The Diplomat season 2 episode 1 recap: ‘When a Stranger Calls’

The Diplomat season 2 begins immediately after the bombing at the end of the season 1 finale. 

The opening scene of “When a Stranger Calls,” The Diplomat season 2 episode 1, reveals the aftermath of the bombing. Ronnie Buckhurst (Jess Chanliau), Stuart Hayford (Ato Essandoh), and Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell) were injured in the bombing, but we don’t know the extent of their injuries. 

In Paris, Ambassador Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) and Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison (David Gyasi) just realized that it seems like the Brits, possibly including Nicol Trowbridge (Rory Kinnear), are the ones responsible for the attack on the British ship before getting the call that there was a bombing in London involving Hal and Stuart. 

From the first moments of the season, we know one person has died in the blast, but we don’t know if it’s Ronnie, Hal, or Stuart. We don’t have to wait long to find out. 

Kate and Dennison fly back quickly to find out what happened and share their concerns after their lovely night was interrupted. When they arrive, they find out Merritt Grove (Simon Chandler), the MP who Hal was meeting, is dead. Ronnie, Stuart, and Hal are in emergency surgery. 

While the surgeons work to save the trio of Americans, Kate shares her theory about what happened with Eidra Park (Ali Ahn), the CIA Station Chief in the UK. Kate reveals that the French think Trowbridge and the Brits plan to kill Lenkov, who is responsible for the attack on the ship. Kate also shares her theory that the Brits are the ones who hired him to create a global controversy. They lock down the hospital in case the Americans are in further danger. Eidra tries to walk Kate back from casting accusations that the Prime Minister could be behind the attack, but she also knows there’s something here. She promises to delve further into the matter, just as Hal gets out of surgery. 

This scene is so awesome! The blocking, the execution, and how Russell and Ahn’s characters communicate in code using the whiteboard in the hospital room are amazing. It’s just one of many examples of the terrific writing, performance, and execution in The Diplomat. 

Hal and Stuart live, but Ronnie dies 

Hal wakes up in the hospital room after surgery, and for the first time, Kate breaks down. She’s obviously very happy to see her husband alive. Unfortunately, they have to wait longer until morning to find out what happened to Stuart. 

Eventually, Eidra and Kate find out that Stuart lives, but Ronnie dies on the operating table. 

Finally, Eidra wakes up from surgery. He thinks he got hit by a car, but she has to walk him through the events of the bombing and the fact that Ronnie is dead. 

Kate shares the news with Ronnie and Stuart’s families. It’s devastating to her, to the team, and it’s going to have a huge impact over the course of the season. 

Margaret Roylin is mysteriously missing 

After the bombing, Margaret Roylin (Celia Imrie), who was a prominent advisor to Trowbridge, is missing. She’s disappeared without a trace. The Brits are searching for her, but they can’t find her. Trowbridge’s wife puts Dennison on the case to find Roylin. We don’t know what she knows or why she’s important yet, but she’s gone. 

Kate fills Hal in on their theory that Trowbridge is behind the bombing, but they can’t figure out who knew Hal was meeting with Grove or why his car was bombed. What did Grove know? That’s the biggest question. Kate also reveals to Hal that she called Margaret Roylin about the meeting. She called Roylin the night of the bombing about Grove. 

Trowbridge calls a COBRA meeting, which brings all the important people in the British government and the Americans into a secure location to be briefed on what happened. Trowbridge alleges it was Russia who blew up the aircraft carrier and also carried out the car bombing in London. 

It is revealed in the meeting that the bomb was British-made. Now, everyone knows that the British are possibly behind the bombing. 

Later, Dennison reveals to Eidra and Kate that Roylin is missing, which definitely sends up some alarm bells for Kate, Eidra, and Dennison. 

Eidra asks for Kate to step back from the allegations, but Kate pushes back. 

Margaret Roylin calls Kate Wyler 

At the very end of the episode, Margaret Roylin calls the hospital and asks to speak with the ambassador. She uses a fake name, Anne Legendre Armstrong, who was actually the only other woman who served as Ambassador to the UK, to evade detection. It’s bound to get Kate’s attention. 

Then, the episode ends! 

Why is she hiding? What does she know? And, why does she need Kate’s help? Those are the big questions we have heading into The Diplomat season 2 episode 2 on Netflix!