Dreadnought

Wow people are really venting about that cliffhanger. Well, you had to know one was coming, at least, I was guessing throughout the whole episode. And was outsmarted by the writers -hat off to them Finally seeing through all the complications and now... it gets REALLY complicated! I simply love it, cannot wait.

That said: a year and a half is way too long to wait for just 6 episodes. Even the BBC, known for its 6 episode seasons, is faster. Although, if the quality remains as it was during the first 2 seasons I might forgive it ;-)

And don't you just love the relationship between Keri and Rufus? Incredible love/hate chemistry!

The Diplomat - Series 2 Netflix My Rating 9/10 I've added my review below of Series 1 of this compelling and absorbing series starring the wonderful Keri Russell as Ambassador to Britain Kate Wyler and Rufus Sewell as her husband Hal .

Series 2 for me really surpassed its predecessor with the continued role of Celia Imrie as Margaret Roylan a powerful and influential advisor to the problematical British Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge played by Rory Kinnear.

Later in the series we have the fabulous Allison Janney playing Vice President Grace Penn and her entry really heats up the action in the battle of two ambitious women.

A well deserved series 3 is already in production I'm pleased to hear after the startling finale of series 2 .

It's so refreshing to see a political oriented series that features equally powerful roles for women as well as men in today's world political spectrum.

The Diplomat also is a series that cleverly reflects actual political events and the drama behind closed doors we never get to see.

Case in point series 2 features an Australian political hot potato when the French contract for building nuclear submarines was cancelled and given to the USA.

Of course all the actual key game players are fictitious but the context and drama are cleverly portrayed .

My Review - The Diplomat Series 1 on Netflix My Rating. 8/10

The Diplomat is a British Political thriller series which the Brits seem to excel so well at. Most of the cast is British apart from Keri Russell who plays the slightly unkempt Kate Wyler the unorthodox inexperienced but very effective newly appointed U. S. Ambassador to the British Court of St James .

Kate is married to a former Ambassador Hal Wyler played charmingly and raffishly by Rufus Sewell.

Kate prefers her smart working uniform or black trousers jacket and plain easy comb hairstyle resisting attempts to restyle her appearance to suit the smart magazine journalists or her male colleagues perception of professional women.

However wait till later in the series when she stuns everyone in a dramatic fire engine red couture gown at a Government Heads reception to suit her own agenda .

The Wyler's marriage is rocky due to career rivalry and gender rôle expectations and jealousy but it's not on the quite on the rocks they obviously have affection for each other.

They are a very interesting pair as Kate establishes her credibility in her new role as the American Ambassador and it soon becomes apparent that she is short listed for a Vice President role if successful.

Debora Cahn the writer and creator of The Diplomat knows her craft she has written and co produced scripts for The West Wing and Greys Anatomy. She is assisted in this production by a team of writers who have created a fictional but spookily uncanny scenario that resembles so closely the ,Political world we all inhabit today.

This had to be intentional I think as we have an ageing American President William Rayburn played by Michael McKean who is looking for a replacement for his unpopular female Vice President .

We have a Mr Toad like bombastic British Prime Minister who even has a racy red sports car like Mr Toad that he races through the British countryside causing havoc when ever he pops in on vital strategic meetings .

Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge or is it Boris J ? Is played so well by Rory Kinnear and he's intent on letting loose the dogs of war in retaliation to a perceived attack by Iran or is it Russia ? On a British War Ship that kills over 50 British Navy personnel.

Even The Lenkov Group referred to in this story is a reference to the real life Russian mercenary Wagner Group and its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.

The Russian War waging in The Ukraine is mentioned also making the fictional scenario even more topical and scary as we watch the Diplomatic incompetence of some of the elected officials thankfully in contrast to those with some common sense and intelligence who have the difficult task of finding safer strategies to guide the World towards more peaceful solutions to the conflicts that arise that don't involve nuclear superpower destruction.

There's some fine performances in The Diplomat apart from Keri Russell as The US Ambassador and Rufus Sewell as her husband Hal including David Gyasias cast as The British Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison who impressed me . Also Ali Ahn as Eidra Graham an Intelligence Officer in a relationship with The Ambassador's Personal Assistant Stuart Heyford also played well by Ato Essandoh.

We even get the pleasure of a cameo from the delightful Celia Imrie playing Margaret Roylin a Left of Centre but charming Political gossip columnist who is more aware of the current regime than at first is apparent.

Considering the dramatic cliff hanger finale of episode 8 titled The James Bond Clause I'd be very disappointed if there's not a Series 2 of The Diplomat it hasn't been commissioned yet but the quality of series 1 deserves an encore season in my opinion.

Even if you're not into Political intrigue there's enough human interest in the characters in this story to make if less dry and more entertaining than just your average Political thriller .

Just like all other episodes, the Diplomat balances moments of pure adrenaline and interesting and well thought through storytelling. This last episode of season 2 is no different. The end of this episode is certainly unexpected, it might even be a bit too far fetched. The cliff hanger at the end gave the feeling it will be followed up by a season full of drama, more adrenaline, more excitement and more of what we already have so much of. Let's hope the next season will continue in the path of the previous seasons. That's what makes The Diplomat such an interesting and good series.

Although the last episode has a quite unexpected and possibly bit far fetched cliff hanger, it is most certainly a good way to keep the audience ready waiting for season 3.

The series, up until this episode, had been amazing. But this episode was horrendously written. From characters suddenly behaving erratically and unlike themselves based on every episode prior, to the worst written cliffhanger twist ever. The Ambassador's assistant being an unprofessional d-bag. The CIA woman walking away from fights. Then the cheap, phony, twist at the end. How on earth was this the highest rated episode of the series???? Did their good writers suddenly quit? I am flabbergasted, and annoyed that IMDB is not letting me stop wasting my time talking about this stupid episode in an otherwise great series because of stupid character minimums in reviews.

On season 2 overall: for a six-episode season, it wasn't bad in the bad sense of the word, just more like a political spy-warish 'The Crown' than a paper / binder clip 'The Diplomat'.

If you have to wait the end of the season for something juicy to happen and that was just improbable sensation, not (even) remotely credible or logical, then it's a good series for a pass time in all that beautiful setting and set up with lots of security.

If only it had two-three pairs of Dobermans following the main characters at all times then it would have been more than satisfying.

This season was better, more talks, less action, but still with dreadful though informative plots, so still unsatisfying until a new round of six episodes.

• Screenplay/storyline/plots: 6.5
• Production value/impact: 7
• Development: 7.5
• Realism: 7
• Entertainment: 7
• Acting: 7.5
• Filming/photography/cinematography: 8.5
• VFX: 7.5
• Music/score/sound: 6.5
• Depth: 7
• Logic: 5.5
• Flow: 6.5
• Dark political drama/mini comedy/spy/thriller: 7
• Ending: 8.