The Diplomat Season 2 Episode 3 Recap: What Happens to Trowbridge? - Netflix Tudum

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    By Rachel Chang
    Nov. 12, 2024
This article contains major character or plot details.

Despite taking place on the Fourth of July, the vibes in The Diplomat feel much more like the title of The Diplomat Season 2, Episode 3: “The Ides of the March.” On that date in 44 BCE, Roman dictator Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of senators in order to preserve the republic — and things are trending the same way here in the British government.

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Members of British Prime Minister Nicol Trowbridge’s (Rory Kinnear) own government, led by British foreign secretary, Austin Dennison (David Gyasi), believe that Trowbridge himself ordered the execution of Russian mercenary Roman Lenkov (Sam Douglas), as well as the London car explosion and attack on the HMS Courageous, and are preparing to vote him out. But things don’t go exactly as planned, especially when there’s a lavish American Fourth of July party as the backdrop. 

From creator Debora Cahn (The West WingHomeland), the latest episode of the political drama starring Emmy nominee Keri Russell as American ambassador to the United Kingdom, Kate Wyler, takes a patriotic twist of sorts — as the allyship between the US and UK is pushed to the brink. Read on for the full debrief.

David Gyasi as Austin Dennison and Keri Russell as Kate Wyler in ‘The Diplomat’ Season 2, Episode 3.
Alex Bailey/Netflix

Do the Brits end up arresting or killing Lenkov?

It’s been three weeks since a missile was launched at the HMS Courageous, killing 41 members of the British armed forces. Trowbridge holds a press conference, revealing Lenkov as the perpetrator, calling him the “shadow of the Kremlin,” and telling his citizens that they can sleep easy because he ordered the British Special Forces to detain Lenkov. He goes on to explain that the planned arrest became a “firefight” and now Lenkov is dead.

The catch: Kate and Dennison got intel from the French that it was never meant to be an arrest, and always intended to be a full assassination. 

Watching the press conference unfold, Kate and CIA Chief Eidra Park (Ali Ahn) come to the same realization: They’ve been played by Trowbridge’s former adviser, Margaret “Meg” Roylin (Celia Imrie). Dennison was going to investigate Trowbridge for ordering the kill, but Roylin had convinced the Americans to make Dennison hold off, which he did. That gave Trowbridge time to execute his plan. Now Kate and Eidra realize they’re just Roylin’s “hand puppets.”

They’re so sure about Trowbridge that Kate says, “The prime minister is a mass murderer, and he’s ordering hits like a mob boss.” They argue about what to do with Roylin since the Americans are still hiding her

When Stuart leaves, Eidra apologizes to Kate about the situation, but Kate says it’s on both of them. When Dennison calls Kate in, she thinks he’s going to send her home. 

So did Roylin order Lenkov’s murder?

Eidra goes to the house where the Americans are hiding Roylin. They’ve taken all forms of communication away from her, so Eidra informs Roylin of Lenkov’s death. Eidra also tells Roylin the Americans looked at her messages and have seen some nonsensical texts that likely were the order to kill Lenkov.

Eidra flat-out asks her: “Did you tell someone to kill Lenkov?” Roylin replies, “Absolutely not.” 

But Eidra doesn’t believe her and leaves Roylin in the house. 

David Gyasi as Austin Dennison and Keri Russell as Kate Wyler in ‘The Diplomat’ Season 2, Episode 3.

But Trowbridge definitely ordered the assassination, right? 3ee2

Kate arrives to see Dennison surrounded by British Members of Parliament. After they leave, she starts apologizing about letting Roylin play her and, in turn, Dennison. Dennison says he had a “biting reprimand” for Kate, but no longer needs to deliver it because “Nicol’s done.”

He explains that all the MPs who were just in the room are ready to write a letter of no confidence in Trowbridge. They only need 54 to trigger the vote, which he says they can get quickly. They all believe Trowbridge ordered the execution. If the PM doesn’t step down, he’ll be forced out.

