The Diplomat represents a strand of sophisticated streaming shows that relies on whip-smart scripting, character-intensive acting, and a propulsive, barely believable plot. Keri Russell is superb throughout as the U.S. ambassador in Britain, Rufus Sewell is even more stunning as her career statesman husband who, near the beginning of Season 3, is injected back into the power pinnacle in Washington. Season 1 was highly enjoyable, Season 2 stretched credibility a bit, and only now do we see that those seasons were the world building for the gasp-worthy Season 3. With a fine supporting cast and Succession-worthy glitzy-location cinematography, the eight episodes rocket along (only one instalment slows the action, and we realize quickly that it is needed to introduce a new vital character). The emotional glue holding the show together is the complex, fraught relationship between the ambassador and the statesman-star, and in this season, the two actors hit all the right notes in this regard. Overall, if you seek a twisty, resonant drama seemingly pulled from our headlines, look no further than The Diplomat; start from the start and relish Season 3 in particular.
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