The Diplomat review – nothing else on TV is as entertaining as this exquisitely stressful show
Keri Russell is still trying to stop a sea of berks who are one bad hair day away from starting a nuclear war – only this time, the cortisol levels and the sauciness have been ramped up even further The Russian submarine is on the fritz and as such remains at the bottom of the North Sea. Its fancy nuclear missile, meanwhile, has been purloined by the Americans in an operation presumably entitled Let’s Flush Our…
Key points
- The Diplomat returns for a fourth series, with Keri Russell's Kate Wyler again trying to prevent a major war.
- A stolen Russian nuclear missile and a stranded Russian submarine in the North Sea drive the season's central crisis.
- The review praises the cast and the show's mix of geopolitical tension and marital power games.
The Diplomat has returned for a fourth series, with Keri Russell again playing US ambassador to the UK Kate Wyler. The review says nothing else on television is as entertaining as this "exquisitely stressful" show.
The new season opens with a Russian submarine stuck at the bottom of the North Sea after a malfunction. Its nuclear missile has been taken by the Americans, and the review notes that UK prime minister Nicol Trowbridge, played by Rory Kinnear, is unaware of the theft.
The central crisis
Kate warns her husband Hal, the US vice president played by Rufus Sewell, that Russia will eventually discover the missile is gone. She predicts the Kremlin will "lose their shit" and attack the United Kingdom. The review says the situation is almost entirely the fault of US president Grace Penn, played by Allison Janney.
It’s dangerous . The two of you together, hurtling into the abyss
— Kate Wyler
Cast and tensions
At Windsor Castle, the Penns and Wylers argue after protesters block the M25 and divert their motorcade. Kate wants Hal to tell the president to inform the prime minister about the stolen weapon, but Hal refuses, calling her plan "dumb" and accusing her of jealousy.
The review praises the cast, including Bradley Whitford as Todd Penn and Aidan Turner as Callum Ellis. It says the show's small moments, especially the shifting power in the Wylers' marriage, are the most captivating.
