A Solid Sophomore Season In Danger Of Being Crushed By Its Own Ambition

The Diplomat, Netflix’s political thriller, has returned for a second season of fraught political tensions, manipulative personal relationships, and a healthy dose of political satire. While the first season saw the newly appointed ambassador to the UK, Kate Wyler (Keri Russell), reluctantly thrust into the international spotlight, things are no less complex in season 2 as new international crises lead to more issues while she balances her fractured marriage with her former diplomat husband. While the acting has remained phenomenal, and the dialogue is as sharp as ever, The Diplomat Season 2 sometimes feels overloaded and needlessly complex.

The Diplomat’s sophomore season picks right back up from where it left off, as the suspicious circumstances of the Russian war criminal Roman Lenkov’s death implied an inside job. The chaos of the car explosion that took place at the end of the season 1 finale is still in full swing, and it’s uncertain which characters will make it out alive and just what spurred such a devastating attack in central London. This incident lays the groundwork for the entire season as underhanded practices, shady political interests, and geopolitical concerns overlap in a dialogue-heavy and, at times, overtly convoluted narrative.

The Diplomat Season 2 Picks Right Back Up Where The Finale Left Off

The Explosion At The End Of Season 1 Lays The Groundwork For All That’s To Follow

The fallout from this attack saw three Americans blown up. Chief among the victims was Kate’s husband, Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell). It’s uncertain whether Hal will survive, which would have done The Diplomat a significant disservice, as the married couple’s interactions are a highlight of the series. Sadly, Stuart Hayford’s assistant, Ronnie, meets her end and the devastating event leaves a significant mark on her boss’ psychology as he recovers throughout the season. This explosion puts new pieces in place for The Diplomat as the aftereffects seem to wipe the slate clean for Kate and Hal’s planned separation.

While all the excitement around this impactful explosion set The Diplomat up nicely for its second run, the series has not forgotten about the potential corruption of British Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge. Through a nuanced performance from Rory Kinnear, many of the most urgent scenes come from Kinnear walking a fine line as we’re unsure whether he’s a self-aggrandizing mass murderer toying with the political system for his own benefit or simply a pawn in a much larger game. Through a sharp and clever script, this season hints at a story behind the story where nobody’s allegiances are certain.

However, despite all the charged political tensions between the cast of government workers, the most interesting dynamic is still between Kate and Hal Wyler. While the previous season set Kate up for infidelity through a flirtatious connection with the UK Foreign Secretary, Austin Dennison (David Gyasi), this subplot takes a backseat to explore the couple’s semi-repaired relationship in the face of Hal’s near-death experience. While this might sound like a joyous reconnection, it is anything but, as Hal continues to attempt to pull the strings of Kate’s diplomatic career as he pushes her toward the Vice Presidency.

While The Diplomat season 2 presents itself as a carefully constructed chessboard filled with many conflicting pieces, it’s hard to shake the feeling that this series is going through an identity crisis. From one scene to the next, The Diplomat is never quite sure whether it wants to be a tense political thriller or a clever satire highlighting the absurdity at the center of the political decision-making system. By trying to do both at once, it never fully manages to excel at either.

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The supporting characters get some time in the spotlight, but it never feels like enough, as the reduced six-episode season forces things to move quickly without giving the ensemble space to develop. While Better Call Saul’s Michael McKean as the President of the United States is exciting, I’d hoped to see more of him, but he barely gets a look,. The addition of The West Wing’s Allison Janney as the Vice President is a welcome surprise, but it’s Stuart Hayford and Eidra Park’s (Ali Ahn) continued workplace romance/breakup that’s truly never given enough time.

The Diplomat Season 2 Is In Danger Of Being Overwhelmed By Its Ambition

There Are So Many Moving Pieces In Season 2 That It Can Be Hard To Keep Up

The Diplomat season 2 has so many moving pieces that it can sometimes feel overwhelming. From a potential conspiracy involving the Prime Minister, a ploy to halt Scottish independence, a planned coup d’état within the British government, and Kate’s tentative offer of the Vice Presidency, it can sometimes feel like The Diplomat is in danger of being crushed under the weight of its own narrative ambitions. While the show does manage to keep its many plates spinning throughout the season, I can’t help but wonder if things would have been more engaging if there was a little less going on.

The Diplomat season 2 was not without its issues, but Keri Russell deserves praise for her fantastic performance, and series creator Debora Cahn should get credit for crafting one of the most impressive political series currently being made. Although The Diplomat has yet to reach the heart-racing highs of Russell’s career-defining performance in The Americans or the bingeable intensity of Cahn’s previous work on Homeland, it’s slowly carving out a unique identity that’s not without its growing pains. With the exciting groundwork already laid for Season 3, I know I’ll be tuning in for another lesson in diplomacy.

The Diplomat season 2 is streaming on Netflix on October 31. The season consists of six episodes.

7/10

The Diplomat is a Netflix drama/thriller series that tells the story of a career diplomat named Laura Simmonds as she wrestles with the complexities of her new job as ambassador to the U.K. As Laura attempts to acclimate to her high-profile, high-stress job, her marriage, and personal life begin to suffer in the midst of an international crisis.

Pros

• Keri Russell continues to give an extraordinary performance as the newly appointed US ambassador to the UK, Kate Wyler.
• The fraught husband-wife relationship between Kate and Hal continues to deepen in The Diplomat Season 2.
• New conflicts, deepening character relationships, and complex international political affairs make The Diplomat a must watch political thriller.

Cons

• The Diplomat’s sophomore season has so many subplots that occasionally overwhelm the series.
• Supporting characters often aren’t given enough time to shine.