The Diplomat

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Keri Russel in The Diplomat

A binge-worthy political thriller created by Debora Cahn, The Diplomat's third season was released last month on Netflix. Keri Russel portrays Katherine (Kate) Wyler, a veteran diplomat who becomes the Ambassador to the United Kingdom during an international crisis. Season one received critical acclaim in 2023 for its writing, pacing, and especially the acting of Russel and her costar, Alison Janney (playing Vice President Grace Hagen Penn).

Compared to The West Wing (on which Cahn was a writer/producer), The Diplomat's first season has an 84% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, and that percentage has gone up every season, topping at 94% for its third season released on October 16, 2025. The team at Netflix has announced a fourth season.

The plot of The Diplomat rushes along at break-neck speeds, often defying credibility. However, you can ignore these contrivances, because the writing and acting are so strong that it won't spoil your enjoyment of this tense television series.

Rufus Sewell (playing Russel's husband, Hal Wyler, former ambassador to Lebanon and Iraq) is an award-winning masterful actor, and his casting as Russel's husband (and often her antagonist) is brilliant. Other costars include David Gyasi as Austin Dennison, UK Foreign Secretary; Ali Ahn as Eidra Park, CIA London Station Chief; and Bradley Whitford as Todd Penn, Grace Penn's husband ----- A nice pairing considering his and Janney's history on The West Wing.

The Diplomat is one of the greats, deserving every one of the five out of five stars.

Cast (Main)

Keri Russell as Katherine "Kate" Wyler

Rufus Sewell as Hal Wyler

David Gyasi as Austin Dennison

Ali Ahn as Eidra Park

Rory Kinnear as Nicol Trowbridge

Ato Essandoh as Stuart Hayford

Allison Janney as Grace Hagen Penn

Bradley Whitford as Todd Penn

Nana Mensah as Billie Appiah

Cast (Recurring)

Celia Imrie as Margaret "Meg" Roylin

Miguel Sandoval as Miguel Ganon

Michael McKean as William Tresselt "Bill" Rayburn

T'Nia Miller as Cecilia Dennison,

Adrienne Warren as CIA officer

Rosaline Elbay as Nora Koriem

Alysia Reiner as Special Agent Ivy Griffin

Aidan Turner as Callum Ellis