Netflix’s The Diplomat ended its first season on a cliffhanger that set the stage for higher emotional stakes and more Byzantine political intrigue. Season 2 picks up where the explosive finale left off, immersing viewers in the fast-paced aftermath of a car bomb attack in London and introducing Ambassador Kate Wyler (Keri Russell), her husband Hal (Rufus Sewell), and colleague Stuart Hayford (Ato). was left behind. Essandou) and Ronnie Buckhurst (Jess Chanriault) are fighting for their lives. What follows is a whirlwind of thrilling twists and turns as the race to uncover the mastermind behind the attack intensifies.
To reveal more would be to risk spoilers, but The Diplomat’s story tightens in season two with a precision that rewards close attention, while still leaving you wanting more. Suffice it to say, it leaves plenty of mystery. Kate’s suspicions of wrongdoing by the brash and abusive Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge (Rory Kinnear) seem as justified as ever. Could he really hire ruthless Russian mercenaries to orchestrate an attack on his country’s warships? Adding further to the plot is the ever-scheming Margaret Loughlin (Celia Imrie), a shadow advisor to the Prime Minister whose fingerprints seem to be all over the mess.
Throughout the season, The Diplomat explores the simmering romantic tension between Stuart and CIA Director Aidra Park (Ari Ann), and between Kate and dashing Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison (David Gyasi). , cleverly overlays these existential threats to democracy. The latter’s affair, combined with the show’s nuanced exploration of Kate and Hal’s marriage of convenience, presents troubling questions about the dynamics of love and power. The series clearly lays out its numerous plot threads, leaving no room for confusion, while at the same time challenging and subverting our notions of traditional gender roles.
It’s in the quieter moments of this series, which moves at an otherwise breakneck pace marked by razor-sharp dialogue, that Kate and Hal’s dependence on each other as partners is brought into stark relief. . After a brutal argument reminiscent of the many stifling fights between Russell’s undercover agent Elizabeth Jennings and her husband, played by Matthew Rhys, in The Americans, Kate is banished to the guest bedroom. Haru, who is still recovering from his injuries, reluctantly asks her to help him take off his shoes before leaving. Kate is forced to kneel at his feet, knowing that she is responsible for the reason he can barely move.
The Diplomat manages to balance a behind-the-scenes look at the political machinations with the relationships between the people involved, thanks in large part to its leaders, especially Russell. Supporting characters such as Frances Manning (Penny Downey) and Pascal Besson (Geraldine Chevalley), both staffers at the ambassador’s residence, also inject some much-needed moments of levity into the show’s wonderfully high drama.
And the drama leads to a cliffhanger that is both outlandish and shocking. It’s a bold bait-and-switch, with an initially interesting late-game cast addition that becomes much more meaningful in hindsight, essentially guaranteeing The Diplomat’s return for another round. I’m making it a thing.
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Cast: Keri Russell, Rufus Sewell, Ato Essandoh, Rory Kinnear, David Gyasi, Ari Ahn, Allison Janney, Celia Imrie, Nana Mensah, Michael McKean, Penny Downey, Geraldine Xu Valley Network: Netflix If you’re able, please consider supporting Slant Magazine.
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