Warning! This review contains spoilers for The Diplomat season 3.Netflix’s The Diplomat is back for season 3 with its strongest run of episodes yet. The new season picks up immediately after the season 2 finale, with Ambassador Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) and her husband, Hal (Rufus Sewell), reeling from the sudden death of President Rayburn (Michael McKean).
Season 3 goes at a breakneck pace from there, as VP Grace Penn (Allison Janney) quickly assumes the presidency and shocks Kate and Hal by choosing the latter as her Vice President. Those major events pave the way for new characters, including Grace’s husband, Todd (Bradley Whitford), and Callum Ellis (Aidan Turner), a spy and love interest for Kate.
Since Kate stays on as Ambassador after becoming Second Lady, there’s still time for her returning colleagues at the Embassy, as well as PM Nicol Trowbridge (Rory Kinnear) and Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison (David Gyasi).
Hal’s Vice Presidency Allows The Diplomat To Tread New Ground In Season 3
In the first two seasons, the White House frequently shut out Kate and Hal, so there’s a real thrill in seeing them so close to the action at the start of The Diplomat season 3.
However, as Kate quickly learns, being the Second Lady and the Vice President are two very different things, and the show takes full advantage of her unique position. Some of the season’s most interesting moments come from Kate trying – and failing – to leverage her role as Second Lady in her work as Ambassador.
On paper, Kate may be more powerful than ever before, but she still feels like a scrappy underdog in season 3, especially when she’s going to extreme (and hilarious) lengths to make her opinions heard.
That’s always been the most winning side of her character, and it’s where Russell really shines. The Diplomat is smart to maintain that despite a massive shift in the status quo.
Of course, it’s hard to say how realistic it is that Kate gets to keep her Ambassador post, but the show certainly makes an effort to explain it and doesn’t shy away from the logistics, especially when it comes to Kate’s safety.
The Diplomat Season 3 Finds The Most Interesting Evolution Of Kate and Hal’s Marriage Yet
Hal’s new job also allows the show to take his relationship with Kate in a refreshing direction. Russell and Sewell’s combative chemistry has been a lot of fun to watch, but, in the first two seasons, I was often frustrated by Hal’s constant maneuvering and found their push and pull a little repetitive.
The show pulls a neat trick in season 3, with their separation somehow making Hal more likable than ever before, as he spends the season fully committed to Kate’s happiness, even at his own expense.
The separation lets The Diplomat have its cake and eat it too. It gets to answer the will-they-won’t-they question with Dennison and make time for Kate’s charming tryst with Callum, and yet I walked away from the season surprisingly invested in Kate and Hal’s relationship.
The Afghanistan flashbacks to when they met help a lot, but the season also proves, once and for all, that Kate is just as much in their marriage as Hal is. She chose it the first time, and it feels right that she chooses it again at the end of the season, albeit before learning of Hal and Grace’s ploy with the Poseidon.
Allison Janney & Bradley Whitford Are Great Additions To The Diplomat Cast
Well before season 3 dropped, Netflix revealed that Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford would not only return for The Diplomat season 4 but become series regulars, and it’s easy to see why that call was made. Janney was in season 2 but has far more to do in season 3, and adds interesting layers to her character.
One of the best moments comes in the first episode, when Grace finds out Rayburn died and is visibly overwhelmed before immediately squaring herself up. In the grand scheme of the season, it’s a blip that nonetheless reveals a ton about Grace and makes her all the more human. It’s also the sort of moment that illustrates why you cast someone of Janney’s caliber.
Even though Janney and Whitford’s characters had a wholly platonic relationship on The West Wing, it doesn’t feel strange to see them as a married couple here.
There’s a chance Whitford actually has a harder job than Janney, though. For one, he’s in less of the season, and on the surface, Todd is the sort of dryly funny character he’s played before. It becomes clear pretty quickly that there’s more to Todd than that, and Whitford is excellent as he disarms the other characters.
Even though Janney and Whitford’s characters had a wholly platonic relationship on The West Wing, it doesn’t feel strange to see them as a married couple here. Instead, the familiarity and established chemistry enhance their performances and make their marriage feel even more believable.
On The Whole, Season 3 Is The Diplomat’s Strongest Yet
While season 1 of The Diplomat had to spend valuable time establishing the characters, and season 2 was a bit rushed at only six episodes, the show is at its most confident in season 3.
It’s meaty to the point that it could easily feel overstuffed and yet never does. It bounces between characters and locations with ease, maintaining a jaunty pace while still allowing moments to breathe as needed.
Tonally, it’s light on its feet, switching between comedy, drama, romance, and political thriller elements without ever feeling jarring. It’s serialized, but each episode is still its own satisfying meal, and no character is perfectly good or bad, but rather messy, believable, and incredibly fun to watch.
Season 3 kept me on my toes, but never made me feel frustrated or confused – only thrilled to be along for the ride.
All eight episodes of The Diplomat season 3 are now streaming on Netflix.
- Release Date
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April 20, 2023
- Network
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Netflix
- Showrunner
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Debora Cahn
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Keri Russell
Ambassador Kate Wyler
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