Netflix's 'The Diplomat' Is Officially as Perfect as It Gets in Season 4 | Review

In recent years, one underrated series that continues to earn buzz is Netflix's The Diplomat. The political thriller has quietly racked up 10 Emmy nominations, including two nominations for Best Drama Series. This September, Allison Janney broke through with a win for her performance in Season 3. The Television Academy is seeing what many general audiences haven't yet recognized: The Diplomat is one of the best political thrillers in decades.

With a trophy to its name, all eyes are now on The Diplomat's upcoming return. Not only does the show keep the same standard of excellence going, but Season 4 is arguably its best to date. In a sea of streaming shows fighting for your attention, The Diplomat has once again raised the bar, from the complexity of its characters to its addictive plot.

What Is 'The Diplomat' Season 4 About?

The Diplomat Season 4 picks up only moments after U.S. Ambassador Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) discovers that President Grace Penn (Janney) and her husband, VP Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell), have stolen Russia's superweapon, the Poseidon. It's a revelation that comes on the heels of Kate selling Prime Minister Trowbridge (Rory Kinnear) a lie in order to broker a deal between the U.S. and the UK — not to mention, she'd just patched up her marriage to Hal once again. With this new information weighing heavily on Kate, as well as a few political upheavals, the pressure on Kate's professional and personal lives has never been this intense. Season 4's main question becomes whether this pressure will transform her or make her crack beyond repair.

The closing scene of Season 3 is one of The Diplomat's best, and Season 4 had a tall task in following it up. Suffice it to say, Debora Cahn's political thriller rises to the occasion. From start to finish, The Diplomat Season 4 refuses to let up for a single second, only raising the intensity from episode to episode. Nearly every hour ends with shocking surprises, taking critical moments into overdrive.

'The Diplomat's Characters Are Given New Depth in Season 4

Image via Netflix

Russell's Kate Wyler is the core of The Diplomat, but the supporting cast steps up in new ways this season. Janney maintains a commanding presence as President Grace Penn, a role that could very well win her another Emmy based on this season. Meanwhile, after being elevated to a series regular, Bradley Whitford shakes up the status quo in Kate's world. As unassuming as he appears to be, the First Gentleman's desire to be helpful to his war-hawk wife could plunge Western alliances into chaos. Together, the world's most powerful couple rocks Kate's world and offers a sobering omen for Kate and Hal's future.

Meanwhile, Doctor Who star Jodie Whittaker is a welcome new addition to The Diplomat as savvy politician Bethan Vaughn, whose wit and intelligence shouldn't be underestimated. In her few scenes with Russell, Whittaker brings a shrewd sensibility to a character whose presence in the series signals a new chapter in U.S. and UK relations. Kate and Vaughn even have the potential to become the best of friends or the fiercest of rivals, depending on where loyalties lie.

Four seasons in, it's not unheard of for a series like this one to take some big narrative swings, but it can be a rarity. Thankfully, The Diplomat is bold enough to take that chance by bringing viewers inside the psyche of one specific character. Up until now, Kinnear's Trowbridge has been brash and narcissistic, wielding his authority without the intellectual foresight to make critical decisions on his own. Season 4, Episode 4's "Pagliacci" finally confirms how Trowbridge sees the world around him and himself. It's a testament to The Diplomat's overall strengths that it can make a brief departure that ultimately adds depth to a supporting character without detracting from the overall plot.

'The Diplomat's Core Relationships Are Even More Complex in Season 4

Kate and Hal Wyler have never had a conventional marriage. Very rarely have we seen them both at the same level of commitment to each other at the same time; yet, in spite of everything that stands between them (including the charms of a foreign secretary), they are perfect for each other. Although Hal has, in the past, been devoted to Kate, his allegiance is called into question in The Diplomat Season 4. For the first time, Hal is in a real position of power, one he could lose should he find himself at odds with the Commander in Chief. Despite remaining a loyal husband to Kate, the seduction of power is a mighty temptress for Hal this season.

Meanwhile, in the words of Barbie, Grace Penn is everything, and he's just Todd. With a genuine desire to help, the First Gentleman strives to find a useful place in his wife's political sphere, yet after a startling event shakes them both, Grace and Todd struggle to feel safe with each other. Grace refuses to rest, and Todd can't break through her walls. In the wake of new insecurities, Todd begins to poke and prod at Kate's marriage, creating another layer of drama in her inner circle.

Between two couples with marital strife, Eidra Park (Ali Ahn) and Stuart Hayford (Ato Essandoh) have had their own push-and-pull romance over the course of The Diplomat thus far. Where Eidra has hesitated to commit to something more serious in the past, she's willing to try for more in Season 4. Despite the heaviness of the politics shifting every episode around them, it's almost pure to see Eidra and Stuart attempt to move forward together in meaningful ways, especially since the series juxtaposes them against the Penns and the Wylers.

'The Diplomat' Season 4 Effectively Pushes Kate Wyler To Her Limit

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The Diplomat's return sees Kate Wyler's loyalties to her country tested like never before. Since the show's sophomore installment, Kate has been suspicious of Grace and her effectiveness as a world leader, while Season 3 forced the U.S. to reckon with its reputation as a global bully. Now in the fourth season, this point, as well as Kate’s skepticism, is driven further as diplomacy begins to fracture around her. The Diplomat has never held back from mirroring the current global political climate and the powers that be in Washington, D.C., but Season 4 makes the dangers Grace poses to the fragile peace with the rest of the Western world incredibly clear.

As the new season pushes Kate to her limits, Russell remains at the top of her game. Kate grapples with the compromises she's had to make and the gray areas she finds herself constantly in, and that crossroads is where Russell finds her sweet spot. This tension within her career and her marriage also results in one of The Diplomat's most climactic scenes to date, and it lands because of the Emmy nominee's incredible performance.

Coming off a near-perfect installment, The Diplomat raises the bar yet again with its best chapter to date. It builds on the foundation of three excellent seasons of character development and political intrigue while earning every explosive revelation over eight episodes, taking the series to a whole new level. Considering where the story ends this time around, a Season 5 renewal announcement should be right around the corner.

The Diplomat Season 4 premieres October 15 on Netflix.

The Diplomat

Season 4 is a complete elevation for The Diplomat on every level.

Release Date 2023 - 2023-00-00

Network Netflix

Showrunner Debora Cahn

Pros & Cons

• Keri Russell and the supporting cast bring their A-game.
• Every episode features a surprising revelation that raises the stakes.
• Jodie Whittaker is a welcome addition to the cast.
• The romantic relationships are as complex and compelling as the politics at play.