The irritating thing about The Diplomat is that it is an opportunity lost. At a certain level much of our lives is determined by decisions over which we have no control. We might think that because 'we live in a democracy' and 'get to vote every few years' we do have that control. But it is a fiction - we do not.
Once the man or woman we vote into office, whether at a national level or a state/county or municipal level is actually in office, the 'control' we foolishly pride ourselves on having is lost. Those men or women are - almost, but not quite - autonomous.
As far as we are concerned, all they need worry about is that every four or five years (according to the electoral cycle) they need to butter us up, 'get us onside', renew our support for them, make sure we re-elect them, then it is back to making their decisions without giving us a second thought.
Certainly, there are grand claims that they 'only have the interests of the country/nation/state at heart'. But that's only true in theory: in practice they are like you and I: they are human. And the important decisions they make - as in The Diplomat over the deaths of 40 odd servicemen and woman and how to react - are sadly as much governed by the individual human quirks and failings of those in high post as by 'the principles involved'.
This series had a chance to look at and 'explain' the goings on of diplomats and politicians at the highest level and draw us in, to involve us, to help us understand. But it preferred, at the end of the day to be what is, let's be honest, just another glossy soap opera.
That is not to say a more 'realistic' portrayal of dealings at the highest level would have been dry and dull, so we, the viewer needed something 'more human'. In the right hands such a portrayal might very well have avoided being dry and dull. But The Diplomat chose not to take a chance. It went for safe.
Safe means having a dash of this - sex both real and potential, 'relationships', the semblance of 'intrigue' and so on - and hoping that given the trappings of the show - presidents, prime ministers, official residences, helicopters and so on - the viewer will accept that what The Diplomat is 'the real thing' or pretty darn close to 'the real thing'.
But it isn't: at the end of the day The Diplomat is just another - very glossy - TV show. There's nowt wrong with that, of course, except The Diplomat does pretend to be more. But it isn't. As I say from where I sit it is an opportunity missed.
Once the man or woman we vote into office, whether at a national level or a state/county or municipal level is actually in office, the 'control' we foolishly pride ourselves on having is lost. Those men or women are - almost, but not quite - autonomous.
As far as we are concerned, all they need worry about is that every four or five years (according to the electoral cycle) they need to butter us up, 'get us onside', renew our support for them, make sure we re-elect them, then it is back to making their decisions without giving us a second thought.
Certainly, there are grand claims that they 'only have the interests of the country/nation/state at heart'. But that's only true in theory: in practice they are like you and I: they are human. And the important decisions they make - as in The Diplomat over the deaths of 40 odd servicemen and woman and how to react - are sadly as much governed by the individual human quirks and failings of those in high post as by 'the principles involved'.
This series had a chance to look at and 'explain' the goings on of diplomats and politicians at the highest level and draw us in, to involve us, to help us understand. But it preferred, at the end of the day to be what is, let's be honest, just another glossy soap opera.
That is not to say a more 'realistic' portrayal of dealings at the highest level would have been dry and dull, so we, the viewer needed something 'more human'. In the right hands such a portrayal might very well have avoided being dry and dull. But The Diplomat chose not to take a chance. It went for safe.
Safe means having a dash of this - sex both real and potential, 'relationships', the semblance of 'intrigue' and so on - and hoping that given the trappings of the show - presidents, prime ministers, official residences, helicopters and so on - the viewer will accept that what The Diplomat is 'the real thing' or pretty darn close to 'the real thing'.
But it isn't: at the end of the day The Diplomat is just another - very glossy - TV show. There's nowt wrong with that, of course, except The Diplomat does pretend to be more. But it isn't. As I say from where I sit it is an opportunity missed.