One of Netflix’s best shows is coming back for season 2 this week: The Diplomat, a political thriller starring The Americans actress Keri Russell, returns for more high-stakes drama. Kate Wyler (played by Russell), the US ambassador to the UK, will have to walk more political tightropes as she deals with the fallout of the head-spinning events of Season 1, and new problems that arise. It joins the likes of Squid Game Season 2, and The Perfect Couple as our most anticipated Netflix releases of this year. Here’s what to know:

What will The Diplomat season 2 be about?

Season 2 will explore the aftermath of the dramatic events set up in season 1’s finale: to recap, Kate Wyler is the new American ambassador to the UK, liaising with UK officials, including Prime Minister Trowbridge (Years and Years’ Rory Kinnear) and representing her country.

As she deals with getting used to the British way of doing things, as well as her difficult marriage to the overbearing Hal (Scoop’s Rufus Sewell), Kate’s hopes of a simple start to things are thrown off course by an incident in the Middle East. A Royal Navy ship is attacked by terrorists off the coast of Iran and the situation quickly spirals into a full-blown crisis. But all is not as it seems, as it is revealed (spoilers!) at the end of the season that the attack was ordered by the British PM himself- and season 2 will see Kate trying to prove that the UK leader attacked his own country. To make things worse, a bomb goes off in the car of an MP during the season finale, with poor Hal only feet away- is he dead? Injured? We’ll have to wait and see.

What else is set to happen?

Series creator Deborah Cahn said of the new season: “Everything we thought we knew about the Wylers changes, as does everything they think they know about each other.” It’s all very intense- especially when the American Vice President, Grace Penn (played by Allison Janney) enters the picture, apparently convinced that Kate wants her job for her own, and isn’t best happy. Geopolitical turmoil and an ambitious vice president will certainly make the show feel even more timely given what’s going on in real-life politics, and Season 2 is shaping up to be on the edge-of-your-seat thrilling.

Who’s in the cast, and when will Season 2 release?

In addition to Keri Russell returning as Kate, Rory Kinnear will be back as Prime Minister Trowbridge, while the return of Rufus Sewell has yet to be revealed. Series newcomer Allison Janney, who starred in the year’s Palm Royale, joins as Vice President Penn. Season 2 will finally arrive on Netflix on 31st October.

Culture, Films & TV

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