Creator Debora Cahn (The West Wing, Homeland) helms this new Netflix series about a career diplomat who’s used to dealing with messy situations. In fact, Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) thought her next posting was Afghanistan, but after a British aircraft carrier is bombed in an attack suspected to be in retaliation against the U.S. president (Michael McKean), she’s called into the Oval Office and told she’s now ambassador to Great Britain, which is usually a ceremonial position given to a major campaign donor.
Once there, she finds herself navigating stormy political waters, and it doesn’t help that her former superstar ambassador husband, Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell), is really good at orchestrating behind-the-scenes shenanigans that make her job even harder. Oh, and their marriage is … let’s say complicated.
This is a smartly written, briskly paced drama with sharp wit and plenty of intriguing twists and turns, and these characters are really engaging as they employ statecraft to smooth out international problems and avoid geopolitical catastrophes. Russell and Sewel are great together. Is it realistic? No clue, but it’s entertaining as heck. (eight 43- to 56-min. episodes)
—Glen Starkey
This article appears in Summer Guide 2023.