Netflix’s latest political series, The Diplomat, has been a crowd-pleaser since its premiere last month. Amidst its drama layered with bits of humor, the show is a brute representation of the conversations and deals that go on before the news breaks. After eight episodes in its debut season, audiences have taken to social media, demanding a second season thanks to Keri Russell’s intense performance as Kate Wyler, a veteran ambassador, plunged into managing a geopolitical crisis sitting on a ticking bomb.
Aside from Season 1’s cliffhanger finale that left us with many questions, another significant component of The Diplomat is the presence of a diverse cast range, with different motivations they pursue cleverly or the complete opposite. Like real-life politics, each player in this series has sincere or sinister motives they hide beneath lobbying and small talk. Still, as the intellect warfare entailed in politics and international relations, some figures fall short of others because their political IQs are far from even.
From Stuart Hayford, the observing chief of mission, to Margaret “Meg” Roylin, the special adviser who pulls the strings outside negotiation rooms, here is a ranking of the smartest characters in The Diplomat.
9 Billie Appiah
As the White House Chief of Staff and fixer, Billie is the President’s right-hand woman. Due to her high position on the political food chain, Billie lacks minute details of every event unfolding beneath her, thus limiting her intel and ability to interpret or intervene in any crisis. Her brilliance only manifests at decisive levels, like when she nominates Kate Wyler for Vice President. Nonetheless, Billie does not fully trust her judgment. Hence, she relies on Stuart to keep a tab and get information on Kate and everything happening in the diplomatic scenes.
8 Miguel Ganon
Ganon is the U.S. Secretary of State. He is sneaky and skilled at ascending his political career by working behind the scenes to sabotage the current administration’s peace efforts on international fronts so that he can have a running ground for his campaign against the president. However, when Hal discovers his plans, we learn that although Ganon has some tricks under his belt, he is not intelligent enough to cover his tracks, leading him to be exposed and booted out of the internal circle.
7 Stuart Hayford
As Kate’s Deputy Chief of Mission, Stuart must monitor Kate Wyler’s performance as a diplomat in the U.K.. His role is to report how durable Kate is under the vigor of geopolitics if she is ever to survive the road to being VP and possibly more. Stuart is good at playing the small guy in the room, even though he is well-informed by multiple sources involving his CIA lover and Billie. Nevertheless, Stuart’s shortcoming is his sentiments that cloud his thinking, to the extent he cannot see a pit right before him when Eidra Park corners him in dialogue and breaks up with him, all because he isn’t savvy enough to maneuver the situation, a skill men like Hal Wyler have in their genes.
6 Eidra Park
As the Chief of the CIA station in London, one of the most extensive CIA epicenters in the world, Eidra‘s ability to tap intel from numerous sources makes her a key player in domestic and global politics. Her ability to sniff out intel from anyone and maintain secrets for personal reasons and national security makes her the best person for her job. As it stands, Eidra’s long-term aspirations in politics are still vague, and that’s what makes her one of the most unpredictable characters in the series. Unlike Ganon, who is like a maskless robber in broad daylight, Eidra Park is well-calculated and only reveals details of her intel if it’ll benefit her, even with her ex-love interest Stuart.
5 Margaret “Meg” Roylin
As earlier stated, Margaret is the one who pulls the strings outside of negotiation rooms. She is a shady political figure in UK’s political scene, and everyone knows it. Unlike other characters that parade their resourcefulness, Margaret keeps her insights to herself until anyone is humble enough to come to ask for counsel or plead an alliance, like Kate eventually goes against Denison’s suggestion to do.
One pivotal scene in which Margaret’s brilliance gleams is how she deciphered the core reasons the UK Prime Minister (Nicole Trowbridge) is so hell-bent on going to war. As the Prime Minister’s previous — and unofficially present — adviser, Meg’s understanding of her nation and accurate prediction of events make her easily one of the most competent characters in the series. We hope she doesn’t leave soon.
4 Nicol Trowbridge (The U.K. Prime Minister)
Initially, we assume Trowbridge is just a puppet whose strings are pulled by Meg, his Foreign Secretary, and Dennison until we realize he was several steps ahead at the finale. The prime minister had no intentions of heeding their counsel due to his ulterior motives we are yet to uncover. Why did Trowbridge hire Lenkov? Executing Lenkov on foreign soil is reckless and inhumane. Still, a solid reason must be behind it that keys into a larger sequence of events only Nicol Trowbridge knows. Yet.
3 Austin Dennison
Dennison is the British Foreign Secretary under Prime Minister Trowbridge. Body language, emotional intelligence, proper use of words, physical charm, and overall class are vital traits to being a successful spokesperson, and Dennison has them all. Whether it’s when he shuts down Kate in front of France diplomat to make her more inclined to hear her argument as a fellow woman or quickly following up with Kate’s moves in ways no one else can, Dennison is a sharp guy. He can read a room before he steps into it, masking his appeal beneath his sultry British accent.
Aside from these strengths, what makes Dennison more than just a sleek character is his humanity. Dennison has no hidden agendas; he simply wants what’s best for his country and the rest of the world. Also, he openly has feelings for Kate. That’s smart enough. Unlike the next character on this list
2 Hal Wyler
Hal is predictable and, at the same time, unpredictable. What is predictable is he is never forthcoming. What’s uncertain is how it’ll come to light. Beneath his disarming banter and dirty smirks are endless schemes to ascend his political career at the expense of anyone, even his partner.
As a former ambassador with numerous feats attributed to his name, Hal Wyler’s political genius is the reason for the end of several wars and diplomatic settlements. However, even in temporary retirement, we still catch glimpses of Hal’s chess board with his operations behind the scenes to install himself as the State Secretary while simultaneously playing the role of “the wife” to Kate.
1 Kate Wyler
There are moments in which Kate is dumbfounded and has no idea what to do to stop world leaders from going to war with one another. Still, as a diplomat, Kate has proven she has the mind and willpower to do or say what’s necessary to get her desired outcome. Kate Wyler is the smartest character in the series, not because she is the protagonist, but because she knows how to give people just a piece of what they want while she searches for better alternatives. For example, when she tells the prime minister to “choose something to blow up” just to appease his fury. Or when she pulls Hal inside her affairs to soften his resentment. Kate can read everyone’s motives, even before they utter them.
However, the most notable instance in which Kate’s quick thinking should be commended is how she could maintain Iran’s innocence regarding the aircraft attack on the British cargo and discern Trowbrigde’s hand in the terrorist act. No one else could have seen that coming.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
