‘The Diplomat’ Season 2 Review: Keri Russell Battles Shifting Power Dynamics in Netflix Drama’s Excellent Return

“The Diplomat” Season 2 is the bastard lovechild of “The West Wing,” Armando Iannucci’s British political satires and his American “Veep.” Whip-smart, psychologically insightful and sexy without sleaze, the series created by Debora Cahn is only getting better as it speeds into its second lap on Netflix this Halloween. The streamer has already greenlit a third season, signaling an awareness of the show’s quality and that audiences are tuning in.

Season 1 left the idealistic Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) hanging by a thread or, actually, a lit fuse. Her rickety marriage to master gamesman and former Ambassador Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell) was unraveling. Then, a London car bomb sent Hal to hospital in critical condition in a stunning series cliffhanger. Does her husband survive?

That final shocker raised the interpersonal stakes and exploded diplomatic relations between the US, Britain and Russia, the alleged dark force believed to be responsible for the explosion on land, while compounding the deadly torpedoing of a British warship.

Hal’s near-death experience (no spoiler here as Netflix has already blabbed) ratchets up the dynamics of the Wylers’ power couple marriage. There has always been an “A Star is Born” dynamic to the pair. He’s older, wiser and wilier. And out of power, which suits him not at all. She’s a rising diplomat driven to practice her skills on war-torn soil, not the posh wool carpeting cushioning the British government. In her mind, she’s a war photographer suddenly snapping celebrity covers.

One of the show’s strengths is the dissection of power dynamics in a modern marriage. The Wylers’ partnership functions very well on some levels, disastrously on others. Trust is a big issue both for the pair and the diplomatic circles in which they run. Their needs and wants from each other – whether emotional, sexual or strategic – are in constant flux. It’s fascinating to watch and game out, particularly because Russell and Sewell have such profound chemistry and connection.

Since it’s her story, the less-experienced Ambassador Wyler must learn to navigate behind bedroom doors and in the corridors of power. How does she exploit her individual strengths (charm, intelligence, directness), and how do expectations differ for a woman in the vortex of power? In short, what can she get away with both personally and professionally? And, if her husband truly has her back, does she need him to protect her in the international snake pit? Or is he expendable — especially once her relationship with British Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison (David Gyasi) starts to sizzle.

An element introduced from the beginning is that a vacuum exists back in the White House. President William Rayburn (Michael McKean) seeks to oust Vice President Grace Penn (Allison Janney), apparently for the sins of her husband. And part of this bigger game is testing Kate out in England to see if she’s VP material, and if she’s open to a vice-presidential makeover. Her husband is all for it, which makes her even more suspicious of the opportunity.

The second season gets a big jolt when the Vice President’s chopper arrives at an English country manor amidst an international crisis implicating impulsive Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge (Rory Kinnear). It’s immediately clear that Penn is a self-possessed political animal. Hal takes one look at her and, to paraphrase, tells Kate: ‘She knows.’ His intuition, if he can be trusted, is an asset. But, again, can he be trusted? What are his ulterior motives?

With a big personality and a presidential polish, Penn arrives to bigfoot the diplomatic crisis while checking out her competition. In a notable private exchange, the VP calls out Kate on her ambitions and literally dresses her down. She schools Kate that if she wants to ascend to the White House, she has to dress the part. Wear unsensible shoes, she advises, ditch the dreary no-name black suits, and jettison the “bedhead” that is the younger woman’s signature don’t-give-a-fuck, take-me-seriously-for-who-I-am-not-my-hair look.

In its second season, “The Diplomat” weaves workplace drama with international thriller relying on complex characters dynamically portrayed by a terrific ensemble. Ultimately, the series upholds Sir Winston Churchill’s maxim: “Diplomacy is the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip,” which is also a wonderful formula for a divinely bingeable show.

“The Diplomat” Season 2 premieres Thursday, Oct. 31, on Netflix.

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