There are ever so many flavors of international thriller series these days, aren’t there? Many of them seem to have learned an important lesson from “Homeland,” which captured a huge audience when it first premiered in the early 2010s. I was a devotee of “Homeland” myself in my day, but one thing that I consistently struggled with during the course of the show was the utter lack of humor in dealing with serious issues.

To be sure, the issues portrayed in “Homeland” — terrorism, the effects of colonialism, war — aren’t all that funny, but similar modern titles like “Slow Horses” on Apple TV and “The Diplomat” on Netflix manage to portray similar themes without being completely devoid of humor. “Slow Horses” can lean heavily into the comedy at times, but “The Diplomat” walks a tightrope in that regard — and that’s a big reason why its third season premiere was my favorite stream of the week.

“The Diplomat” centers on Katherine Wyler (played by Keri Russell), who serves as U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom. Accompanied by her husband Hal, Kate navigates the rough-and-tumble world of United States politics with as much grace and skill as she can handle, amidst events with truly world-altering consequences.

At the start of Season 3, Kate is grappling with the sudden, untimely demise of President Rayburn during a phone call with Hal. Suddenly, Vice President Grace Penn is swept into the Oval Office, and Kate is stuck with the fact that she tried to essentially end Penn’s career just hours earlier.

The show is expertly cast, with Russell having the “I’m-pretending-to-show-concern-while-considering-my-next-move” expression completely down pat. Allison Janney is incredible as the sometimes-cold, always down-to-business President Penn, and the sparks that leap offscreen in their shared scenes always seem seconds from igniting. Janney is an old favorite of mine from her days in “The West Wing,” and it seems only fitting for her to take up the top job in this series. Side note, it was great to see former “The West Wing” alum Bradley Whitford) reuniting with Janney to play her husband this season.

Rufus Sewell is no less adroit as Hal Wyler, who is convinced his actions are directly responsible for the death of President Rayburn, but who also uses his highly attuned political instincts to try to maneuver his wife into a more advantageous position when candidates for the office of Vice President are bandied about. I’ve returned to Sewell’s work ever since he turned in a delightfully disgusting performance as the villain in “A Knight's Tale,” and he never fails to disappoint in this series.

Watch a trailer for ‘The Diplomat’ Season 3:

“The Diplomat” isn’t as funny as “Slow Horses,” but it picks small moments to help diffuse tension that can feel as fast-paced as a Sorkin show at times. It’s why the show feels so easy to watch, despite the heavy topics and sometimes-confusing plot points that ask the viewer to keep track of a lot of moving details at the same time. And like every good political thriller, “The Diplomat” is quite thrilling to throw a jaw-dropping twist at you when you least expect it.

You can check out “The Diplomat” with a subscription to every Netflix plan, starting with the Standard with Ads tier for $8 per month. If you’re a fan of this type of series and you haven’t watched “The Diplomat” yet, do yourself a favor and check it out. Its third season premiered on Oct. 16, 2025, and all episodes are now available.

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The platform constantly updates its catalog, introducing fresh content alongside timeless classics and international hits. Netflix’s commitment to storytelling has also earned critical acclaim, with award-winning exclusives such as “Roma,” “Marriage Story,” “The Power of the Dog,” “Mank,” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” In 2023, their animated film “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, further solidifying Netflix’s reputation for high-quality content.

Recently, Netflix has expanded beyond standard movies and TV titles with the addition of video podcasts, and is also exploring a digital store that would offer third-party streamers within the app.

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