‘The Diplomat’ season three depicts the complexities of life as a government official 

By Josh Ball

What are you willing to do to prevent the next world war? This is the question Kate Wyler tries to answer in Netflix’s “The Diplomat.” After finding out the origins of a terror plot, she must do everything she can to maintain relations with the United Kingdom to prevent the end of NATO.

Season three picks up with our political leaders in a tense state, holding the world order in a precarious balance. With new President Grace Penn, played by Allison Janney, the plot centers on the leader of the free world as she figures out how to tell the British Prime Minister that she was behind the plot that resulted in the sinking of the Royal Navy ship HMS Courageous. The attack killed dozens of young British sailors.

Tensions rise to a boil when the Prime Minister angrily severs ties with President Penn. The disappearance of a Russian nuclear submarine carrying a new doomsday weapon off the coast of the United Kingdom sparks a “Red October”-esque hunt. The United States finds the sub first, urging the Prime Minister to take action, which he refuses, owing to his distrust of the President and her advisors.

Just when an agreement is made between the Prime Minister and the President, the Russians find their submarine… and it’s missing the weapon. Season three concludes with a huge reveal about where this doomsday weapon went and who has it, teasing the already promised season four.

The writing of “The Diplomat” stands above most shows produced in this decade. Each scene builds, maintains, or slightly lowers the tension in an ever-changing situation. The fluidity of the problem with which the leaders deal reflects the life of an ambassador or world leader. Every line advances the story of a character, is relevant to the plot as a whole or raises the stakes by changing the information available to relevant players in the game of politics.

Although the plot is well crafted, the same can’t be said about the character relationships. Virtually every partnership is unhealthy. None exhibits this better than the lead and her husband: Kate and Hal Wyler, played by Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell. Every disagreement grows into a catastrophic argument, inevitably ending with the promise of divorce. To make matters worse, she is enraged by any action her husband takes. Most notably, the acceptance of the Vice Presidency behind Grace Penn, which she said he “had to take.”

Mrs. Wyler’s decision to remain in London as ambassador rather than move to D.C. as second lady predictably led to complications. Enthralled in an affair fueled by a failing marriage, Kate once again bursts into an unjustified outrage when her husband is jealous. The Wylers’ marriage is so broken it almost distracts from the importance of other plotlines. More than this, Mrs. Wyler’s affair makes the viewer doubt her character and wonder why they should want her plans to succeed.

Although the situation with the Wylers raises doubts in the mind of the viewer, the writers redeem the situation by using it as an opportunity for astounding character growth. The broken relationship is not without hope, as British Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison, played by David Gyasi, commends her for her continuing cycle of recommitment to her husband.

Convicted by these words, Mrs. Wyler begs her husband for forgiveness and recommits to the relationship. In the most moving display of near-biblical love in modern media, Hal forgives her, and they move back to the U.S. together.

Some aspects of the show, like the Wyler marriage, required intentionality to make them work. The on-screen chemistry is phenomenal, and every interaction reflects the emotions of the characters. No reaction ever appears forced, but instead mirrors the information gained by each line of dialogue. In short, characters are surprised when they should be, frustrated when they should be and happy when they should be.

Even the broken yet surviving relationship of the Wylers is dedicated to this emotional accuracy. Every line delivered with visceral anger carries a deeper meaning, calling back to earlier events and delivered in perfect character. Keri Russell was rightly nominated for Emmys after the first two seasons and seems destined to earn a third.

At times, the dialogue carried a politically charged message, which was frustrating. I would rather a politically neutral show which focuses on the moves and countermoves being performed.

“The Diplomat” is a slow burn and is therefore not for everyone. If you can endure and enjoy a political drama with little to no action, then this is an enjoyable watch. It asks the audience to consider: What would you do to stop the next world war? Would you sacrifice your relationship to stay on the frontlines of a brewing conflict? Would you fight for it?

“The Diplomat” is streaming on Netflix

Josh Ball is a junior history major. He loves “The Lord of the Rings” and reading literature to evaluate the author’s worldview in light of Christianity.

Images courtesy of Netflix