Kate jumps ahead and asks Dennison if he’ll be the new prime minister. He admits the idea has come up, but cautions: “Let’s not praise the day before the evening.” He says they’ll just call Trowbridge out for the Lenkov assassination right now, and the lines between him and the warship attack and car bombing will come in time.

Then Dennison asks Kate a favor. If Trowbridge doesn’t step down on his own, they’d like to confront him at the American embassy’s Fourth of July bash at Winfield House, since he’s “less likely to make a fuss” there. Kate says she finds it kind that he asked and points him toward the greenhouse behind Winfield’s tennis courts as a possible setting for this, noting that this will amount to “Independence Day” for Dennison, too.

Wow, so they’re really going to overthrow the prime minister?

The only thing bigger than the guest list of more than 2,600 guests to the Americans’ Fourth of July shindig is the amount of excitement there is among those in the know about the impending overthrowing of Trowbridge. Despite their tension, when Kate tells Stuart the news, they embrace, elated that the truth will all come out. 

But when Kate says they’re going to focus just on Trowbridge’s role in the Lenkov kill, Stuart says that’s the wrong move. That makes Trowbridge look like an avenger, rather than focusing on the fact they think he took out 41 of his own soldiers on the warship and a US foreign service officer in the Notting Hill blast. 

Stuart starts worrying that the Americans could be seen as aiding in a coup d’etat. He also doesn’t love the fact they’re still hanging onto Roylin, but Kate says it’s a CIA issue now.

Essential side note: Though plenty of dots have been connected to Trowbridge, they still don’t have concrete evidence he is the monster they all believe him to be.

Keri Russell as Kate Wyler and Rufus Sewell as Hal Wyler in ‘The Diplomat’ Season 2, Episode 3.

What’s going on with Hal and Kate right now? 

Hal has been in entertaining mode, hosting donor Brad Chapman (David Alan Basche) who fronted $300,000 for the Fourth of July party, with corporate sponsor SunFide. And party prep is in full swing at Winfield House, where Kate finds Hal in the midst of an apple pie tasting with residence manager Frances Munning (Penny Downie). She asks the staff for a bottle of Champagne since it’s the anniversary of her first date with Hal. Once Frances and residence assistant Pensy (Georgie Henley) leave, Kate tells Hal the real occasion for a toast: to celebrate Trowbridge being thrown out.

In the midst of her delight, Kate says, “Two countries divided by a common language” — a clever phrase that Hal takes notice of. Kate admits she got it off a list she was given of “pithy sayings” to work into her vocabulary as ambassador. But then she pauses, realizing that the list was made by American foreign service officer Ronnie Buckhurst (Jess Chanliau), who was killed in the London car explosion as a result of Kate’s actions.

She tells Hal that Dennison seems to be on the road to becoming PM. There’s no hiding he’s also the third wheel in their relationship, but Kate doesn’t hold back, raving: “He might be the best person, like truly decent man, I’ve ever known in politics.”

Hal urges her to tell the home secretary the Trowbridge news — a reminder that Hal’s still gunning for power by thinking ahead to Kate becoming vice president. Taking it one step further, he also adds that she needs to schmooze more with Brad since she may need his wallet for campaigning down the road. Kate never wanted to campaign. The reason she was thinking of taking the role was that she could just step in when the current veep was forced out. Campaigning is way too far down the road and she has zero interest. 

In the midst of Kate and Hal’s heated conversation, Frances and Pensy return with Champagne to celebrate the couple. 

So has Stuart completely turned on Kate and Hal?

Stuart continues to see the cracks in Kate’s character, not just with regard to her role as ambassador, but also as a potential vice president. 

She doesn’t seem to be properly prepping for her speech at the Fourth of July party — something he anticipated, which is why he constantly has an extra copy in his pocket. She also forces him to go back to White House Chief of Staff Billie Appiah (Nana Mensah) to ask if they’re prohibiting or simply disapproving Dennison’s use of Winfield House’s greenhouse for Trowbridge’s coup. 

Billie doesn’t mind, but questions Stuart about why he’s so against it. She’s also clearly watching out for him, asking how he’s doing post-explosion and saying that he sounds “like mopey Stewie.” The nickname signals their long history.

