The Diplomat season 2 episode 3 recap: ‘The Ides of March’
By Bryce Olin
The Diplomat season 2 is getting so good! After two great episodes, the third episode might be the best of the season so far.
The Diplomat season 2 episode 3, “The Ides of March,” begins with a news report of Prime Minister Trowbridge (Rory Kinnear) announcing to the world that Roman Lenkov, who was responsible for the attack on the aircraft carrier, was killed by special forces. It was not a firefight, though. It was an assassination.
We immediately see Ambassador Kate Wyler (Keri Russell) and CIA Station Chief Eidra Park (Ali Ahn) talking about the killing of Lenkov in front of Stuart. Margaret Roylin (Celia Imrie) told Kate and Eidra this would happen, and it did. Now, Stuart Heyford (Eto Assandoh) and Kate would like to turn her over to law enforcement after the main witness (Lenkov) was killed. Eidra won’t do it, though. She wants to learn more about what Roylin is hiding.
Eidra reveals that she’s going to take the information to the CIA Director.
Just then, Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison (David Gyasi) sends for Kate, who thinks that she’s going to get sent home after Kate slowed down Dennison’s investigation into Roman Lenkov.
Eidra questions Margaret Roylin about Lenkov’s death
At the safe house, Eidra questions Margaret Roylin. Apparently, Roylin asked Dennison to stop looking into the Lenkov connection. Then, she sent some coded texts. The next day, Lenkov was killed. Too coincidental? Eidra thinks so.
Roylin asks Eidra if she can leave, but Eidra won’t let her leave the safe house yet.
Dennison reveals that the MPs will demand Trowbridge resign
Kate starts the meeting with Dennison by apologizing for Lenkov’s death and slowing down his investigation. Fortunately, the British MPs are moving faster than Kate and Dennison. Everyone thinks that Trowbridge assassinated Lenkov, and they’re going to force Trowbridge out of the Prime Minister's role.
Dennison wants to let Trowbridge know during the Fourth of July celebration at Hal and Kate’s party.
Stuart doesn’t want it to happen there, and he tries to talk Kate out of it. He wants Kate to run it by Eidra first, but he also just wants her to understand why he cares so much about this. One person on his staff died, and he almost died.
The party is the soft launch of Kate’s Vice President campaign
Back at the house, Hal is taste-testing apple pies for the big party, which is being paid for by Brad, the donor from the US Embassy. Kate breaks the news that Dennison and the MPs are going to remove Trowbridge. There’s a chance that Dennison could be the next Prime Minister, which would be a massive deal for Kate, her career, and American interests.
Hal, then, reveals that the party is being paid for by Brad, who is going to fund Kate’s Vice President campaign. They get into a big fight again about whether or not Kate is going to run for Vice President. Hal wants her to, but Kate doesn’t feel very comfortable with it all. Not yet anyway.
As they continue prepping for the party, Kate reveals the big plan to remove Trowbridge to Eidra, who informs Kate that the public doesn’t seem all that bothered about the Lenkov assassination. She also tells Kate that Margaret Roylin tried to leave, but Eidra isn’t done with her yet.
Stuart tells Billie Appiah that Kate is not Vice President material
Stuart also tells Kate that the White House wants Kate to tell Dennison to break the news to Trowbridge, but the President’s Chief of Staff Billie Appiah (Nana Mensah) doesn’t mind the plan, even though Stuart tells her that he doesn’t want her to do that. It’s very messy, but the White House doesn’t care.
But, he drops a big bomb on Billie. Stuart doesn’t, now, support Kate for Vice President because of her reckless behavior that got him and Hal injured and Ronnie killed.
It’s definitely an interesting development in the relationship. Stuart clearly has a lot of animosity for Kate.
Dennison plans to resign and blow the whistle on Trowbridge’s involvement in the bombing
Prior to the party, several British MPs declined their invitation to the party. The support for Trowbridge for killing Lenkov is actually growing. Dennison bails on the plan to confront Trowbridge, but he’s going to reveal the Prime Minister’s involvement in the bombing of the aircraft carrier. Dennison is going to resign, which is a major problem for the Wylers.
At the party, Trowbridge invites Kate and Hal to Scotland on what Dennison calls a “victory tour” after Lenkov’s death. Dennison is rightfully upset, but Kate and Hal accept the invitation before trying to get out of it.
Kate, then, gives a speech before the fireworks go off at the party. Stuart barely escapes before the fireworks go off, and he leaves with a woman at the valet who lost her keys.
The episode ends with Hal having a panic attack during the fireworks because of the PTSD from the bombing while Kate successfully calms him down.
There are a lot of moving parts halfway through The Diplomat season 2 on Netflix, and we still haven’t even met Vice President Grace Penn, played by Allison Janney. We will soon, though!
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