The Diplomat (2023)

Whitford’s casting speaks not only to the care and consideration that goes into each role, but the time and effort put into every aspect of one of the best shows on television. The Diplomat remains on top, even if its primary protagonist lives in a constant state of crisis.

Aside from an unearned character turn in the season finale that seems to come out of nowhere, “The Diplomat” delivers another great season of political intrigue mixed with character drama.

The Diplomat remains as electric as ever, thanks to the depth of its characters, intriguing plot, and ever-changing dynamics. It grabs you for its opening scene and doesn't let up until its finale.

Season 3 kept me on my toes, but never made me feel frustrated or confused – only thrilled to be along for the ride.

The Diplomat is still chockfull of cliffhangers designed to keep you clicking “next episode” into the wee hours of the morning, and a mid-season time-jump feels a bit jarring, if necessary. But the series retains its sobering depiction of the geopolitical machinations that keep the globe spinning, and, like The Americans, it understands that the political is almost always personal.

Despite lulls in the middle of the season, The Diplomat Season 3 is bookended by a series of stand-out episodes that makes the show a worthwhile watch for political junkies and casual fans alike.

Once again, creator and showrunner Debora Cahn (“The West Wing”, “Homeland”) squeezes the most salacious juice out of political intrigue and emotional fallout. The wit, power plays, and addictive drama don’t disappoint.

It’s a story about the messy intersection of love, work and the battle of the sexes, with a setting grand enough to heighten both the stakes and the eroticism. In Season 3, “The Diplomat” recommits to this core mission, a pivot that pays dividends.

But for all the global fractures taking place in this season of “The Diplomat,” the most troubling for viewers may be the one between husband and wife. Ms. Russell makes Kate, with whom everyone is in love, adorably impatient and endlessly resourceful. As is typical of the show, the Big Picture calamity is balanced by the Small Moment of humanizing tenderness. .... Ms. Russell is terrific, but she would be less so without Mr. Sewell.

The final two episodes see us hurtle towards a startlingly similar conclusion to last season, and there are moments where it begins to drag. But, on the whole, The Diplomat remains a treat.

It’s the sort of situation that could be the premise for a satire in the vein of The Death of Stalin although, rather than approaching farce, the streak of humour here is applied deftly.

Season 3 ends with yet another twist that leaves both Wylers in a new and potentially difficult position. Here’s hoping the show balances the emotional and political fall of it a bit more deftly next time around.