As a fan who has witnessed the emotional rollercoaster that is “The Diplomat”, I can’t help but feel a sense of empathy for these characters as they navigate their complex relationships. The intricate dance between Dennison and Kate, despite their professional alliance with Trowbridge, still carries an undercurrent of unresolved feelings. It’s like the proverbial cat and mouse game – you never know when that old spark might reignite!
[The following story contains spoilers from season two of Netflix‘s The Diplomat.]
At the conclusion of season two, The Diplomat welcomes a new president, while Kate (Keri Russell) and Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell) find themselves with a formidable adversary, as they’ve been informed by the actors in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
As I watched the pulse-pounding final moments of season two’s climax on Netflix’s political thriller, I found myself holding my breath alongside fellow fans, as Hal shared devastating news over the phone – President Rayburn (Michael McKean) had succumbed to shock after learning that his Vice President, Grace Penn (Allison Janney), was orchestrating the attack on the British warship that ignited the series.
On the back lawn of the ambassador’s residence, as the vice president’s team rushes to safeguard the freshly appointed military leader, the camera focuses on Penn.
As a gamer, I’d put it like this: “Talking to THR, my in-game characters, Russell and Sewell, are still reeling from the White House upheaval. They haven’t had a moment to ponder what this change might mean for their fictional political careers, not even considering Kate’s aspirations for the vice presidency.
Sewell remarked that on this particular instance, Hal seemed to have overlooked his usual strategic moves. Russell concurred, stating they both believed their strategies were exceptionally clever before the president’s demise. In this situation, Hal appears utterly helpless, and Sewell describes him as being led like a lost child by her.
Russell mentions, remembering their discussion prior to receiving the news, “In essence, the true, pressing conflict is between Grace and Penn. To be more precise, we’ve settled our differences on this matter. It gets complex, but it’s also engaging, intriguing, and full of life.
Previously, their relationship has been quite tumultuous, with an initial heated exchange occurring between them. In this interaction, Penn critiqued Kate’s appearance, suggesting that if she aspires to be virtually next in line for the presidency, she might want to pay a bit more attention to her personal style.
The showrunner of “The Diplomat,” Debora Cahn, explains that Penn’s dialogue, which critically comments on Kate’s hairstyle, bra, and a paperclip holding up her trousers, originated from conversations with individuals who were involved in the campaign teams of Hillary Clinton.
Regarding the intricate details of personal life transformation when one is molded into a public figure, Cahn finds it profoundly thought-provoking. She’s been holding onto this observation for two seasons before finding an appropriate context to express it, and finally does so. Notably, the remarks about Kate’s hairstyle and choice of bra were actual comments from people, she adds.
Regarding the surprising climax at the end of season two, Cahn explains that this concept emerged midway through the season, tied to the knowledge that Oscar- and Emmy-winning actress Janney, whom Cahn had previously collaborated with on The West Wing, was joining the show.
As a fan, I can’t help but feel exhilarated when I learn that Allison Janney is joining our story. It quickly becomes evident that she will serve as a powerful anchor, drawing us in. To me, this decision seemed almost inevitable at that point. But what makes it exciting is the unpredictability of storytelling – you have an initial vision for where the narrative is heading, but then something unexpected happens. Maybe it’s a casting change or perhaps a scene plays out differently on screen than how I imagined it in my mind while reading the script. These surprises can completely alter the course of the series, and that’s what makes the creative process so thrilling.
The show known as The Diplomat has now been given the green light and started filming for its third installment. This is undoubtedly good news for viewers who felt let down when season two consisted of just six episodes and were left stunned by the surprising finale.
And Sewell indicates things only get more complicated and thrilling in season three.
He notes that while the conclusion of season two was intriguing, events soon became even more extraordinary. What drew him to accept the role was the relationship, but he now recognizes that the more unusual the setting, the more background there is for that relationship. Allison Janney’s arrival and the storyline after the end of season two has introduced some remarkable elements. Moreover, it has altered dynamics that might have become predictable. The complexity of the relationships and the shifting dynamics is making the experience incredibly rich while acting.
