Other than pro wrestling, my favorite show of last year was easily The Diplomat. Debora Cahn’s political thriller series is fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat exciting, and Hella funny thanks to Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell, who play a married pair of U.S. Ambassadors caught in a global conspiracy.
The show belongs to Russell, though, whose character Kate Wyler is a brilliant political mind but also a bit rough around the edges. She doesn’t take her unexpected gig as Ambassador to the U.K. very seriously until a terrorist attack thrusts her into the spotlight. There’s also the little matter of the President of the United States looking to slot her in as his next VP. Speaking of which, Allison Janney is joining season two as the current scandal-plagued VP, who is about to get the boot.
Season one ended with an explosive revelation about the U.K. Prime Minister, and also a literal explosion that may have wiped out two people very important to Kate.
David Gyasi, Ali Ahn (also in Agatha All Along right now), Rory Kinnear, and Ato Essandoh return as regular cast members. Russell is also a producer on the series. Between this and The Americans, Russell has the market cornered on small-screen political espionage.
The Diplomat season two hits Netflix on October 31st!
