With the combination of Kerri Russell’s star power, terrific writing, and an all-star cast, Netflix has another buzz-worthy political drama set to have a major breakout in its second season. The Diplomat follows Kate Wyler, appointed as an ambassador to the United Kingdom. A daunting job on its own, Kate has to deal with the beginning stages of an international catastrophe and a strained marriage to her diplomat husband, Hal Wyler, played by Rufus Sewell. Tension in the marriage is heightened by the global crisis that engulfs the Wylers and the rest of the cast. The show has been a hit with subscribers to the streaming platform Netflix, with an estimated 58 million hours of views racked up since it premiered. The crisis at hand entails a British aircraft carrier attacked in the Persian Gulf, resulting in the death of 41 sailors. Evidence points towards Iran, and the already tense relationship between the geopolitical foes comes to a boil. Kate Wyler is dispatched to the UK at the behest of William Rayburn, the President of the United States, to ease the tension or at least buy some time until some tough decisions need to be made. Here is what we hope to see in The Diplomat season 2. No spoilers here, don’t worry, but you better binge-watch season one before someone spills the beans! We hope to see a resolution to the finale that lives up to the intense build-up. With all signs pointing to a saboteur being responsible for the carrier attack, fans hope to see more of Kate Wyler trying to stave off a global war while fending off attacks on her political career from those she should be able to trust. Audiences have responded to how the show skillfully blends the best aspects of a family, political, and spy thriller without things boiling over into a pat melodrama. The action is high stakes and stays within the realms of believability for the show, which makes the stakes a lot higher for the audience. If we use showrunner and producer Debora Cahn’s (Grey’s Anatomy, The West Wing) past track record as a guide, all bets are off. No character will be safe, and no twist will be too shocking. Fans of the series have taken a shine to the London setting, but we would love to see the crisis take Kate Wyler to other countries as well. The location shooting and focus on international intrigue instead of the beltway drama covered by past shows have propelled The Diplomat into Netflix’s top 10 English TV list and secured a spot in the top 10 streamers in 86 countries. We could see Kate traveling to other parts of Europe or even stateside to get to the bottom of the plot. Will Kate be faced with choosing to take a cabinet-level position or the highly coveted Vice Presidency and vacate her role as Ambassador and fact-finder on the carrier attack? Before showrunner Debora Cahn broke out with her stellar work on the long-running Grey’s Anatomy, she honed her chops on West Wing. Taking the show to the White House would be in the creative team’s wheelhouse. It would also offer a chance to showcase more of President William Rayburn, played by the eminently watchable Michael McKean (Better Call Saul, Dead Ringers), who can subtly steal every scene he is in. The Diplomat is a major win across the board for Netflix. The show is a hit worldwide, has made waves in key demographic areas for them, and has the potential to be a franchise that can be binge-watched endlessly. Perhaps some spin-offs could be lined up, as the show is primed for such a move. Fans have responded to the interpersonal and international drama, and The Diplomat hints that it is just getting started creatively. There is nothing but an upside for season two. The talent in front of and behind the camera seems to be getting along well, and there is a built-in fan base for the lead Kerri Russell dating back decades. With the unpleasantness of the WGA writer’s strike, many shows futures are up in the air. As luck would have it, there was a delay in filming season one of The Diplomat, so its premiere date was pushed back. There may have been a lot of work done on season two scripts that will allow the show to get some episodes done without much controversy. With strong word of mouth and the strength of season one, even if there is a delay, it will give new viewers a chance to catch up on the drama and intrigue of The Diplomat.