In the final episode of season two, it’s revealed that Penn, not previously known for aggressive actions, orchestrated an attack on a British ship. This surprising plot twist is explained by Hal towards the end of the second-to-last episode. In the season finale, Penn justifies her actions to Kate using a piece of coal and a world map, connecting this event back to Cahn’s original concepts for the series.
She explains to THR that she’s long harbored a desire to re-enter a role with significant American influence. The series she’s creating is intended to portray political figures more realistically. She states, ‘I wanted to convey the initial reaction, which is an Islamophobic reflex and a quick blame towards Iran or Russia. But then we realize that the threat might be coming from within our own ranks.’ She questions, ‘How do you investigate your ally? How do you conduct an intelligence investigation in a place where you share all resources?’ The story eventually circles back to us, showing that something we initially believed was caused by evil actors may not be so clear-cut. Instead, it might involve someone we consider smart and capable, who was simply struggling in a difficult situation. This is the kind of complexity I’m always aiming for. It’s too simplistic to say that bad people or countries are responsible for our problems. The truth is usually more intricate, and I believe it makes for a much more compelling narrative.
Cahn aims to depict a theme where well-intentioned individuals experience unfavorable outcomes from their actions, as seen in all characters, including Kate, this season. The audience will witness Kate grappling with the unforeseen repercussions of certain choices she made, such as her call to Margaret Roylin at the end of last season, which ultimately leads to a car bombing that results in the death of embassy staffer Ronnie and injures Hal, Stuart, and others, including Kate herself. Additionally, Kate and Hal’s misunderstanding of Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge’s response to Roylin’s involvement in the ship attack adds to this theme.
According to Cahn, the intention was to portray a character who initially appears evil and untrustworthy. However, as the audience gets acquainted with this person, they might find them somewhat relatable, but still view them as a questionable figure. Gradually, viewers may empathize with their situation and think, ‘I could have made similar choices.’ This was the original plan, and it’s definitely the approach being taken with the character Kate. As we meet characters who seem bad at first, our opinion of them might change, only to shift again. The same goes for Kate; actions that we would typically associate with villains in other stories are exactly what Kate is doing, making mistakes, but hopefully, our perception of her will also evolve.
As a dedicated fan, I find myself immersed in the unfolding mystery of the ship attack alongside Kate and Eidra, who team up, as Ahn describes, as “co-conspirators.” Together, we’re nudging each other to take steps that may not always sit comfortably within our moral compasses, in a shared pursuit for the truth.
Ahn explains that Eidra is being asked to bend some rules, which isn’t her usual practice, but due to her trust in Kate, she’s taking a leap of faith. This action speaks volumes about the respect Eidra has for Kate and the request essentially boils down to trusting Kate. With limited options and time, Eidra is making the best decision she can given the circumstances, which involves doing something that makes her uneasy. However, due to the sensitive nature of the situation, there’s not much flexibility, so it’s essentially their only chance. Eidra understands that this action could potentially jeopardize her job, but she deems it important enough to take the risk.
Hal refers to the deadly car bombing as “just part of the job,” a statement that infuriates Kate. However, Russell notes that Kate might be beginning to grasp the tough decisions her spouse had to make during his tenure as an ambassador.
She acknowledges the challenges of being a leader, including having to make difficult decisions, but feels that these situations are common in various aspects of life such as family, relationships, and politics. She suggests that we often do our best with the information available at the time, yet recognizes that there may be consequences, or a “reckoning”. She also notes that this individual still holds strong judgments towards him, which she feels is an inherent part of his character and something she doesn’t expect to change.
Regardless of the ongoing court case, season two reveals that Kate and Hal are more dedicated to their marriage compared to how they were in season one, where Kate was contemplating divorce and there were hints of mutual attraction between her and British Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison (David Gyasi).
