There’s not much to celebrate these days, so when something good comes along, it’s worth savoring. Which brings us to the fourth season of "The Diplomat," now streaming on Netflix. Grab yourself a bucket of fish and chips, settle into the couch and prepare for eight episodes of fast-paced, sophisticated entertainment. In two weeks, we'll head to the polls and cast our ballots — I hope all of you plan to vote — but until we're forced to wade through the stagnant waters of Israeli diplomacy, there's no reason not to wrap ourselves in a wool coat, tune our ears to British accents and enjoy politics that's thoroughly entertaining, sophisticated and stylish.
The fourth season wastes no time picking up exactly where the third left off, something that has become a tradition for creator Debora Cahn. The seemingly endless crisis with Britain continues to escalate.
'The Diplomat' Season 4 – Trailer
(Credit: Courtesy of Netflix)
At the end of last season, Kate (Keri Russell, "The Americans"), the U.S. ambassador to Britain, discovered that her own government had secretly placed a nuclear weapon on a Russian submarine that was sunk off the British coast, right under the noses of the British. No one had bothered to tell the British themselves, and now she has to cover the whole thing up to prevent a severe diplomatic crisis between the two allies.
Somehow, everyone back in America expects Kate to solve all their problems, and this time is no exception. The person issuing orders from afar — and sometimes from considerably closer — is Grace Penn (Allison Janney), who assumed the U.S. presidency after her predecessor died of a heart attack. She now also has an extraordinarily charismatic vice president at her side: Hal (Rufus Sewell), Kate’s longtime husband, whom she has occasionally cheated on.
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An intimate look at the relationships of three couples. 'The Diplomat,' Season 4
(Photo: Courtesy of Netflix)
The first twist arrives at the end of the opening episode: a shooting, apparently an assassination attempt on President Penn, that also marks the point at which the leader of the free world begins to lose her mind, to put it mildly. She becomes increasingly aggressive and reckless, while her decision-making grows less rational and more impulsive. (Sound like any American president you know?) Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, British Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge (Rory Kinnear) is undergoing a meltdown of his own, which reaches its peak in the fourth episode.
In that episode, the writers feel confident enough to stretch the boundaries of the genre a little, allowing viewers to delve into the inner workings of Trowbridge's mind through a surreal storyline. Some of you may be reminded of the other time the excellent Kinnear played a British prime minister — in the very first episode of "Black Mirror." Back then, too, he was trying to save Britain and himself, except that it involved getting far too intimate with a pig.
Another extremely welcome addition this season is Bethan Vaughan (Jodie Whittaker, "Broadchurch"), who holds a senior position in the British government — no spoilers here — and every time she appears in a scene, I find myself praying she'll never stop talking.
Growing sharper with every season. 'The Diplomat,' Season 4
(Photo: Courtesy of Netflix)
The parallels between personal and political relationships, and the ease with which viewers move from a marital argument to an international political crisis, lie at the heart of "The Diplomat." On the personal front, we get three couples: President Grace and her somewhat spineless husband Todd (Janney and Bradley Whitford, both veterans of "The West Wing," where Cahn was also a writer), and Eidra and Stuart (Ali Ahn and Ato Essandoh), the CIA station chief in London and the deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy. The latter may be the show's weakest pairing, not because of the writing but because of the complete lack of chemistry between them. At no point are they convincing as two people who are attracted to each other.
The third couple, of course, is Hal and Kate, two volcanoes fueled by inner fire and an addiction to the political game. This season, they're taking stock of their relationship and trying to repair their marriage. This time, their roles are reversed: Hal is the one at the center of power as vice president, while Kate is the one acknowledging her mistakes. It's a reminder that although Hal is generally cast as the accelerator and Kate as the brakes in their relationship, there are two people pulling on that rope, and their political ambitions often prove stronger than their desire to function as a couple.
Parallel meltdowns. 'The Diplomat,' Season 4
(Photo: Courtesy of Netflix)
There's never a dull moment in "The Diplomat." So much happens along the way, with Kate leaping from one crisis to the next, that viewers barely have time to catch their breath. But beyond being witty, polished and glossy escapism, Cahn's series also raises fascinating questions about the nature of diplomacy and the world operating above most of our heads, where everything depends on how you frame your interests to get what you want.
The fact is, there are so many ways to make something sound right. The possibilities for wordplay and manipulation are virtually endless. Yet when the one conversation finally arrives in which everyone is asked to speak honestly, without hiding behind codes and masks, no one opens their mouth. More than anything, it's a master class in politics that has landed at just the right moment, ahead of the elections.
There's no question that Cahn is growing more accomplished, continually refining the instrument she has created in "The Diplomat." Much like "The West Wing," the show's identity becomes more sharply defined with each season, evolving from something resembling a political soap opera into a gripping and thoroughly entertaining thriller for fans of the genre.
This season's ending doesn't disappoint, leaving viewers genuinely hungry for the next one. The only unfortunate thing is that Kate looks sad almost all the time this season. There's barely a trace of the zest for life or the playful approach to diplomacy that characterized her in the early seasons, and that's a shame. But hey, that's what happens when you're busy saving the free world from a queen who moves across the chessboard without limits.