Netflix renews The Diplomat for a fifth season after season four finale

Renewal announced

Netflix has ordered a fifth season of The Diplomat, the political thriller starring Keri Russell as US ambassador Kate Wyler and Rufus Sewell as her husband, Vice President Hal Wyler. The order was announced on Thursday, 29 October, after the fourth season was released in full on 15 October. ANSA describes the series as one of the most-loved political dramas on the platform. Netflix has not set a premiere date or released official details about the plot. The decision follows a finale that reshuffled the relationships between Kate, Hal and President Grace Penn, played by Allison Janney.

Season four and its finale

The fourth season placed Kate at the centre of an international crisis while she tried to keep her marriage intact. Netflix's own synopsis describes a plot in which Grace and Hal conspire to take Russia's most powerful weapon, pushing the United States toward war. Kate begins to suspect that she may have been deceived by her husband and by the president, a thread that starts at the end of season three. Netflix says Kate and Todd, played by Bradley Whitford, form an unlikely partnership to stop the Grace and Hal alliance from destabilising the balance inside and outside the country. According to ANSA, the finale has Kate resign in a public move during a G7 summit in Lucca, Italy, with Hal stepping down shortly afterwards. La Razón describes the ending as leaving the couple with a decision of large consequences for the US government and the international balance.

Viewing figures

ANSA reports that the fourth season accumulated 72 million viewing hours worldwide in its first 11 days on Netflix. Its first week brought 4.8 million viewers, in line with the audience for the third season. La Razón adds that the season reached third place among the world's most-watched series in its second week and entered the Top 10 in 63 countries. The Spanish report says these numbers eased doubts about whether the show would continue.

Release timing

Netflix has not announced a date for season five. One Portuguese outlet notes that season one arrived in April 2023 and that every season since has launched in October, with a new season each year since 2023. The same commentary points out that season four was announced before season three premiered, so a longer gap cannot be ruled out. La Razón expects production will not begin right away, and projects a release in late 2027 or 2028 if the pace of earlier seasons holds. Debora Cahn is expected to remain showrunner, according to the Spanish report, while Netflix has not officially confirmed the cast for season five.