‘The Diplomat’ Re-Centers Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell’s Live Wire Chemistry With an Effective Season 3 Shake-Up: TV Review
Key Takeaways
- Season 3 of 'The Diplomat' premieres with a heightened sense of escapism following the 2024 presidential election.
- The season begins immediately after President Rayburn's fatal heart attack, elevating VP Grace Penn to the presidency.
- The series returns to its core focus: the strained marriage and competing professional aspirations of Kate Wyler and Hal.
- A significant plot shift occurs as Grace offers Hal a major White House job instead of Kate, reigniting central relationship tensions.
- The show continues to explore detailed political and diplomatic protocol, though some elements feel dated against recent real-world events.
Season 3 of 'The Diplomat,' now streaming on Netflix, is the first installment since the 2024 election, heightening its escapist political fantasy elements as Ambassador Kate Wyler navigates international concerns. The season immediately follows the cliffhanger where President William Rayburn died, promoting Vice President Grace Penn to the presidency, a transition that may feel challenging for viewers given the dynamics of a female VP succeeding her former boss. Despite the altered status quo, the series returns to its core strength: the tug-of-war between Kate and her husband Hal, both ambitious individuals straining against traditional marriage dynamics. Creator Debora Cahn’s decision to have Grace offer Hal a high-profile White House job over Kate—despite Hal previously scheming for Kate's promotion—is seen as beneficial for the show's central tension regarding Hal's true motives. The series continues to explore the minutiae of diplomatic protocol, an institutionalist worldview inherited from 'The West Wing,' though some references feel less tenable given current global events. Ultimately, Hal's new position in the White House, while broadening the scope beyond diplomacy, reinvigorates the central conflict between the couple.
