Tensions reach a boiling point in the newly released trailer for season three of Netflix’s political thriller The Diplomat, which premieres October 16.
The season picks up in the immediate aftermath of President Rayburn’s (Michael McKean) shocking death, with Vice President Grace Penn (Allison Janney) suddenly thrust into power. But her ascent comes with complications: she was on the receiving end of a call from former ambassador Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell) when Rayburn died — a call in which Hal hinted at a “rogue deputy” and Grace’s possible involvement in the British warship attack that kicked off the series.
As Grace takes the Oval Office, her ambitions collide with Hal’s campaign to secure the vice presidency for his wife, U.K. ambassador Kate Wyler (Keri Russell). Kate, however, wants no part of the political maneuvering, declaring, “I’m not walking around in the middle of a constitutional crisis with a résumé stapled to my forehead.”
But the personal quickly becomes geopolitical. The trailer teases escalating tensions between the U.S. and the U.K., with British Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison (David Gyasi) warning Kate of Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge’s (Rory Kinnear) dangerous secrets — and the Pentagon allegedly preparing for war. “The president is about to do something apocalyptically dumb,” Kate warns, as the stakes for both nations spiral out of control.
Season three expands to eight episodes after season two’s shortened run. Netflix describes the new season as exploring Kate’s “particular nightmare that is getting what you want.” Now, with her husband Hal potentially implicated in the president’s death and Grace Penn firmly in power, Kate finds herself caught between duty, loyalty, and survival — navigating uneasy alliances with Dennison and First Gentleman Todd Penn (Bradley Whitford).
Created by Debora Cahn (The West Wing, Homeland), The Diplomat has already been renewed for a fourth season. Executive producers include Cahn, Russell, Janice Williams, Alex Graves, Peter Noah, and Eli Attie. The ensemble cast also features Ali Ahn, Ato Essandoh, Celia Imrie, Nana Mensah, and Miguel Sandoval.
“No alliance lasts forever.” The Diplomat returns October 16, only on Netflix.