The Diplomat season 2 teaser reveals first look at Allison Janney's intimidating VP

Watch the first teaser trailer for the Emmy Award-nominated series' second season.

The Diplomat. Allison Janney as Grace Penn in episode 206 of The Diplomat. Cr. Alex Bailey/Netflix © 2024
The Diplomat. Allison Janney as Grace Penn in episode 206 of The Diplomat. Cr. Alex Bailey/Netflix © 2024

Keri Russell is back in her Emmy Award-nominated role as United States Ambassador Kate Wyler in The Diplomat season 2, which makes its premiere on Netflix on Thursday, Oct. 31. Ahead of the highly anticipated followup season of the political drama, the streaming service unveiled the first teaser trailer for season 2, which revealed a character's fate and teased a menacing guest star.

Without wasting a second, The Diplomat season 2 trailer reveals that Kate's husband, Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell) survived the explosion that ended season 1 and left his life in the balance. Netflix, too, confirms Hal's fate in their own season 2 preview, hinting that he lives to "rile up his wife another day." Kate and Hal will surely have another bumpy road ahead professionally and personally in season 2.

While the teaser doesn't feature any characters speaking to each other or set up the season's plot, the clip effectively sits us right at the edge of our seats without needing to say a word. After getting out of a car and walking up steps to some sort of gala or party, Kate comes face to face with Vice President Grace Penn, played by Academy Award and Emmy winner Allison Janney.

Watch the heart-pounding teaser trailer in the video below and get your first look at Janney's debut as the Vice President!

No doubt, we will be getting some juicy sparring matches between Russell and Janney, two of the arguably best actresses to hit the screen, big or small. If Janney's presence is this powerful without even uttering a single syllable, imagine how iconic her work will be as the Vice President. Janney's credited as a guest star rather than a new series regular, as the teaser confirms, but she's sure to be one of the best parts of season 2.

Beyond a "threatening visit" from Janney as the veep, The Diplomat season 2 will be filled to the brim with exciting drama, including Kate's revelation that the explosion wasn't at the hands of a rival. Instead, as the tagline teases, "the call is coming from inside the house." Someone from inside the British government was responsible for the explosion that nearly killed Hal. Kate's marital strife and tense professional relationships will all boil over in an thrilling new season.

Here's the official season 2 synopsis via Netflix:

"A deadly explosion in the heart of London shatters US Ambassador Kate Wyler’s world (Keri Russell). Struggling to rebuild the lives that broke and the team that split apart, Kate’s worst fears unfold: The attack that brought her to the UK didn’t come from a rival nation, it came from inside the British government. As Kate chases the truth, her only real ally is her almost-ex-husband Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell), very much alive, and very much involved. She faces a fraught marriage, a complex dynamic with British Foreign Secretary Austin Dennison (David Gyasi), and a threatening visit from Vice President Grace Penn (Allison Janney)."

As mentioned above, The Diplomat season 2 will be released on Halloween, and while the first season contained eight episodes, it's been reported that the second season could see a decrease in its episode count. Netflix hasn't yet confirmed the drop to six episodes, but we'll be share to share the official episode count for season 2, as well as the full trailer, when it's released by the streamer. Until then, it's time to rewatch season 1 to get ready for all the twists and turns to come in season 2.

The Diplomat season 2 premieres on Oct. 31 only on Netflix.