But Stuart turns the conversation back to Kate’s viability as vice president, telling Billie, “She’s not your girl.” Despite throwing around terms like “undisciplined” and “unfocused,” what he really thinks is that Kate’s too close to Dennison. Billie defends her, saying, “That’s her job.” 

Billie keeps pushing for more, but Stuart’s got nothing. He doesn’t doubt Kate’s qualifications as ambassador and admits nothing is actually happening with Dennison, but he still doesn’t love that “she’s frothing at the mouth to have the Ides of March play out at her picnic.”

Keri Russell as Kate Wyler and Ali Ahn as Eidra Park in ‘The Diplomat’ Season 2, Episode 3.
Alex Bailey/Netflix

What’s the public opinion of Trowbridge after the Lenkov assassination? 

Stuart is right — Kate is already celebrating Trowbridge’s exit before any wheels have really spun. Plenty of MPs are upset, but there hasn’t been the kind of public outcry she’d expected. In fact, she starts to hear evidence to the opposite. 

First, Pensy asks Kate to thank Trowbridge for disposing of the “horrible man” Lenkov, since it serves as justice for the loss of Ronnie and those aboard the HMS Courageous . Hal and Kate also see online memes of Trowbridge being portrayed as Christian martyr St. George, slaying the dragon Lenkov. 

The chief whip, Steven Kline, who was going to be part of Dennison’s contingency confronting Trowbridge, drops out at the last minute. In fact, more MPs keep bowing out.

As the Fourth of July celebration kicks off — with Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the USA” playing, of course — Kate learns during small talk that Trowbridge’s action is widely being seen as heroic.

When Trowbridge arrives at the party, he makes a crack that “Hell is empty, the devils are all here.” But he also tells Kate that assassinating Lenkov has earned him an invitation to Scotland by the first minister, meaning relations might be smoothing out on the secession movement. In fact, he invites Kate to join. This is no prime minister on the verge of being ousted — in fact, he’s taking a victory lap with Lenkov’s murder as a feather in his cap.

Dennison takes Kate aside and lets her know that his supporters are dropping out. Kate says maybe he should give it a few days. As more evidence emerges about Trowbridge, she thinks his supporters will return. But Dennison is a man on a mission: He says he’ll do it alone. He’s going to reveal to the world himself that Trowbridge ordered the strike on the British aircraft. He says the press will find the evidence, and it’ll all work out. 

Problem is, Trowbridge is parading around like a new messiah.

How are Hal and Stuart recovering from their injuries?

Stuart is warned that the fireworks at the Fourth of July party will sound like bombs, possibly triggering PTSD from the car explosion. He plans to duck away before they’re set off. Kate urges Hal to do the same, but he’s confident he’ll be fine. After all, he’s introducing Kate before her speech at the party and doesn’t want to miss out. He steps up, proving to be a natural behind the podium, telling the partygoers he’s “not the attraction” and that he’s as “proud as can be” to be the consort to Kate. 

As Kate ascends the podium, she whispers to Hal that the speech written for her is “really stupid.” Whether she goes off script is unclear, but she’s a charmer as well, and gets a few laughs along the way, even a whistle from Trowbridge, who says, “That’s my girl!”

Just before the fireworks, Stuart makes his exit and is about to get into his car at the valet stand, when another woman says she’s been waiting forever for her vehicle. The valet admits to Stuart they lost her key, so Stuart volunteers to wait with her. She asks Stuart if he knows a guy named Henry Brody, who claims to work at the embassy. He says there are 800 people there, so it’s possible he doesn’t know. 

But the valet takes too long, and the fireworks start. Stuart is visually traumatized. Panicking — and admitting he’s scared of the sounds — he convinces the woman to join him in his car. 

Meanwhile, as Kate and Hal watch the spectacle from the podium, Hal’s not faring so well either. The ambassador leads her husband through some calming breathing exercises, telling him to look at her instead of the fireworks. They melt into each other’s arms, as Kate reassures him he’s OK. 

As Episode 3 closes out with one last gleaming explosion, it appears to dawn on Kate and Hal: perhaps they’re made for each other after all.

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