Netflix’s The Diplomat could take the story in a variety of directions when the political drama returns, but the showrunner’s conflicting statements make it even more difficult to tell what the next run of episodes will have in store for Keri Russell’s Kate Wyler. The Diplomat season 2’s ending brought with it a shocking twist that transforms the power dynamic moving forward. Although parts of The Diplomat season 3’s story are relatively easy to predict, other elements are impossible to work out. Members of The Diplomat season 2 cast and crew have provided teasers, but they’re not that helpful.
With The Diplomat season 3 confirmed even before season 2 had premiered, the show’s reliable production schedule so far suggests the upcoming batch of episodes should land at some point in 2025. Speaking about the season 2 finale and what it could mean for the show’s future, Keri Russell has revealed an exchange with showrunner Debora Cahn about Kate’s arc and where her story is headed. While the season 3 tease is interesting, it’s pretty much the opposite of what Cahn has said in another interview.
The Diplomat’s Showrunner Appears To Have Told Keri Russell Something Very Different About Kate Wyler’s Future
Russell’s comments about Cahn’s plans contradict what the showrunner has already teased
Speaking with Netflix, Debora Cahn has essentially declared that Kate will become Vice President in The Diplomat season 3, serving under Allison Janney’s Grace Penn. Although Cahn didn’t explicitly say this would be the case, her promise that Kate would experience “the particular nightmare that is getting what you want” seems difficult to interpret in any other way. While Kate initially resisted the idea of becoming Vice President, she had come around to the idea by the end of The Diplomat season 2. However, Russell’s news is at odds with what it sounds like Cahn is planning for season 3.
“I remember early in the first season, everything was gearing up to Kate [becoming] Vice President. And early on, I remember saying to Debora, ‘I’m not going to have to be Vice President, am I? Because I like this show. This is what I like.’ Debora took a long time, and she said, ‘The show’s called The Diplomat, not The Vice President.’ And I was like, ‘Good, okay.’ So the complication of Grace Penn, Allison Janney’s character, coming in and all the problems she creates is excellent.”
Russell’s interview with Harper’s Bazaar directly attributes Kate’s supposed storyline to Cahn, so it’s unclear whether the showrunner plans to promote Kate to Vice President in The Diplomat season 3, or keep Russell’s character in the same role. Of course, Russell does state that this exchange took place early in the process of making The Diplomat season 1, so it could be that Cahn has simply changed her mind since then. Additionally, the pause Russell mentions in the interview could be interpreted as Cahn coming up with a general platitude to keep her lead actress in the dark.
Debora Cahn’s Comments Raise An Interesting Question About The Diplomat Season 3
Grace Penn will need to appoint a new Vice President
If Debora Cahn was being honest with Keri Russell, then The Diplomat season 3’s story gets blown even more wide open. It would make sense for Grace to make Kate her Vice President, so Janney’s character can keep a watchful eye on the very woman who could land the President in a great deal of trouble. Therefore, if Kate isn’t going to work directly under Grace Penn, the question of who will take the position of Vice President instead of Kate starts to gather a great deal of importance.
Although it’s possible that Grace could recruit a new character who has yet to appear, that would be a little underwhelming. The Diplomat is an incredibly character-driven show, so a new figure coming in to fill such an important position would arguably be a waste of such a huge twist. From the available characters who have already been featured, one worryingly qualified candidate could be Rufus Sewell’s Hal Wyler, which would certainly be a massive moment in The Diplomat’s larger story.
Why The Diplomat Needs To Pay Off Kate’s Vice President Storyline Eventually
The Diplomat needs a solid ending for Kate Wyler
Kate’s on-again/off-again aspirations to become Vice President have been steadily burning away in the show’s background, so they need to be directly addressed at some point. Although The Diplomat season 2 seemed to be slowly and gently pushing Russell’s character into the role, the apparent death of Michael McKean’s President Rayburn that resulted in Grace’s promotion threw that storyline off its tracks.
The most obvious reason for allowing Kate Wyler to achieve her goal is that it would be a perfect way to end the Netflix show. That being said, The Diplomat would essentially be over pretty soon after she gained the title of US Vice President. As such, it would make perfect sense if Cahn is intentionally holding off on making that happen. The Diplomat could realistically run for several seasons, so bringing it to an end too soon would be a waste of potential.