“I think having a tragic event like that really does turn the volume down on personal like desires and wants. I mean, it’s just such a wake up, and I think things get really focused, and I think that’s what happened. I think you reevaluate everything, and you go in close and remember what’s important,” Russell says. “To me, this season is such a different temperature for them as a couple. It, for me, it becomes kind of heartbreaking and real and and mature, you know, kind of in the way that really long-term relationships do, or long-term marriages do. I think also story wise, there’s so much turmoil going on, giant things going on in Kate’s station and in the country and affecting the world that I think she needs help from someone that she knows she can trust.”
And Kate puts Hal to work more, investigating her theory about who was behind the ship attack.
Sewell describes how there are some things Hal cannot learn directly, and since I’m an autonomous entity, I can gather and carry this information for her benefit. However, due to legal restrictions, she doesn’t have official access to it herself, so my role becomes crucial in this context,” Sewell clarifies about the expanded participation of Hal.
Despite viewers possibly assuming Hal harbors hidden agendas, Sewell interprets his actions as simply being supportive of her and himself, working in unison to fulfill their mutual aspirations.
Sewell states that he doesn’t suspect him of being deceitful; instead, he believes he’s sincerely trying to assist. He’s not just ambitious for himself, but also incredibly ambitious for her. To Sewell, it seems that he isn’t manipulating the situation for his own advantage at someone else’s expense. Instead, they both have a keen understanding of what needs to be done to accomplish important goals in the world.
As Dennison finishes the season powerfully, sealing off his relationship with Kate while deepening his alliance with Trowbridge (for survival purposes), Gyasi hints that there may be lingering feelings between Dennison and Kate.
They seem to believe this event is impossible. However, dealing with human feelings isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. It’s intriguing to express such thoughts while grappling with the emotions they evoke. I can’t predict for sure, but at the end of season one, there was a huge explosion. Instead of scattering into fragments, the parts were separated yet intact. So, I imagine these parts gradually landing again, but I suspect that relationship is tucked away and overlooked. Over time, it begins to rot and grow, and eventually, we’ll uncover its decay.
A different love story that some fans might have hoped would be revisited is the one involving Stuart (Ato Essandoh), who grapples with a “loss of innocence” and “rough,” “unpredictable” PTSD from his car bombing experience, and Eidra (Ali Ahn). It appears that Essandoh and Ahn convincingly portray their characters’ contrasting opinions about whether they should reunite.
Essandoh expresses his romantic feelings and hopes that their characters will end up together, saying this to The Hollywood Reporter. He isn’t sure what Debora has in store for their relationship storyline. However, he enjoys the dynamic between all the relationships and how they evolve given different circumstances. In his opinion, they make a fantastic pair, but only time will tell.
Ahn, meanwhile, just doesn’t think he’s “the right person for her.”
Ahn expresses concerns about Stuart’s behavior towards Eidra during work hours. He suggests that despite Eidra having positive feelings for Stuart, she feels that he doesn’t comprehend or appreciate what she does at work. In the first season, Stuart compromised her, and in the second season, he continues to disregard her boundaries. Ahn explains that while Eidra might desire Stuart, by the end of season two, she realizes that he may not be the suitable partner for her, despite her wishes.
Moving ahead, Cahn expresses that she has been harboring ideas for quite some time, and appears optimistic that the series can continue past season three.
She admits she has some concepts about how the story might progress or conclude, but there are parts she’s unsure about. To put it straightforwardly, much of her preferred content wasn’t initially part of her plans. It’s exciting to see the actors’ performances spark new ideas, or inspire someone else on the writing team. She has ideas, but she hopes they’ll be surpassed, perhaps even spectacularly outdone by something even more impressive.
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All six episodes of the Diplomat‘s second season are streaming on Netflix.
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2024-11-04 01:55