The Diplomat Season 4: What to Expect as Keri Russell's Kate Wyler Faces a Nuclear Crisis
Reviews of The Diplomat's fourth season are in, and Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell have teased the new run. Here is what the sources say about the plot, cast and tone.
Why people are searching for it
The Diplomat is back, and the first reviews and cast interviews have landed.
The reviews paint a picture of a show that is still tense, funny and very hard to look away from. The Guardian called it "exquisitely stressful" and said nothing else on TV is as entertaining. The AFR's Terry Pontikos gave it four stars.
What the story looks like
According to The Guardian's review, the new season picks up with a Russian submarine stranded at the bottom of the North Sea. Its nuclear missile has been taken by the Americans. The British prime minister, Nicol Trowbridge (Rory Kinnear), does not know. The Russians do not know either, at least for now.
Kate Wyler, the US ambassador to the UK, fears Russia will come for its weapon and attack the United Kingdom. She wants her husband Hal, who is the US vice president, to push President Grace Penn (Allison Janney) to come clean to the British. Hal does not want to.
The early scenes are set at Windsor Castle. The Penns and Wylers are diverted there after protesters block the M25. The reviewer says the episode includes snipers, security breaches and Russians muttering about the fall of the west.
The marriage at the centre
The Guardian says the show's real hook is still the small stuff. That means shifting power and the long game of "4D chess" that is the Wylers' marriage.
In the review, Kate is jealous of Hal's closeness to Grace and of his globe-trotting job, while she is stuck in rainy London. She is also envious of Grace's husband Todd (Bradley Whitford) and of spy Callum Ellis (Aidan Turner).
What the stars say
Russell, 50, told Australia's Today show that she does not usually watch her own projects. The Diplomat is the exception: "This I actually do watch, I love it so much."
Russell and Sewell also said that, like viewers, they learned the season's twists bit by bit. The scripts "trickled out" slowly. They promised an impressive season. Their full interview with Richard Wilkins is on Nine.com.au.
Cast and crew
The AFR lists Ato Essandoh, Ali Ahn and Nana Mensah among the cast, alongside the names above. Alex Graves and Liza Johnson directed. Janice Williams and Russell are executive producers.
What it means for you
If you plan to watch, the reviews suggest a fast-moving political thriller that leans on the central marriage as much as on the geopolitics. The sources we have do not detail the season's wider cast changes, so go in knowing the biggest twists are still under wraps.
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Quick answers
Who stars in The Diplomat season 4?
Keri Russell plays Kate Wyler and Rufus Sewell plays Hal Wyler. They are joined by Rory Kinnear, Allison Janney, Bradley Whitford, Aidan Turner, Nana Mensah and others.
Is The Diplomat season 4 well reviewed?
Yes. The Guardian praised it as the most entertaining show on TV, and the AFR gave it four stars.
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