The Diplomat Season 2 is all set to premiere on Netflix on October 31, 2024. The acclaimed political thriller series is returning to the screens after a wait of one and a half years, as the first season came out in April 2023.
The debut installment featured eight episodes, establishing the plot of Kate Wyler, the US ambassador to the UK, who averts an international crisis while struggling with her personal life. However, the new season is relatively shorter than the first one, as it will have only six episodes.
While fans are slightly disappointed with the move, series creator Debora Cahn has revealed the reason behind cutting down the number of episodes. She explained there were time constraints in the production, making the team move ahead with a shorter season 2.
Debora Cahn decided to make a six-episode The Diplomat Season 2
Debora Cahn disclosed that Netflix wanted eight episodes in The Diplomat Season 2, keeping up with the previous installment. However, she decided to make the season shorter as she thought the team did not have enough time to produce eight episodes. Cahn said in an interview with TVLine,
“It was my decision. [Netflix] was not happy. They wanted the full eight. I was really tired. It was a time thing. It felt like there wasn’t enough time to turn around eight of them. It was a lot to do in what appeared to be a short period of time.”
Cahn added that the initial plan was to churn out season 2 quickly and it was not supposed to take 18 months to come out. Had she been aware of the timeline, she would have gone ahead with a full-fledged season as there was enough time for production. She continued,
“Had we known it was going to be a year and a half before we got back on the air, it would’ve been different.”
The Diplomat Season 3 will have eight episodes
Fans need not be too disappointed with the shorter season 2 as The Diplomat has already been renewed for a third season. In the same interview, Debora Cahn ensured that the show will be back to its eight-episode format in season 3.
The series was renewed ahead of the second season premiere in October 2024, considering its popularity. Cahn earlier revealed that the next installment will ‘flip the chessboard’ and Kate will finally have what she always wanted, but it will turn out to be a nightmare for the ambassador.
The Diplomat Season 2 follows an explosion in London
While the number of episodes might be less, the makers have added enough action and drama in the new season to give the audience a fulfilling experience. Kate is at the lowest point in her life in the second season, as an explosion takes place in London.
As her team begins to split, Kate struggles to deal with the aftermath of the blast. Meanwhile, she also uncovers that the attack was not an international conspiracy, but an inside job from the British government. Kate’s problems heighten when she learns that her estranged husband, Hal Wyler, may also be involved in the plot.
She continues to face issues in her marriage while her dynamics with British Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison begin to change. At the same time, Vice President Grace Penn decides to pay a visit to her to warn her, which adds to her troubles.
All six episodes of The Diplomat Season 2 will be dropped on Netflix on Thursday, October 31, 2024.
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