Have you finished the Netflix show already?
We’re thrilled to see The Diplomat back on our screens—but if you’ve binged it all at once and now have a political thriller-shaped hole in your life, we’ve got you covered. From brilliant political drama to compelling female leads and, let’s be honest, a bit of Rufus Sewell eye candy, here are some shows to watch if you enjoyed The Diplomat…
The Americans
Starring Keri Russell in a very different role, this time the actress plays a Russian sleeper spy living a perfect life in America with her seemingly perfect American husband (also a Russian spy) and their two American children (who, to be fair, have no idea about their parents’ true identities).
With wild wigs, costumes, accents, and more, as the couple does what it takes for their homeland, this show is a seriously compelling watch.
Scandal
The world was gripped by Scandal fever for good reason! Starring Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope, the story follows her crisis management firm, Olivia Pope & Associates, as they deal with political dramas of the White House—while Olivia navigates her own ‘scandalous’ drama with the President of the United States.
Madam Secretary
With six seasons in total, this is a political drama you can enjoy from beginning to end without waiting for any new episodes (stares at The Diplomat).
The story follows a college professor and former CIA analyst who becomes the United States Secretary of State after the mysterious death of her predecessor.
The Pale Horse
Okay, we threw in a Rufus Sewell classic for good measure. The Diplomat star takes the lead in this quintessentially British Agatha Christie adaptation, playing a man who investigates why his name appears on a list found in the shoe of a dead woman.
Designated Survivor
Another tale of an unlikely candidate being thrown into the centre of political life, this drama follows Kiefer Sutherland as Thomas Kirkman, an academic who is the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, who finds himself becoming the President of the United States overnight after an explosion kills everyone in the line of succession.
Anatomy of a Scandal
Moving away from American politics, this courtroom drama delves into the British political elite after a Parliament Minister’s secrets come to light—while Barrister Kate Woodcroft has her own agenda that “threatens to tear into Westminster, the Whitehouse marriage, and her own personal esteem”.
The Regime
Starring Kate Winslet, the story follows Chancellor Elena Vernham, who becomes paranoid and unstable—and turns to a soldier, Zubak, as an unlikely confidant. The synopsis continues, “As Zubak’s influence over the Chancellor grows, Elena’s attempts to expand her power eventually lead to both the palace and the country fracturing around her.”
