![]() ![]() In lieu of exactly nailing its plot, though, The Diplomat completely nails its relationships, a rather important thing given that diplomacy is, after all, relationship-based. I also never warmed to the show’s glib approach to the “real world,” wherein the semi-generic instigating event has to exist alongside references to the intelligence failings that led to our 2003 invasion of Iraq, oblique references to an unpredictable recent president who jeopardized our international standing and the not-as-clever-as-they-think-it-is situation with an old and possibly doddering president who selected a younger, female vice president only to begin to question her qualifications for succession. The aircraft carrier bombing, with the responsibility to respond and the question of whom to blame, is quite literally the stuff of a dozen West Wing episodic plots, only it’s stretched here to eight hours, requiring a series of red herrings and redundant misadventures that I tired of around episode five or six. It’s a balance that isn’t always as well achieved in the show’s overall, driving narrative. It’s a job at the intersection of politics and hospitality, so Kate has to learn day-to-day lessons on how much power she does or doesn’t have, which people she’s allowed to call directly, what intermediaries are acceptable and just how many simple things can instigate an uproar.Įverything in The Diplomat gives the impression of being thoroughly researched and accurately reproduced - production designer Chris Roope’s re-creation of locations like ambassadorial residence Winfield House and the American embassy in London is exceptional - without ever letting accuracy supersede entertainment. The show is deeply invested in the optics of a position that, in a different moment, might be all optics. Cahn’s background as a writer-producer on The West Wing serves her tremendously well when it comes to illustrating elements of protocol in ways that are at once expositional and dramatic. The series is superb at exploring the context of diplomacy. It’s the story of a woman thrust into a job she doesn’t want, with responsibilities she isn’t qualified for, which may make her the perfect woman for the job. Soon, with Hal as a reluctant ceremonial spouse, Kate is in London under the watchful eye of so-called kingmaker Stuart (Ato Essandoh), learning the ins and outs of an unexpectedly complicated gig that includes careful management of the British prime minister (Rory Kinnear) and foreign secretary (David Gyasi), as well as the occasional odious gala and photo shoot. Plus, various powerful people have their eyes on Kate for a bigger job and are eager to see how she performs in this spotlight. Kate thinks the president really wants her husband, Hal (Rufus Sewell), an internationally recognized foreign policy expert with ambassadorial experience, but Hal’s renegade attitude has burned a lot of bridges, particularly with the ambitious secretary of state (Miguel Sandoval). It’s normally a boondoggle assignment given to glad-handing fundraisers, lots of tea parties and ribbon cutting, but in this situation it could be far more critical. Russell plays Kate Wyler, who has spent her life in the military and foreign service and is days away from a new high-stakes posting in Kabul when she’s summoned by the president (Michael McKean, in a juicy guest role) to serve as ambassador to the United Kingdom. The attack, initially unclaimed, kills dozens of British sailors and escalates the possibility of global conflict. It has some of the beach/airplane-read appeal of The Night Agent, only with a bit more talkative nuance and performance depth, but not so much that viewers looking for a fast-paced eight-hour escape will be alienated.Ĭreated by Debora Cahn (an executive producer of Homeland), The Diplomat begins with an explosion on a British aircraft carrier in Middle Eastern waters. It’s a pure star vehicle for Keri Russell and, if we’re comparing The Diplomat to other shows, as a portrait of a marriage that’s intensely collaborative, probably to a toxic degree, it has hints of FX’s The Americans. It could be a spinoff from Homeland or Madam Secretary, and I can imagine a dozen networks and services where The Diplomat could feel on-brand. The Diplomat is easily accessible and quantifiable. Cast: Keri Russell, Rufus Sewell, Ato Essandoh, Ali Ahn, David Gyasi, Nana Mensah
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