It’s been a quarter-century since Aaron Sorkin launched us to President Jed Bartlet and his senior workers on The West Wing, and to at the present time that continues to be one of the crucial rewatchable sequence in tv historical past. So after I heard that The Diplomat Season 3, premiering this fall on the 2025 TV schedule, would function a reunion between Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford, I knew I needed to see it. I’m now by Season 1, and I’m kicking myself for not moving into this Netflix sequence sooner.
The West Wing is such a comfort-watch for me. So far as I’m involved, there are few issues higher than Aaron Sorkin’s sensible, fast dialogue being delivered by sensible actors taking part in well-intentioned characters whose solely objective is to depart the world a little bit higher than they discovered it. The Diplomat doesn’t fairly rise to that degree of idealism, but it surely’s an excellent enjoyable journey that I in all probability ought to have gotten on earlier.
Allison Janney And Bradley Whitford Enjoying Spouses Excited Me As A West Wing Fan
In terms of political sequence basically, I’ve dipped greater than a toe into the style, having fun with exhibits like Scandal, Veep and Home of Playing cards however by no means trying to take the time to observe every little thing obtainable. Keri Russell’s sequence The Diplomat at all times fell on my checklist alongside issues like The Individuals and Designated Survivor as one thing I figured I’d get pleasure from however by no means was a precedence.
Then, hastily, The Diplomat grew to become a precedence. Allison Janney’s casting in Season 2 had gotten my consideration, however with Bradley Whitford becoming a member of Season 3 — as Janney’s character’s husband! — yeah, that sealed the deal.
I’ve now streamed the 8-episode first season with my Netflix subscription, and though neither of The West Wing actors have appeared but, I’m all-in for this thriller starring Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell.
The Diplomat Has Some Similarities To The West Wing, However It’s Nice In Its Personal Approach
I gained’t get into any spoilers about The Diplomat, however the story facilities round Keri Russell’s Kate Wyler, who unexpectedly will get appointed to function the US ambassador to the UK following an assault on a British plane service that killed dozens. She doesn’t understand it, however she’s additionally interviewing to take over as vice chairman of america.
There are undoubtedly components of the Netflix sequence that really feel like The West Wing — significantly once they get into the weeds of worldwide relations. Jargon is spit backwards and forwards throughout a convention desk and knowledge is rapidly delivered to Kate as she walks rapidly from one assembly to the following, walk-and-talk model. Each exhibits additionally inject loads of humor into in any other case critical or mundane conditions.
The Diplomat is a thriller, although, full with plot twists, tons of behind-the-scenes scheming and a significant cliffhanger on the finish of Season 1. Now, The West Wing has supplied among the finest cliffhangers in TV historical past, however I’m extra prone to really feel a way of satisfaction over some laws being handed on than to get bamboozled over who double-crossed whom to trigger a global incident.
I’d additionally argue that no relationship on The West Wing is as difficult, infuriating and satisfying because the one between Kate Wyler and her (generally estranged?) husband Hal.
The Diplomat Is Keri Russell’s Present, However Rufus Sewell Threatens To Steal It
Kate Wyler is type of a large number — she spills meals on her garments, she doesn’t give speeches, her hair is usually in every single place (Keri Russell’s hair is at all times its personal character, is it not?), and generally she doesn’t even attempt to conceal her hangover. I feel she’s nice, however it may be fairly onerous to compete with what Rufus Sewell is doing as Hal.
Hal Wyler is a former US ambassador himself, who has been politically hamstrung after calling the Secretary of State a struggle legal. As formidable as ever, although, he appears to at all times be about three steps forward of everyone else, enacting schemes to learn Kate or, extra typically, himself.
Simply as Hal constantly finds methods to upstage his spouse as he seemingly positions himself for a return to energy, Rufus Sewell does threaten to steal the present from Keri Russell at instances. He brings an vitality to each scene, as a result of it’s so onerous to know what he’s as much as, and what has he already accomplished that we gained’t learn about till later?
For example, Kate has already determined to divorce Hal, and he’s going together with it. Nonetheless, he additionally is aware of {that a} divorce would finish her possibilities of changing into VP, and he’d want to remain married anyway. How does she really feel about that? It’s tremendous difficult.
Romances Add A Layer To The Diplomat’s Characters That The West Wing Lacked
Kate and Hal’s chemistry is hearth, however so is her attraction to UK International Secretary Austin Dennison (David Gyasi). Within the eight episodes I’ve seen thus far, Keri Russell’s character is caught up in two “will they/gained’t they” conditions, and that is merely not one thing The West Wing ever spent an excessive amount of time with.
Certain, there was Josh Lyman and Donna Moss (Bradley Whitford and Janel Moloney), however they didn’t go previous inappropriate office flirtation till the very finish of the sequence (they usually actually misplaced their luster after they did get collectively).
CJ Cregg (Allison Janney) sporadically fought the chemistry between her and White Home correspondent Danny Concannon (Timothy Busfield) on the grounds of it being a battle of curiosity, and naturally we obtained some good moments between Martin Sheen’s President Bartlet and first girl Abbey (Stockard Channing) — “J’accuse mon petit fromage!”
Nonetheless, the best way the relationships in The Diplomat are weaved into the day-to-day happenings makes for a complete new layer of messy. As a result of along with Hal noticing the chemistry between his spouse and the UK international secretary, he additionally clocked Deputy Chief of Mission Stuart Heyford’s (Ato Essandoh) relationship with the CIA station chief.
The Forged Is Unimaginable, And I Haven’t Even Seen Allison Janney Or Bradley Whitford But
It ought to go with out saying, however I’ll say it anyway — The Diplomat’s solid is certainly a part of what makes this price watching. Keri Russell is even nominated for a 2025 Emmy Award after additionally receiving a nod final yr. You’ve additionally obtained Rory Kinnear because the prime minister, Michael McKean because the president and so many extra. I can undoubtedly see Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford becoming proper in.
It’s humorous to me that The West Wing is what lastly made me hit Play on The Diplomat, and I’m utterly bought on the present earlier than both of the 2 Aaron Sorkin gamers even make an look. I do know showrunner Debora Cahn was afraid casting Whitford would flip her present right into a “West Wing cowl band,” however I’ve to suppose there are extra individuals like me who will discover The Diplomat by that.
I’ll undoubtedly be tuning into Season 3 when it hits the 2025 Netflix schedule on Thursday, October 16 (after I watch the 6-episode second season, after all), and after I do, it is going to be as a result of I’m into the present, not JUST due to The West Wing reunion.