The Diplomat creator and star reveal how long massive season 3 episode 1 twist was planned

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*Warning: Contains major spoilers for The Diplomat season 3 episodes 1-3*

The Diplomat’s season 3 premiere delivered a huge surprise, even after the shocking events of the season 2 finale.

After President Rayburn’s death, Hal assisted Kate in strategically positioning herself to become the leading candidate for Grace Penn’s vice presidency.

But at the very end of the first episode, Grace revealed a big surprise: she wanted Hal, not Kate, to be her running mate.

After some discussion over the next two episodes, it was decided that Hal would take on the important new role, and Kate would remain in London as the UK ambassador.

While the recent plot twist is incredibly surprising, it doesn’t feel random. That’s because it was carefully planned from the beginning.

We’ve seen this story play out many times before, and it rarely goes as expected. This character, at her core, is capable of much more than she’s allowed to be, and that’s why this pattern keeps repeating itself.

Russell shared that she and the other actors usually don’t learn about the show’s surprises very far in advance, but she really enjoyed the direction her character’s story took.

That was a really tough moment,” Russell explained. “It definitely felt like a blow at the end of the episode, but it ultimately puts the story on a promising path.

I really admired how much effort she put into fixing everything for the President in the first episode – she was constantly solving problems and offering good advice. Then, her charming but difficult husband just shows up and confidently takes over, which is frustrating! You can’t help but think, ‘Okay, fine, go ahead!’

“I just love where it sets up the next episode and the rethinking of your entire f***ing life.”

When asked about a highlight of the season, Russell said she was especially excited for viewers to see the first episode, as it remained a personal favorite.

She explained that the episode perfectly captured what she loved about the show – revealing the hidden details of how the government operates, from the President’s inauguration to all the complex work that goes on behind the scenes. She also highlighted the episode’s sense of urgency and its emotionally powerful, and heartbreaking, impact.

You can watch season 3 of The Diplomat on Netflix. The first two seasons are already available, and a subscription starts at just £5.99 per month. Netflix is also accessible through Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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2025-10-16 10:53