The third season of The Diplomat continues to deliver a high-stakes political thriller that demands a complete suspension of disbelief. The drama, which follows a US ambassador to the UK who becomes entangled in presidential and state department affairs, is frequently excellent and erudite, but any scrutiny of its plot points can cause it to crumble. However, when viewed as a spicy geopolitical soap opera, it is highly entertaining.
The season picks up after a car bomb that injured Kate's on-off husband Hal, while British PM Nicol Trowbridge remains furious about Tory fixer Margaret Roylin's false-flag operation. Kate knows that Roylin acted on behalf of US vice-president Grace Penn, whose job Kate was eyeing. In the season two finale, President Rayburn died, leaving Penn to step up and create a vacancy for VP. Kate expects to be chosen, but Penn instead selects Hal, a noted manchild, who promises to find something for Kate to do.
What follows is an increasingly ludicrous tale as Kate attempts to remain ambassador while also performing second lady duties in Washington. She struggles to juggle both roles, missing meetings with the CIA director due to poor scheduling. The arrangement is described as 'a cockamamie arrangement' by the White House chief of staff. Kate also gains a boyfriend, played by Aidan Turner, while a new military threat emerges.
Performances are excellent, particularly from West Wing alums Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford, who reconnect with showrunner Debora Cahn. Janney plays Penn, and Whitford plays her husband Todd, who stifles frustration beneath a rictus grin. Keri Russell masterfully conveys defeat, stress and anger simultaneously. The supporting cast, including Ato Essandoh and Ali Ahn, also deliver strong performances, and more is revealed about Kate and Hal's marriage, contextualising earlier plot points.
The final two episodes hurtle towards a conclusion similar to the previous season, maintaining the show's pattern of high tension and implausible twists.
