As a long-time admirer of well-crafted narratives that delve into the complexities of human relationships and political intrigue, I found myself utterly captivated by the latest episode of “The Diplomat“. The tender moments between Stuart and Ronnie, despite their impending divorce, were heartwrenching – a testament to the enduring bonds that transcend marital disagreements. Their storyline added depth and nuance to each character, making them feel more real than mere screen personas.
Greetings once more to “The Diplomat”! Here, career U.S. foreign service officer Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) finds herself in a constant juggling act, attempting to handle numerous international incidents and personal crises, all while serving as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Netflix series’ first season effectively conveyed our support for Kate, understanding that she is an exceptionally capable yet chaotic figure for whom achieving a healthy work-life balance is an unattainable goal.
It’s worth mentioning that Kate usually found herself more devoted to her career than to Hal (Rufus Sewell), who is both intelligent and perceptive but also demanding. They had thought that when Kate was appointed as an ambassador, following years of working on staff at Hal’s postings, it would be a suitable time for them to part ways amicably. However, this plan was made before they realized that Kate wouldn’t be stationed in Kabul, but somewhere else. Additionally, there was a twist when Hal, in true Hal fashion, collaborated with White House Chief of Staff Billie Appiah (Nana Mensah) and Kate’s Deputy Chief of Mission Stuart Hayford (Ato Essandoh). Their plan was to use Kate’s ambassadorship as a trial run for the position of Vice President, a role that would soon be vacant. This scheme, however, was being carried out without Kate’s knowledge. You might wonder how things could possibly go awry in such a situation?
Title “A Stranger Calls” continues right from where Season 1 ended, with Kate and suave British Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison (David Gyasi), now in Paris, having just concluded an enthralling evening at a gala at the Louvre. Their attraction had been building over eight episodes, and it seemed they were about to consummate their relationship soon. However, there was a minor obstacle: they needed to verify their growing suspicion that British Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge was responsible for hiring Russian mercenary Roman Lenkov to attack HMS Courageous. Nothing major to worry about!
Sadly, the car bomb detonating in central London, specifically near Hal, British MP Merritt Grove (Simon Chandler), and Stuart along with his deputy Ronnie Buckhurst (Jess Chanliau), has now become the main concern for their intense efforts and resources aimed at collecting information.
Behind their urgent attempts to identify survivors and potential perpetrators of the attack, there’s a growing suspicion towards Trowbridge. How do you navigate a crisis, disseminate information, and maintain a lengthy, unique alliance with a head of government who might have involved his cabinet member and U.S. Ambassador in a power play to clean up France while he was issuing similar orders at home? If Lenkov perishes during arrest, all the information he could provide about who hired him will be lost forever.
This is quite a vat of Marmite to trudge through. It’s the first crisis since they met that Kate and Dennison can’t work on together, not least because while Hal, Stuart, and Ronnie survived the initial explosion, they’re all injured very badly, and are being treated at a hospital that Kate has convinced Eidra Park (Ali Ahn) to restrict access to. Kate has to be just as much Hal’s next of kin as she is the U.S. Ambassador, and Dennison has to tread very carefully while continuing to gather information to support or disprove Trowbridge’s guilt.
As Dennison and Kate prepare to return to London, he confides in her about another troubling twist: if his government was behind the bombing, it’s unclear where to begin untangling the conspiracy. However, when funds from Russian sources were funneled to the Conservative Party, the one who handled those transactions was the late right honorable Merritt Grove. Couldn’t it be intriguing and useful to find out if Trowbridge himself received any of those donations?
Kinnear’s character as Trowbridge remains the same – boisterous, quick-witted yet volatile, with an impressive grasp of literary and historical references, but prone to outbursts rather than providing useful insights or questions. However, in this new season, we encounter a fresh character who holds significant sway over him. She’s as unfazed by his loudness as he is by her quietness, comfortably seated in an armchair while occasionally pausing from scrolling on her phone to deliver stern commands. “Quiet down,” she tells him, followed by a command to sit. In this crisis, if he’s so concerned and eager to gather everyone around him, she suggests he convene a COBRA meeting – a gathering of cabinet ministers and emergency service representatives. To his surprise, he follows her advice and does just that.
