The Diplomat - Netflix - SPOILERS

[tribpot]

Right, do not read until you have finished watching The Diplomat with Kerri Russel and Rufus Sewell as it CONTAINS SPOILERS.

Thread for anyone who hasn't seen it is here: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/telly_addicts/4788920-the-diplomat-on-netflix-anyone-watching

It was amazing

I enjoyed it - thoroughly ridiculous of course, but great scenery, some fantastic lines, and some fab actors.

It was showing its age rather badly by having a Boris Johnson-style PM, and the instigator of the attack on the war ship was utterly preposterous. Who has survived? No-one was that close except for poor Ronny.

I thought the red dress scene in Paris was a bit too 'She's All That' with Kate transformed by the simple act of brushing her hair and slapping on a bit of lippy.

I do wonder why one of the least diplomatic people in the world was given the position, surely they could have found something more suited to her skillset to do in order to groom her as a possible VP?

And as someone noted on the other thread, how does the show end, do they have to string out her appointment as VP for as long as possible since the show's title will cease to make sense?

I thought it was fab. Absolutely binged it and loved it. There are definitely silly bits but I thought it was great. Really hoping for a second season.

As people have said in the other thread, it'll be interesting to see where it goes. Will she make a play for the VP or not. Will she stay with Hal or see where things go with Dennison. (I'm making a broad presumption that Hal survived the blast)

I enjoyed it. But I really do like Keri Russell. I liked the casting on this show in general

I don’t think she will become the VP just yet in season 2, I think the shock revelation of season 1 will take up a lot of the plot and she will stay in London.
Does anyone think Maggie advised the PM to take the action he did? Or was at least in the know? I feel Kate’s conversation with her about Hal’s meeting with the MP may have triggered something…

Yes, good point @Viewer23 it seems highly likely that Maggie at least knew about it - and that she and the PM were tipped off about the need to dispose of the MP by Kate's phone call.

I've just finished it, I found it entertaining and enjoyable. Some bits of the dialogue were quite witty.

I enjoyed it. Don't get the marriage / Hal character at all, so hopefully a decent backstory will emerge that explains it all.

Definitely her fault that she told Maggie & then the bombing!

I really enjoyed it. I think Hal will survive, but possibly injured, meaning she can't divorce him, and it gives her the sympathy vote re: the vice presidency. The tension with Dennison will continue (he's hot, but so is RS)
I think Stuart will die, particularly as he broke up with his GF, Eriska or something.
Hal says Ronnie will be leading the place one day, so maybe that was a signal, she survives and fills Stuart's shoes.
It would cause uproar if they got rid of the non binary character.
OMG, the PM did it, I didn't see that coming. And good shout to whomever said Maggie must have got an unintended tip off from Kate.
The MP must have arrived in his car, no bomb, but there was a bomb when he left to go to his car.
Did Hal know about the bomb....Hal seems to know everything....
when is season 2?

I enjoyed it, not least because Rufus! His character is nicely complex and I rather liked that he’s manipulating her to get what he really wants (Secretary of State). However, aside from him, Celia’s character and the PM, the others are really not credible. There’s no way someone as unserious as Kate would be in the position she’s in - not a chance. She behaves like RF’s errant teenage daughter, not one of the world’s most senior diplomats.

As soon as I saw Rufus Sewell in it I had to watch. Love love love him!
My daughter watched it for a few minutes and said : is she supposed to look like a mess? Considering Keri has the most lovely curly hair I can't stand how her hair in this always looks so awful, and they rather overplay the 'I'm a serious politician with no time for the dressing up bit' when politician must attend these black tie events and make nice for the cameras quite a bit.
That really is the house of the US diplomat - Wowsa.

So, not sure if this counts as a spoiler or not but thought I'd better post it on the Spoiler thread to be sure - The Diplomat renewed for season 2.

Overall I enjoyed it although it was ludicrous.

Didn't particularly like Keri Russell in it but loved Rufus Sewell.

I had thought that Maggie was behind the bomb because when Kate told her that Hal was meeting Grove she knew that the truth would out?

I quite liked it, didn't see that ending coming which is unusual for me with this type of thing.

"The MP must have arrived in his car, no bomb, but there was a bomb when he left to go to his car".

Bit late coming to the thread but why would you blow someone up after they had divulged what was going on? Just one of the many plot holes I guess. Great series, nicely paced and lots of clever people

Just finished watching!!

oh my god I bloody loved it!!!

Also did anyone hear the Dolphin 3-6 transmission in the final credits?? Dolphin is usually a reference to a submarine…. So why the transmission?

Absolutely brilliant. OH couldn't stand their awful table manners, eating with their hands rather than cutlery

Those who compared it to West Wing on this thread/the other one may be interested to know that Allison Janney will be in Season 2. Spoiler alert - this link contains details of other actors who are returning for S2, so don’t read it if you don’t want to know the outcome of what happened in the final ep of S1.

https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/the-diplomat-season-2-netflix-cast-allison-janney-1235887710/

I liked it but I didn’t love it. Great actors, very stylish, witty. But Keri’s Kate didn’t ring quite true for me, she was obviously extremely intelligent - but a bit too frazzled. She put me in mind of my mates and me - she channelled a GP or a high street solicitor who’d just dropped her whiney kids off at school, not a very senior diplomat who was in the frame for VP and one of the most influential Americans in Europe. The character needed to be a bit more polished I think. It’s possible do that without making her especially interested in frocks and cosmetics. They did it with Allison in WW and with Clare Danes in Homeland.

Unclear why an ex CIA person like Kate would’ve trusted Celia Imrie’s Maggie with info about her husband’s planned meeting, given what she knew of Maggie’s prior treatment of the Dennisons.

Does it say when Season 2 will be on?

I enjoyed it. It was mostly ridiculous but fabulous TV.

I am so excited they've cast Allison Janney for season 2. She is wonderful.

Very astute casting - I probably wouldn't have bothered with a season 2 as it was so ludicrous, but will definitely watch for the sublime Allison Janney.

It just says, “2024”. I saw autumn mentioned on another site.

I loved it! Really want Dennison and Kate to somehow get together. I like that she has meltdowns and isn’t always calm, I can’t imagine the pressure in that world.

Season 2 is out and so so good.
No spoilers but I just binged it. Left wide open for season 3

I've binged it. I enjoyed it but I hope to god that is not how embassys/governments work. I did love the last scene where all the staffers come running down the steps into the lawn. Thought it was hilarious. And Hals face after the zoom call with PotUS. Janey was excellent value