It’s amazing how shows fueled only by fast talk can feel as gripping as any thriller out there. The Diplomat is cerebral and heavy on geopolitical jargon, but somehow, it manages to feel genuinely exciting, each new episode impossible to not play next. Thanks is due in large part to Keri Russell who, fresh out of her incredible stint in The Americans, returns here as messy and intense and endearing as ever. On the one hand, The Diplomat is about the delicacy of diplomacy, about how every decision made at this level has ripples of consequences throughout the globe. But it’s also, amusingly, a marriage story. Russell plays a woman who has long been defined by her more renowned if egotistical husband, played perfectly by Rufus Sewell. They have a complex relationship that is as much a career partnership as it is a romantic one, and part of the show’s charm is blending all these story arcs seamlessly. Fans of West Wing, Veep, and Homeland will find much to like in this series, especially because of its informative takes and engaging performances.
"Call it spycraft, call it political parlance, call it diplomacy in action -- whatever you call it, The Diplomat makes it hypnotic."
— Ben Travers
"["The Diplomat"] is less gritty spy thriller and more soapy workplace drama."
— Emily Tannenbaum
Amid an international crisis, a US diplomat contends with her high-profile job as ambassador to the UK and her strained marriage to a political star.
The plot is Awesome????; however, I don’t enjoy watching Keri Russell & Ali Ahn in the characters they portray ????!! They always look like they just got out of bed or been electrocuted. SERIOUSLY?!? Female politicians, the characters are being shown as, aren’t like this.
Secondly. Although f*ck(ing) is used as part of the British vocabulary more than us; is it really necessary to have their dialogs use f**k(ing) in every other sentence ???? My family & friends, I have MANY of, surely don’t. These factors didn’t intrigue me to watch any episodes after number 2.
Yes the f***ing gets tiresome but another Netflix contract essential seems to be a couple copulation within the first 15 minutes! Yes the jargon and the routine use of honorifics/titles can be repetitive. But overall I look forward to further seasons.