Following the release of The Diplomat season 3 on Netflix in October 2025, all eyes are now on season 4. The streaming service already gave the Emmy Award-nominated political thriller a renewal for a fourth season, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll be meeting back up with Kate and the rest of the dysfunctional Penn-Wyler administration as soon as we hoped.
The Diplomat season 4 reportedly began filming in November 2025, but the season isn’t expected to wrap production until some point in summer 2026. That means that fans likely won’t be watching new episodes again until late 2026 or even into the following year depending on how quickly the streamer intends to turn the episodes around. But there’s a saving grace coming very soon.
If you can’t get enough of political drama series and are in need of a new one while you’re waiting for The Diplomat season 4, a critically acclaimed and widely beloved television drama will soon make its way onto Netflix in the United States for the first time in a long time. The West Wing, which stars two major The Diplomat cast members, is headed for our watch lists!
The West Wing is coming to Netflix in December 2025
Netflix revealed that all seven seasons of The West Wing will be added to Netflix on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025. It’s one of the many television series coming to Netflix in December, both acquired and original, but it’s definitely among the most high-profile additions to the streaming service in a while.
The Aaron Sorkin-created series recently caused some conversation when it was removed from HBO Max late last year, but due to fan outcry, The West Wing returned to HBO Max one week later. Its Netflix homecoming just further extends the show’s accessibility, and it couldn’t be more perfect.
The West Wing stars Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford have both become series regulars on The Diplomat. Janney joined Netflix’s political thriller in season 2 as Vice President Grace Penn, who later becomes the president in season 3. While Janney became a series regular in season 3, Whitford will become a series regular in season 4 as Penn’s needy and chatty husband Todd.
Janney and Whitford starred in The West Wing’s complete seven-season run as C. J. Cregg and Josh Lyman respectively. For those who haven’t watched the series before and will be binge-watching for the first time on Netflix, The West Wing takes place in the titular location of the White House and tracks the highs and lows of President Josiah Bartlet’s (Martin Sheen) administration.
The series won 27 Emmy Awards throughout its time on the air on NBC in 1999 to 2006 and remains a highly regard piece of television history. There’s no doubt that returning to Netflix will further cement its legacy as one of the best broadcast dramas of all time, and with 154 episodes, we will surely be kept busy in another fictional political world while waiting for The Diplomat’s return.
Set your reminders on Netflix to be alerted for The West Wing’s drop on Dec. 9.
