"By its third season, The Diplomat has established a reputation for shocking developments and sudden, dramatic pronouncements. Characters deliver lines like, "The president is asking you to serve as ambassador to the United Kingdom," or "The president is dead," or "I killed the president." This level of stakes is not unusual for a political thriller or even the many shows that live alongside The Diplomat on Netflix."
"No, what makes The Diplomat special is that it is the only show on television where one can witness Bradley Whitford prone on a bed nuzzling Allison Janney's chest and declaring that it is "like a ... like a fresh focaccia." It's overwhelming, I know. And it's worth taking a few moments to break down all the layers nestled within this very important line of dialogue."
"First, too many thrillers fail to be funny and odd. It's not a requirement of the genre, but it is the sort of tonal control that makes those big, dramatic twists land with power. A slog through one dark development after another () creates the impression of a show that's importantbut not necessarily enjoyable or memorable. It's easy for one scene to slide into the next when they mostly consist of a sad man staring"
The Diplomat's third season pairs high-stakes political developments with unexpected, odd humor to create tonal balance. Characters utter dramatic lines about ambassadorship, presidential death, and assassination, establishing intense stakes typical of political thrillers. The show distinguishes itself through intimate, quirky moments, such as Bradley Whitford nuzzling Allison Janney and likening the sensation to fresh focaccia, which inject levity. Humorous, odd lines prevent tonal monotony and make dramatic twists land more powerfully. The season reunites Whitford and Janney with showrunner Debora Cahn, adding a nostalgia factor that enhances chemistry and behind-the-scenes continuity.
Read at Vulture
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