brings layers to her character, which bodes well for the show recently announced third season.

Despite this cool new addition, the core of the The Diplomat is still in Kate and Hal’s relationship. Their marriage is constantly on the rocks, and the duo can take a sweet conversation and turn it into a bitter argument in minutes. The intense back and forth between the pair may seem glaring and repetitive, but perhaps that’s the point. They’re just two ordinary people who, even in the face of power, struggle with communication issues and tumultuous emotions (and a bit of infidelity).

It’s a messy tape which Kate refers to as a “magic trick” at one point in season two where both partners manipulated their stories to their advantage. And that’s what makes the performance a pleasure. She knows that Hal, with his cunning tactics as a former diplomat, can secure information she cannot. And he realizes that Kate is his last hold on relevance. Beneath the lies, back-channeling and mind games, there is a strange kind of respect and love.

That said, by merging their relationship with its larger political plot, The Diplomat makes some silly choices, especially in the season’s eye-rolling finale. But the fast-paced storylines, while perhaps not grounded in reality, result in an entertaining, easy-to-watch thriller with one hell of a Russell performance.

The Diplomat season two premieres October 31 on Netflix