After viewing The Diplomat, people would be talking about Keri Russell. The Emmy-nominated star of The Americans acted opposite her husband Matthew Rhys (Perry Mason) and gave her best to play as a hesitant ambassador who tries to resolve a political storm in the country that sent him to UK. Another woman also deserves some love while Russell shines in this new Netflix political thriller.
This is creator/writer/showrunner Debora Cahn (The West Wing, Homeland). In The Diplomat, Cahn has built an astute, incisive and suspenseful political thriller. She does have time for laughs though and something just as important: characters we want to cheer on. In the course of the Diplomat; Cahn and Russell offer performances that are worth Emmys. And remember that Cahn saved Homeland with her writing and executive producing over its final two seasons. However, despite three nominations for The Americans, Russell has never won an Emmy until now. Such women uphold the show imbuing it with ceaseless bravura.
The cast includes Rufus Sewell (The Man in the High Castle), David Gyasi (Carniva Row), Ato Essandoh (Chicago Med), Ali Ahn (Raising Dion), Rory Kinnear (Penny Dreadful: City of Angels), Adam Silver (Masters of the Air), and Michael McKean (Better Call Saul, This is Spinal Tap) whose portrayal of the American president is a head-turner at every turn. If you enjoyed HBO’s THE WEST WING but also loved Showtimes HOMELAND this series is for you; THE DIPLOMAT
Involving Kate Wyler(Russell)a career diplomat who earned her wings through Middle East politics; she found herself being asked by US administration to take up American embassy in London after a British ship was bombed such that Washington wanted someone there PDQ . But there is a catch for her, being an ambassador was never her ambition. She had other political work to do, she thinks. Sometimes though you just have to give in, and when the smoke clears on the terrorist bombing that everyone is watching on television from around the world with wide eyes turned toward Iran as they were sure it would be; shrewd, fierce, commanding and confident about what she always knows is happening in Russia.
The series sets up things nicely and adds plenty of sticks in the creative spokes along the way. Husband Hal (Sewel), for instance, is also an ambassador. However his approach differs greatly from Kate’s – he’s cocky and slippery whereas she’s a let’s-get-the-damn-job-done gal. As such politically he has been established thus seems love his “status.” Kate too prefers to flip off the high heels rather than trample over the relentless political malarkey . And if that wasn’t enough Kate and Hal sleep in separate bedrooms; their bond runs deep but it is combative.
This rattles all of Kate’s new comrades , who must now adjust to an unconventional political figure while simultaneously trying desperately not to let everything fall apart around them. Even her go-to posse operates at high levels of intensity, especially Ali Ahn’s CIA agent who delights in finding perverse absurdity amidst global politics’ stormiest squalls. Other daredevils in Kate’s camp include colleagues and politicos played by Ato Essandoh and David Gyasi appropriately enough. But then they are out for themselves too; this means that when one thinks of this show one cannot help but picture a perpetually vigilant Kate forever on edge.That really sums up what The Diplomat Series does because it never stops being suspenseful at any time
That is not a bad thing, however the spitfire dialogue and intricate political explanations can have a tendency to feel beaten over your head. Are we here for Netflix to entertain us or given a Master Class on diplomacy and politics? Like the show, you tend to shrug and just go with it because The Diplomat somehow trains you to love what it’s doling out. So yeah that’s good material all around, so yeah it’s worth the investment.
Not since The West Wing and Homeland has there been this much talk between people. Why? It’s fitting since showrunner Debora Cahn also made both of those shows, keeping the dialogue ever so rapid. However, some of the things coming out of people’s mouths in all eight episodes are refreshing.
Husband Hal (Connor Trinneer) muses in the first episode “The President is sending you to stop a war before it starts, not butter a crumpet.” In another scene, Kate conducts a video conference with frazzled mannerisms (Sandoval). This becomes tricky because now she has to deal with him as he despises her husband after an embarrassing political mistake. Thereupon Kate says during this video call “Sir no one is more surprised to find me here than I am,” but this does little to take off from what will always be an antagonistic relationship.
Also Essandoh’s character has great chemistry with Ali Ahn. These two people who are afraid to commit are “coupled” together as far as possible. Watching their emotional game is very interesting . When they show up High-profile figures such as Britain’s Prime Minister (Rory Kinnear) or even United States’ President (Michael McKean) steal scenes—McKean offers an amusingly contemptuous performance as an Authoritative character who thinks too highly of himself. Nana Mensah plays the president’s chief of staff rather well.
Elsewhere, another plot thread puts a new twist in Kate’s plans. She was not chosen for the American ambassadorship to UK because she is really great at her job.” It’s a test given by higher-ups to see if she can fill the Vice President’s shoes mid-term. Like she wants that.
This is all engaging and even though Russell always comes through this time it wasn’t any different. And humor is effective while still maintaining its political jargon. Although the tone of The Diplomat occassionally feels out of place on Netflix—Peacock may have been a better home—this is still one of the best new series of the season, and it will be interesting to see how Russell, truly commanding here, fares come Emmy time.
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