In a surprising twist, it’s often Trowbridge who seems reluctant to heed advice or obey commands from others. But his unfazed composure is none other than his wife, Lydia Trowbridge (Pandora Colin). If you don’t pay close attention to the TV’s audio, you might miss it, but as aides depart, they each express gratitude towards “Mrs. Trowbridge.” Fascinating. Later on, we find Lydia barging into Dennison’s office for an unscheduled meeting, pleading for his help in locating her husband’s lifelong advisor and maternal figure, Margaret Roylin (Celia Imrie). She can’t be found at either of her residences, has no phone on hand, and Trowbridge is growing increasingly anxious.
Lydia provides a detailed explanation that sheds light on several points. She was actually older than her husband since she had been his university professor for the Romantic Russian poet Alexander Pushkin’s class, which he reluctantly took at his mother’s urging. Lydia eventually became Trowbridge’s advisor due to their heated debates becoming too disturbing for their neighbors. Trowbridge seems overly protective of her as he has stationed guards at both of her residences (which Dennison criticizes as an excessive waste of public funds). Is this a questionable yet relatable act of a man concerned about the safety of his influential mentor and advisor, or does it indicate a plan to remove someone who knows too much, followed by a later-justified ‘tragic’ accident?
The fast-moving episode is further accelerated by regular check-ins about Hal, Stuart, and Ronnie. First to recover from surgery is Hal, and when Kate collapses emotionally and burrows into his hospital bed for comfort, it’s a touching moment between the two unlike any we’ve witnessed before. Despite their plans to divorce, it seems difficult to envision them ever fully disentangling, which could add an additional layer of complexity to any relationship Kate might have with Dennison. Stuart eventually recovers from his intricate surgeries, only to be told by Eidra the tragic news that Ronnie didn’t make it past her injuries.
The aftermath of Ronnie’s death in the embassy has left everyone stunned and heartbroken. Stuart seems dazed and disbelieving as Eidra repeatedly explains the events; Alysse, in a near-silent display of sorrow, weeps at Ronnie’s side; Kate, surprisingly cooperative with Ganon, shares a solemn conversation while preparing to inform Ronnie’s family – these understated scenes carry immense emotional impact and deepen the characters and their performances even more.
In summary, the final scene of the episode is a classic cliffhanger that serves a dual purpose: it underscores how perfectly tailored “The Diplomat” is for marathon viewing. A nurse in Hal’s ward receives a call from one of Kate’s friends, Margaret Roylin, who claims to be Anne Legendre Armstrong. However, when Howard relays the call to Alysse, she doubts anyone named as such could possibly be on the line, since Anne Legendre Armstrong was the late U.S. Ambassador to the U.K., who passed away in 2008. Nevertheless, they decide to keep Roylin on the line for a while longer. The voice at the other end, with its posh accent, confirms that this is no inconvenience. It turns out that the refined tones belong to Margaret Roylin herself, hinting at a return of a familiar character. We’re definitely in for a treat again!
Tea, Scones, and Intrigue
It’s quite easy to envision “The Diplomat” coexisting within the same universe as “Slow Horses,” delivering gripping, tension-filled narratives, but with a more sincere and significantly less alcohol-drenched perspective. Frankly, I’d gladly spend my hard-earned cash to witness a crossover episode where Eidra shares a drink with Diana Taverner (played by Kristin Scott-Thomas) and Jackson Lamb (portrayed by Gary Oldman), as they all commiserate about the weariness that comes with their demanding roles.
• Fun fact! The Trowbridges are a thing in real life, too — Pandora Colin and Rory Kinnear are married and have two children together. Also, whatever Boris Johnson-inflected elements you may detect in Kinnear’s performance as Nicol Trowbridge, none of it is an homage, as this scathing, grieving piece in the Guardian illustrates.
If you’re intrigued by behind-the-scenes portrayals of top-tier government crisis management during environmental disasters or cyber attacks on infrastructure, then you should check out COBRA! This show, split into three 6-episode seasons, features Robert Carlyle as a persistent Tory Prime Minister navigating treacherous waters (metaphorically speaking; his cabinet members are a scheming, power-hungry bunch, but not actual marine predators). Each season presents escalating situations in an amusingly over-the-top manner.
• Kate borrowing a suit from a male British embassy staffer so she doesn’t have to deal with an international and personal crisis in a flowy red silk gown reminds me of the moment in the second season premiere of The West Wing where Nancy McNally’s first act upon entering the Situation Room is to ask, “Mike, could you have someone send some clothes over from my office, I look like an idiot.” (She was wearing a lovely champagne-colored ensemble and a tasteful single strand of pearls, but fair enough, that look doesn’t exactly scream National Security Advisor advising the nation on security.)
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2024-10-31 13:54