The Diplomat' Recap: A Look Back on the First Season of Netflix's Political Thriller

"The Diplomat" is Netflix's recent hit series that'll have you glued to your screen. However, with all its plot twists and turns, it may leave you in need of a recap of the show's first season.

As fans continue to wait in suspense for the second season of "The Diplomat," newcomers may require a recap of the political thriller that managed to capture its audience and leave them wanting more in only eight episodes.

"The Diplomat" follows the life of a U.S. ambassador and those around her and has a little something for everyone — from a secretive potential love story to espionage. However, the season finale really packs a punch with all of the shocking details.

A Recap of Season 1 of 'The Diplomat'

In "The Diplomat," Keri Russell stars as Kate Wyler, an American ambassador who has devoted her career to forging peace in countries afflicted by war and unrest.

However, after Wyler is unexpectedly chosen to serve as a U.S. ambassador in the United Kingdom, she is thrown into a world of political upheaval that she is unprepared for.

After a British aircraft carrier, the HMS Courageous is attacked off the coast of Iran, leaving multiple Navy personnel dead, Wyler travels to the U.K. as a symbol of her country's support and to strengthen the longstanding international relationship between America and the United Kingdom.

Once on British soil, Wyler is thrown into the deep end of the political relationship between the U.S. and the U.K., and the state of her personal life does not make matters better.

The final episode of the eight-part series opens with Wyler contemplating her inability to fulfill her role as a U.S. ambassador, unaware of the chaos about to unfold.

Behind the scenes, Wyler has found herself wrapped up in a budding romance with the U.K.'s Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison — played by David Gyasi — after deciding to divorce her career-hungry husband, played by Rufus Sewell.

However, things take a turn for the worst as tensions between Wyler and British Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge — played by Rory Kinnear — boil over. Trowbridge seemingly blames Iran for the attack on the HMS Courageous despite evidence that begs to differ.

But matters are only further complicated when a Russian spy informs Wyler that it was, in fact, the leader of a Russian mercenary group, Roman Lenkov, responsible for the attack, as he was hired to do so.

Fortunately, Russia is willing to cooperate in Lenkov's capture by sharing his whereabouts, which ultimately leads to the opening of another can of worms.

'The Diplomat' Ending Explained

The final episode of the eight-part series opens with Wyler contemplating her inability to fulfill her role as a U.S. ambassador, unaware of the chaos about to unfold.

On the other side of the pond, Trowbridge is unhappy about Wyler's failure to solidify the Libya plan — to attack the Russian Lenkov Group in Libya — but is suddenly the biggest support of the new plan: to arrest the Russian leader himself in France, where he's visiting his secret family.

After her estranged husband declined her invitation to Paris — as he is too busy scheming in the background — Wyler, the U.S. Secretary of State, Dennison, and the Deputy Chief of Mission, Stuart Heyford, land in the City of Love to request permission for the British Special Forces to carry out Lenkov's arrest.

Keri Russell as Kate Wyler in "The Diplomat." | Source: YouTube/Netflix

While preparing for an event at the Louvre, Wyler learns of her husband's plotting and manipulating situations for a new job, further intensifying her desire to end their marriage. However, she has a job to do.

During a private conversation with the French Minister, who initially declined Wyler's request to capture Lenkov in France, eventually gave Wyler and her team the green light for their plan.

Netflix announced there would be a second season on May 1, only two weeks after the show's premiere.

But Wyler is stumped in her tracks when she learns that the U.K. government had no intention of taking Lenkov alive, leaving the "The Diplomat" star to wonder if her crush and colleague had been lying to her the entire time.

After storming out of the event, Dennison follows his love interest, and after confronting him about the Brits' plan to kill Lenkov, Dennison is as shocked by the news as Wyler is.

They both eventually came to the realization that it was Prime Minister Trowbridge who authorized Lenkov's assassination, as he was also the guilty party who hired Lenkov to attack the British aircraft.

However, Wyler is brought to tears when her security detail informs her of the explosion involving her husband in London, leaving the first season on a cliffhanger as it is unclear who made it out alive.

Details of Season 2 of 'The Diplomat'

According to reports, "The Diplomat" — co-starring Ali Ahn — was quickly renewed for a second season after garnering roughly 175 million hours of viewership, earning it a top spot on the list of hit series so far. Netflix announced there would be a second season on May 1, only two weeks after the show's premiere.

Russell and Sewell were spotted filming scenes at St. Paul's Cathedral in early June. However, in August 2023, the filming of the second season was halted due to the actors' strike in Hollywood. Netflix has yet to confirm a release date.

After the series's release, Russell's stellar performance earned her a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. "The Diplomat" also took home the win for the ReFrame Stamp award.

The second season of "The Diplomat" is believed to have six episodes, two episodes shy of the number in the first season. Netflix also confirmed that while a few familiar faces would be returning, the fate of some of the characters remains unknown.

Many of "The Diplomat"'s viewers have deemed the show worth the watch, as not only did Russell receive praise for her talent in front of the camera, but the series as a whole left the audience quite impressed.

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