Starring the likes of Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell, the hit political thriller returned to screens around the world late last year, picking up the twist-filled story of Kate Wyler, a recently confirmed American ambassador to the U.K. living in London.
Season 2 saw some major carnage, killing off several big-name characters, implicating others in devastating terrorist attacks, and setting up a potential presidential storyline in Season 3. And while the series received rave reviews yet again, it seems Netflix still was not satisfied.
Netflix Did Not Like This One Diplomat Detail
The Diplomat creator Debora Cahn revealed Netflix may have had a particular bone to pick with the recently released Season 2.
Cahn told TVLine (via Deadline), “[Netflix] was not happy” with one major detail from Season 2, specifically how it was released as a six-episode season rather than the eight of the first run.
“It was my decision,” the Diplomat creative remarked. “They wanted the full eight:”
“It was my decision. [Netflix] was not happy. They wanted the full eight. I was really tired.”
She claimed “it was a time thing,” citing that she “felt like there wasn’t enough time to turn around eight [episodes]:”
“It was a time thing. It felt like there wasn’t enough time to turn around eight of them. It was a lot to do in what appeared to be a short period of time.”
According to Deadline’s sources, this six-episode format is not something the series will stick to going forward, with Season 3 expected to bump back up to the full eight-episode run again.
Why Was Netflix Unhappy With The Diplomat Season 2?
While The Diplomat Season 2 performed well critically, receiving a stellar 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, it reportedly did not hit the high viewership benchmark set by the first season.
Per What’s on Netflix, the series suffered a sophomore slump, still making it into the streamer’s Global Top 10 upon release, but significantly lagging behind the incredible launch of Season 1 (which stayed in the Top 10 for four straight weeks).
Some have speculated that this shorter season length could have had something to do with it, coming in with 25% less content for audiences to watch than the season prior.
Netflix runs on a business of minutes. The more minutes streamed, the better. If there is less inventory from a particular show, it is already working from a disadvantage as there is already less for a viewer to stream (or fewer potential minutes) if they wanted to.
It may have also had to do with the politically charged nature of the show. Season 2 of the series arrived on the eve of the 2024 American Presidential Election, potentially leaving audiences fatigued from the world of U.S. politics it even arrived.
This may have very well caused a dip in interest in the show, leading to these lesser-than-expected viewership numbers.
Luckily for The Diplomat, it already had a Season 3 renewal heading into the release of Season 2. If that had not been the case, there is a very real possibility that the series may have been kicked to the curb following the paltry Season 2 response.
Hopefully, Season 3 (which The Direct predicts will arrive sometime in late 2025) can pick up the pieces and put the series back in Netflix’s good books with a full eight-episode season.
The Diplomat is now streaming on Netflix.
