Keri Russell series should be new “West Wing”

18 months have passed since then The diplomat celebrated its splashy debut on Netflixbut the Keri RussellThe political drama led by the US director is not neglected in its second year either. The season two premiere begins just moments after the explosive cliffhanger in which a car bomb puts four people in danger. Depending on how well you remember the series' thorny web of international intrigue from the United Kingdom, you may want to “jump right back in!” Quality may or may not be a good thing. For future binge-watchers, however, the show's seamless continuity is the ultimate diplomatic gift.

For those who need a refresher, the first season follows Russell's outrageously smart, endearingly sleazy American ambassador Kate Wyler as she goes from serious long-term work in Afghanistan to a high-profile gig in the UK. In between, she takes care of her egotistical ex-ambassador husband Hal (Rufus Sewell), befriends her idealistic deputy Stuart Hayford (Ato Essandoh), flirts with the handsome British Foreign Secretary (David Gyasi), and considers an offer to step in as Als Next Vice President of the United States, Kate's main task was to find out who had bombed a British aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf.

After ruling out Iran and Russia, Kate eventually came to the shocking realization that the attack may have been a false flag operation carried out by trigger-happy British Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge (Rory Kinnear) – an idea She barely had time for the trial before learning that Hal and Stuart were involved in the car explosion.

The aftermath of the bombing and the question of Trowbridge's involvement form the backbone of the second season, although international intrigue like the first season is only part of the series' recipe for success. While The diplomat Although everyone has a genuine interest in the conversational work of diplomacy, the secret to the series' success is that it also has a flair for it Fun about it. Essentially, The diplomat is closed The West Wing What Grey's Anatomy is closed HE– a sexier, lighter riff on a familiar genre, with an endearingly chaotic female lead to back it up.

In fact, it makes perfect sense that creator/showrunner Debora Cahn has dabbled in writing for both Grays And The West Wing, as well as a break Hometown. The diplomat is in the perfect middle of these three shows, and although season 2 is a little harder than the first, it hasn't lost the crucial core of fun. In between intense discussions about world politics, Kate takes a moment to gush that a romance between two of her colleagues is “the sweetest sex thing I've ever heard!”

Russell is as delightful as ever in the lead role, and after most of Season 1's juicy banter was devoted to Kate's relationships with the men in her life, Season 2 sees a compelling dynamic between Kate and the deadpan CIA station chief Eidra Park (Agatha all the timeis Ali Ahn). The two women fit together beautifully in their no-nonsense approach to international espionage. Even though Hal and especially Stuart are somewhat underserved by this season's shorter episode order (six instead of eight), it's nice to have a new female friendship in the mix.

If Season 2 has a fundamental flaw, it's that jumping right back into the same old plot makes things feel less fresh after a while. The middle of the season in particular gets lost in the mystery as it delves deep into the details of who knew what and when they knew it (be prepared for a lot of discussion about the Scottish independence movement). But in the final two episodes, the series gets a welcome breath of fresh air when Allison Janney appears as Vice President Grace Penn, the much-talked-about woman whose job Kate may be aspiring to.

While Janney's presence does that West Wing The mood is even more palpable, Grace is a touchier character than CJ Gregg. Her icy blonde bob and elegant, colorful pantsuits suggest a politician who values ​​style over substance. But she has a deft touch with soft power and a subtle sense of influencing her allies without them knowing she's doing it. Above all, she's a fantastic contrast to Kate, who can barely dress without making an international fashion faux pas. The question of whether these two very different women will turn out to be friends or enemies creates particular tension in the final two episodes of the season.

Although The diplomat Although Janney experiments with a more serious tone this season, Janney's storyline reinforces that the show is at its best when it's a little wackier: an apple pie contest at a colorful Fourth of July party, or a politician in a ballgown pulling out a giant map give an impromptu lesson in geopolitics. After the weightier bombshell story, it's a joy to watch The diplomat fully returning to his playfulness in the second half of the season. The fact that Netflix announced Renewing the show's third season ahead of its second season premiere feels like a testament to the strength of Janney and Russell's chemistry and the potential to do more with it in the future. Quote The West Wing, “What’s next?”