Strap in for another round of fast-paced governmental intrigue from Netflix’s hit political thriller!
The Diplomat is a sharp-witted drama about American Ambassador Kate Wyler (Keri Russell), who is in London trying to diffuse a tense international situation while navigating her rocky marriage to an ambitious career politician.
The couple’s different (and often opposing) approaches to diplomacy cause both friction and success in their work with the UK’s political team.
Also, Kate is secretly being fast-tracked behind the scenes to be the next US Vice President.
Has The Diplomat Been Renewed?
Yes! Proving to be an unexpected hit for Netflix, The Diplomat Season 2 renewal came just a week after Season 1 aired.
How did The Diplomat Season 1 End?
Season 1 ended with a London car bomb that may or may not have harmed Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell).
Kate and British Foreign Secretary Dennison (David Gyasi) were in Paris when both of them realized that Prime Minister Trowbridge was the only one who benefitted from the death of Roman Lenkov.
Also: Eidra — and her amazing haircut! — broke up with Stuart when she learned that he’ll follow Kate back to the States if she becomes VP.
The Diplomat Season 2 Plot (and Spoilers!)
The biggest question for The Diplomat Season 2 to answer: who survived that car bomb??
It looks like Tory MP Merritt Grove is most likely dead, and there is the potential for some serious injuries to both Hal and Stuart (Ato Essandoh), based on their proximity to the explosion.
Whether or not Stuart is indeed injured, his relationship with Eidra (Ali Ahn) could use a little more screen time for closure on Season 2. It ended too abruptly!
These two had already weathered enough job-related stress on their relationship to make it seem like nothing could keep them apart, but maybe Stuart’s secret about moving back to the States was just the final straw.
After weeks spent chasing dead ends as to which nation or group was responsible for blowing up the British aircraft carrier, how will Kate and Dennison handle their sudden realization that PM Trowbridge has been behind everything all along?
Talk about a situation that needs diplomacy!
Will Kate actually become Vice President this season?
Now that Allison Janney has officially joined the cast as the current VP Grace Penn, it seems likely that Kate’s path to the White House will not be as smooth or as fast as her handlers might wish.
Let that sink in for a moment. This already tremendous cast, and now Allison Janney? We cannot wait!!
It’s probably a safe bet that Season 2 will continue at the breakneck narrative pace that worked so well on Season 1.
The show’s signature balance of bureaucratic back-stabbing, physical danger, and humor is a great template for the next and all future seasons.
There were perhaps too many time-sensitive plot threads in the Season 1 finale for the possibility of Season 2 to open with a significant time jump, but then again, this show has proven that it delights in defying expectations, so anything could happen.
The Diplomat Season 2 Episodes
There has been no official confirmation, but Season 1 had eight episodes, so it seems safe to assume that Season 2 will also feature eight.
The show’s first season received an Emmy nomination (Keri Russell for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series), and two Golden Globe nominations (Keri Russell for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series — Drama, and The Diplomat for Best Series — Drama).
Fingers crossed that Season 2 continues the show’s awards nomination streak — and perhaps even adds a win!
Returning The Diplomat Season 2 Cast
Keri Russell is confirmed to return as Kate Wyler. Otherwise, it’s hard to guess who’ll return, especially on a show that regularly kidnaps, poisons, and car bombs its characters!
That said, it would be surprising if Rufus Sewell didn’t return as Hal. His absence would leave a big romantic vacuum, especially since Kate’s flirtation with Dennison seems to have been a no-go on Season 1.
However, they did look great together in formalwear when they were in Paris.
Rory Kinnear is almost guaranteed to return if only briefly, seeing as how PM Trowbridge has a lot of explaining to do. The odds are good that many of the prominent political officials from Season 1 will continue to appear on Season 2.
That means we should once again get to enjoy Michael McKean as US President Rayburn, Miguel Sandoval as US Secretary of State Miguel Ganon, and Nana Mensah as White House Chief of Staff Billie Appiah.
Getting to spend more time with Cecilia (T’Nia Miller), Dennison’s winsome and fashionable sister, would also be fun.
The Diplomat Season 2 Cast Additions
Allison Janney is confirmed to join the cast as US Vice President Grace Penn. This award-winning powerhouse of acting is no stranger to the world of fast talking — and fast walking! — policy wonks, after years of holding court on The West Wing.
Could Matthew Rhys, Russell’s spouse in both real life and The Americans, possibly make an appearance on Season 2? Russell has yet to provide a firm answer either way, but — that’s also not a no, right?
The Diplomat Season 2 Trailer
There is no official trailer yet, but you better believe that as soon as we have one, we’ll post it right here!
The Diplomat Season 2 Release Date
Production on Season 2 of The Diplomat began on location in London in June of 2023. Production was halted a month later due to the SAG-AFTRA strike and resumed in December 2023.
Netflix has confirmed that the show will premiere sometime in 2024, but as of yet, no date has been announced.
Where to watch The Diplomat Season 2
The Diplomat Season 2 will stream on Netflix, where you can catch all of Season 1 right now.
Paullette Gaudet is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. You can follow her on X.