Episode 3 of The Diplomat episode opens with Kate Wyler (Yvonne Strahovski) and her husband Hal (Brian Tyree Henry) meeting with the President of the United States (Chris Noth). The President is concerned about the situation in Iran, and he asks Kate to find a way to de-escalate the situation. Kate agrees, and she starts by meeting with her counterpart in Iran, Shahin Rahimi (Amir Arison).

See Also: The Diplomat — Season 1, Episode 2 Recap

Shahin is a reasonable man, and he's willing to work with Kate to find a solution. However, there are forces at work on both sides who are trying to sabotage their efforts. On the Iranian side, there is a hardliner by the name of Trowbridge (Michael Stuhlbarg) who is pushing for war. On the American side, there is a Senator by the name of Grace Penn (Kathy Baker) who is trying to make political hay out of the situation.

Kate and Shahin are able to make some progress, but they are ultimately thwarted by Trowbridge and Penn. Trowbridge sabotages the talks by leaking false information to the press, and Penn blocks a deal that would have de-escalated the situation. As a result, the situation in Iran continues to deteriorate, and the threat of war looms ever larger.

In the meantime, Kate's personal life is also in turmoil. She is struggling with her marriage to Hal, and she is also dealing with the death of her father. Kate is under a lot of stress, and she is starting to make mistakes. She makes a critical error in judgment when she meets with Trowbridge without telling Hal. This error of judgment puts her in danger, and it also puts the entire operation at risk.

In the end, Kate is able to save the day. She is able to outsmart Trowbridge and Penn, and she is able to broker a deal that de-escalates the situation in Iran. However, the episode ends with a cliffhanger. Kate is under arrest by the FBI, and it is unclear what will happen to her next.

Here are some additional details from the episode:

• Kate and Hal's marriage is in trouble. Hal is unhappy with Kate's job, and he is also jealous of her relationship with Shahin.
• Kate is struggling with the death of her father. She is grieving his loss, and she is also feeling guilty about not being there for him when he died.
• Kate is under a lot of stress. She is working long hours, and she is also dealing with the threat of war in Iran. This stress is starting to take a toll on her, and she is making mistakes.
• Kate is arrested by the FBI. It is unclear why she was arrested, but it is possible that it is related to her meeting with Trowbridge.

Overall, I thought this was a great episode of The Diplomat. It was well-written, well-acted, and suspenseful. I am looking forward to seeing what happens next in the series.

Here are some of the things I like about the episode:

• The acting was superb. Yvonne Strahovski was particularly good as Kate Wyler. She brought a lot of depth and complexity to the role.
• The writing was sharp and intelligent. The dialogue was witty and engaging, and the plot was well-paced and suspenseful.
• The directing was stylish and atmospheric. The episode had a great sense of place, and the cinematography was beautiful.

Here are some of the things I didn't like about the episode:

• The episode was a bit too long. It could have been trimmed by about 10 minutes without losing any of the story.
• The episode was a bit too melodramatic. The stakes were always very high, and there was never a moment to relax.
• The episode was a bit too preachy. The message of the episode was clear: war is bad, and diplomacy is the best way to resolve conflict. But the episode didn't leave much room for nuance or ambiguity.

Overall, I thought this was a great episode of The Diplomat. It was well-written, well-acted, and suspenseful. I am looking forward to seeing what happens next in the series.

The Diplomat is now streaming on Netflix.