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

Just revisiting this thread after watching Season 2 which I really enjoyed. @tribpot, our suspicions were right! @PastorCarrBonarra, I think the character is written that way - her lack of polish is a personal choice because she thinks she’s above it all.
I want Hal and Kate to stay together because in spite of all their trust issues, I think they make a good couple. But the way they constantly inadvertently sabotage each other is hilarious!

I think Kate’s character is written as someone who is essentially a nerd but not a politician or a diplomat.

I haven't watched Season 2 @Viewer23 - but only because I'm doing a Season 1 rewatch first. I watched the recap and thought 'nope, that doesn't make enough sense'. So am half way through the rewatch, alas having roped DH into it as well, who struggles to follow any twisty plots (and genuinely seems unable to comprehend that Winfield House isn't the White House, not helped by the first time he saw it was when the President was visiting - and the fake Winfield House looks more like the White House than the real one does).

Just finished S2, I thought it was great.

Oooooh, I LOVED that! Aside from all the twists and turns, it was such a treat to have CJ Cregg and Elizabeth Jennings, I mean Alison Janney and Keri Russell, sharing scenes😍🤩

What did you think about the Ronnie storyline? Hal didn’t seem bothered that it was his fault Ronnie was there for the explosion. And the whole empty desk thing got annoying.

I really enjoyed it! Very happy to see there will be a series 3

Right, I'm now up-to-date and to his credit DH watched the whole season too. His prediction is that the new Pres will make Kate VP but this seems less likely to me than Kate being sent on a hardship posting to somewhere dreadful.

Obvs it was the highlight of the season (nay series) to have Allison Janney in it, and with the promise of her return next season as well. Incredible twists and turns all the way through. My only criticism is not to have made more of Lady Macbeth / Mrs Trowbridge. Why introduce her as a power behind the throne and then not do more with her? I genuinely thought she was going to turn out to be behind the plot.

Loved the shock ending, it'd be nice to think that Hal will even feel remorse for it but you know he'll just be looking for another way to turn it to his advantage.

Well, season 2 got better and better, didn't it?

Not often you get a genuine shock ending these days. Loved it.

@tribpot yes I thought the twist was going to be that it was Trowbridge's wife at one point!

I've just finished it, that was so good. Lots of shouting at the telly 😁, what an ending!
Hal needs to stay because I love him.

Agree there wasn’t enough Mrs Trowbridge, who is actually married to Rory Kinnear irl.

Does anyone else find Stewart and Eidra annoying? And agree the desk bit was overdone.

Just finished series 2 - DH and I just looked at each other and said it was bonkers. But are looking forward a lot to series 3. It's so ridiculous it's great. And the houses they use are amazing!

The scenes in Scotland were filmed at Inveraray castle. Well worth a visit for the scenery and walking.

And I loved Keri Russell in The Americans.

The locations are absolutely stunning, aren't they?

I preferred season 2 to the first season. I loved Allison Janney in it.

Me too @SnappyGreyLemur , although I enjoyed Season 1 more when I did a rewatch before starting on Season 2.

Just finished season 2 and so glad I stuck with it, nearly gave up mid-way through S1.

I loved S2 despite some of the story lines being a bit unbelievable. The acting, script and locations are amazing.

Thought there would be a longer thread on it tbh.

Did anyone else hear the evening cicadas? Can't figure out if I was dreaming, or is the chirping of insects a regular thing in the south?

Yes I did @DogDaysNeverEnd when she walked to meet her friend in the cottage and thought it odd as we don’t have those in the south of the uk.

So now what for Kate?

She was so outraged at what Roylin had done but then when Penn explained it could see her pov?

And how she started "dressing the part".

There's surely a middle ground between what looked like stilettos that she threw down the stairs & whatever else she had been wearing day to day & bed hair vs a bun!

Just been catching up on this and really enjoyed it.

Given Hal's awesome powers of killing presidents over the phone, can we get Rufus Sewell to phone Trump?

What does everyone think of Series 3? It’s a pacy first episode! Saving episode 2 for the weekend.

Loved series 3, even though it is eve more unbelievable than series 2. Hal is more nuanced but the diplomat herself comes across as too much of a hothead to be believable in her role: aside from jumping on Dennison, the security implications of discussing what the president may or may not do with the young chap who has underground contacts around the world…

is anyone else finding it odd how much we see of the diplomat dressing/undressing/grooming?