One of the best Netflix shows of 2023 has finally dropped its second season, and viewers have sent it straight to the No. 1 spot just days after its release on October 31.
Clearly, I wasn't the only one waiting for "The Diplomat" season 2 to arrive. The first installment was an intriguing, explosive slice of political drama that was packed full of twists and revolved around a brilliantly compelling lead. It also happened to end with a killer cliffhanger, and I've been desperate to find out what's in store for Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) ever since.
Judging by the reaction to the second season, this new, six-episode chapter has kept that momentum going and drawn plenty of viewers in all over again. If you're yet to check the show out for yourself, I'd add my voice to the early reviews: make some time to stream "The Diplomat" season 2.
Need a little more info before you add it to your Netflix watchlist? Well, here's what you need to know about "The Diplomat" season 2, including a sample of what critics have been saying about this excellent Netflix thriller.
What is 'The Diplomat' season 2 about?
"The Diplomat" is a Netflix political thriller created by Deborah Cahn, who has previously written for "The West Wing" and "Homeland". The show centers on Kate Wyler, a career diplomat reassigned from her post in Kabul to become the new U.S. ambassador to the U.K., following orders from President William Rayburn (Michael McKean) during an international crisis: a British warship has been attacked, leaving over 41 sailors dead.
She heads across the pond with her husband (and fellow political star), Hal (Rufus Sewell), and sets about negotiating another high-stakes political world and all the challenges and political pageantry that it brings. As you might expect, new strategic partnerships are forged, everyone's relationships are tested, and some big secrets are revealed across the season.
"The Diplomat" season 2 follows the first's quite literally explosive ending, and finds Kate trying to move forward through all the fallout. She and British Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison (David Gyasi) have learned a major revelation about the attack, and she's got to figure out who she can trust as she continues to negotiate this political minefield. And as if the gig wasn't tough enough already, she also faces a new obstacle in the form of U.S. Vice President, Grace Penn (Allison Janney).
Should you stream 'The Diplomat' season 2?
Look, I already made it clear that I would recommend "The Diplomat" season 2, but I'm far from the only person who says it's worth a watch. At the time of writing, the series has a 92% critics' rating on the review aggregate site, Rotten Tomatoes, from a total of 26 reviews.
The site's consensus reveals what you might expect from my glowing recommendation, and that high score: "The Diplomat" is a real good watch. It reads: "Maintaining explosive momentum with Keri Russell as the arresting eye of the storm, "The Diplomat"'s sophomore season solidifies it as among television's most entertaining dramas."
IndieWire's Ben Travers called the show "dumb-fun executed with keen acuity", adding: "“The Diplomat” is proof that prestige dramas don’t have to strive to do too much, and that frothy entertainment doesn’t have to settle for less. There’s a happy middle-ground — even in a political show, even in a political show being released right now — that’s challenging and enjoyable, considered and carefree."
The Guardian's Jack Seale was even more positive; he gave the Netflix show a 5-star rating, and confidently said: ""The Diplomat" should slot effortlessly into any list of the best dramas of the year".
Finally, in his Vanity Fair review, critic Richard Lawson praised the season as "good fun", writing: "A prodigious brain whirs at the center of The Diplomat, which elevates the show above much of its Netflix kin. The series satisfies a perhaps previously unknown itch for something higher-grade than mere streaming chum, but not so demanding as a dense, cerebral premium-cable series."
Not sold on "The Diplomat" season 2? Well, check out our round-ups of the best shows like "The Diplomat" and the overall best Netflix shows for even more streaming recommendations.
