A lousy diplomat preoccupied with getting into Dennison's pants: Why Kate Wyler is Netflix's worst hero

Kate Wyler constantly puts her foot in it only to be bailed out by husband Hal
PUBLISHED NOV 6, 2024
Kate Wyler seemed to be too busy with Austin Dennison in 'The Diplomat' Season 2 (Netflix)
Kate Wyler seemed to be too busy with Austin Dennison in 'The Diplomat' Season 2 (Netflix)

Contains spoilers for 'The Diplomat'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Even though 'The Diplomat' Season 2 concluded on a cliffhanger note, the debate about Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) being the most unimpressive character is still going strong. Kate's character in Season 1 was characterized by a lot of enthusiasm as she attempted to balance her personal life with her husband, Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell), with her assimilation into the new political sphere.

But it's pretty obvious from Season 2 that Kate suffers from being thrust into the high-pressure world of diplomacy and international negotiations. Even when she discovers the truth behind the attack, she fails to control the situation, which results in a huge failure that I'm sure she will regret greatly in the confirmed 'The Diplomat' Season 3.

Kate Wyler's personal woes continue to mix with her professional life in 'The Diplomat' Season 2

Rufus Sewell and Keri Russell in a still from 'The Diplomat' (@netflix)
Rufus Sewell and Keri Russell in a still from 'The Diplomat' (@netflix)

The issues in Kate and Hal's marriage remain at the core of The Diplomat's plot even in Season 2. In addition, Kate's already strained personal life is made worse by her developing intimacy with Austin Dennison (David Gyasi). Since her marriage is still tainted by emotional baggage, Kate's personal situation does not appear to be going well during Season 2, which only serves to increase her sense of loneliness.

Despite being the supposed cool-headed, collected US Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Kate's personal life is in continual upheaval during the second season. After Hal and two of her employees were implicated in the car bomb in the season 1 finale, Kate's desire to identify the perpetrators of the assaults grew significantly, placing her at the forefront of the season 2 plot, however, the character fails to utilize the full potential of the focus shifted on her.  

Kate Wyler's struggles for power intensify in 'The Diplomat' Season 2

Keri Russell and Ato Essandoh in 'The Diplomat' (@netflix)
Keri Russell and Ato Essandoh in 'The Diplomat' (@netflix)

When it was revealed at the end of Season 2 that Grace Penn (Allison Janney) would be the next president following the unexpected death of President William Rayburn (Michael McKean), it truly caught me off guard. It was a completely unexpected turn of events, and it does provide a lot of intriguing power dynamics for the third season. However, it still irks me how Kate made this huge mistake by letting Hal handle the problem, which is now the cause of all this chaos.

Kate focuses on getting rid of Grace, but Hal calls President William Rayburn (Michael McKean) which becomes the reason behind man's demise. Now that the President is dead, Grace will automatically be given the presidency. This is quite different from what Kate had anticipated, and I suppose that's her fault. Instead of giving Hal the major duty, she should have gotten in touch with Secretary of State Miguel Ganon (Miguel Sandoval) directly after receiving the information.

What future holds for Kate Wyler in 'The Diplomat' Season 3?

(@netflix)
Keri Russell in a still from 'The Diplomat' (@netflix)

I think Kate will have a big influence in 'The Diplomat' Season 3 as a character. Given that Grace is expected to become President of the United States, it is likely that Kate will accept to become the Vice President since she still has to reveal Grace's real nature and her involvement in the British Aircraft assault.

In my opinion, the Season 2 cliffhanger will further strain Hal and Kate's relationship, but as time passes, the two will undoubtedly work together to defeat Grace. Additionally, Kate will enjoy greater worldwide recognition as the vice president of the United States, which will position her as a pivotal figure in the development of international diplomacy.

How to stream 'The Diplomat'?

'The Diplomat' on Netflix features Rufus Sewell and Keri Russell in pivotal roles (@netflix)
'The Diplomat' on Netflix features Rufus Sewell and Keri Russell in pivotal roles (@netflix)

'The Diplomat' is available to stream on Netflix. You must have an exclusive membership to access the streaming platform in order to view 'The Diplomat' Season 2. Fully HD (1080p) streaming is available with the Standard Plan with ads, which costs $6.99 per month. One account may be utilized on two screens simultaneously with streaming in 1080p/full HD resolution with the $15.49/month Standard Plan, which excludes advertisements. Users may simultaneously watch 4K Ultra HD material with Dolby Atmos and HDR on up to four screens with the $22.99/month Premium Plan.

'The Diplomat' trailer



 

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