12 Best TV Shows Like Netflix's The Diplomat

The political thriller "The Diplomat" has been a great triumph for Netflix, garnering that rare combination (for the streaming platform, anyway) of commercial success and critical acclaim. The wonderful Keri Russell plays Kate Wyler, a serious-minded diplomat thrust into the spotlight when she becomes an ambassador to the United Kingdom. Despite her intelligence and commitment to her job, Kate finds herself ill-equipped for this high-profile position and must navigate a new world of slippery politics and byzantine optics. Meanwhile, her marriage to the charming Hal (Rufus Sewell) is in danger of collapsing under the pressure.

"The Diplomat" works so well because of how it combines various TV tropes to produce something smart and colorful in its own right. It has the twists and turns of a political thriller mixed with the intrigue of a sexy drama. It has brilliant strategists walking and talking at breakneck speeds and jaw-dropping bombshells. Smartly made yet geared toward entertaining viewers above all else, these elements prove to be winning combinations.

Indeed, "The Diplomat" compels us by cherry-picking the best parts of previous series of this ilk, bringing us into a TV world that feels both familiar and novel. As such, if you're a fan of the show, we can offer you plenty of examples of series that overlap in some way, either serving as influences for "The Diplomat" or providing a genre-specific counterpart. 

Here are the 12 shows like "The Diplomat" that you should watch next.

You don't have to dig deep to find connections between "The Diplomat" and "The West Wing." Debora Cahn, creator of "The Diplomat," worked as a writer on "The West Wing" early in her career. "The Diplomat" features two notable "West Wing" actors, Allison Janney and Bradley Whitford, playing a husband and wife duo.

Narratively, the two shows have a lot of overlap. "The West Wing," which premiered in 1999, takes place in the titular wing of the White House. A commanding Martin Sheen plays Jed Barlet, the Democratic President. Bartlet and his team, which includes deputy chief of staff Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford), press secretary C.J. Cregg (Allison Janney), communications director Toby Ziegler (Richard Schiff), and chief of staff Leo McGarry (John Spencer), struggle daily to navigate Washington politics while trying to do what's best for the country.

"The Diplomat" and "The West Wing" both feature frequent walk-and-talks and share a similar frenetic energy. Tonally, they differ. While "The Diplomat" doesn't take itself too seriously and aims for a soapy sophistication, "The West Wing" is pure earnestness. While you might think this mood wouldn't resonate in 2025, the qualities that made "The West Wing" compelling 20 years ago still ring true today. There's something deeply satisfying about watching a group of people do their best every day, even if — and perhaps because — that doesn't reflect the way the world works today.

Shonda Rhimes raised the bar for sexy political thrillers when "Scandal" premiered in 2012, and nothing has come close to being as entertaining since then. That is, until "The Diplomat." Shonda Rhimes' third hit TV show, "Scandal" follows Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington), a former White House consultant who opens a crisis management firm in D.C. Olivia and her team spend their days cleaning up personal and political messes, but when it comes to their own lives, solutions are harder to find. One of Olivia's many personal difficulties is the fact that she's having an affair with the President of the United States, Fitzgerald Grant III (Tony Goldwyn).

Though Olivia is a very serious character and Washington a serious actress, "Scandal" doesn't shy away from plot twists so big they become silly. Still, the at times soap-operatic quality of the show is one of its charms, and you can't deny its massive entertainment value. "The Diplomat" can veer into soapy territory sometimes as well, but smart writing and brilliant acting keep it on track. "Diplomat" creator Debora Cahn is no stranger to Rhimes' penchant for sexy intrigue, as she was also a writer and producer on "Grey's Anatomy" — penning one of the show's best episodes – for many years. "Scandal" feels very much like a precursor to "The Diplomat," as both shows depict the compelling interplay between thrilling political drama and personal crises.

Kate from "The Diplomat" and Elizabeth from "Madam Secretary" have a few things in common. Elizabeth McCord (Téa Leoni), a former CIA analyst, takes a job she doesn't really want. When her predecessor dies under mysterious circumstances, Elizabeth becomes Secretary of State. Though whip-smart and very capable, she finds life in the public eye to be one of the most difficult parts of the job. Still, Elizabeth is determined to get the job done and, over time, earns the respect of her peers and rises in the ranks of Washington.

The plot of "Madam Secretary" may sound familiar, both to fans of "The Diplomat" and political dramas in general. The show doesn't spend much time trying to subvert its chosen genre, but that doesn't mean it's not worth your time. As with Keri Russell in "The Diplomat," Leoni carries the show with her powerful performance, and her commanding presence gives the show much of its intrigue. Leoni's Elizabeth didn't just earn the respect of her fictional colleagues – she earned the respect of her real-life counterparts as well. The show was well-liked enough in Washington to attract cameo appearances from Madeline Albright, Hillary Clinton, and Colin Powell.

Though "The Diplomat" tracks political drama, marriage is an equally important topic. Kate and Hal's relationship affects and reflects the world of diplomacy. A decade ago, Keri Russell starred in another series that weds marriage and politics. In "The Americans," Russell plays Elizabeth Jennings, a KGB spy married to Phillip (Russell's real-life partner, Matthew Rhys), in what is perhaps the greatest show about marriage in TV history.

Elizabeth and Phillip's marriage was arranged by the KGB, who sent them to America to pose as a normal American family while secretly carrying out missions for the Soviet Union. Elizabeth and Phillip's partnership is like nothing else on television. Though their marriage began as a work contract, they grow to love each other, and their family — which includes two kids, Paige (Holly Taylor), and Henry (Keidrich Sellati) — becomes just as important, if not more so, than the job at hand.

Elizabeth and Phillip frequently carry out covert missions, donning disguises and engaging in subterfuge to gather information for their country. These spy plots are fascinating, and sometimes fun, but the effect their job has on their relationship matters more than the political aims of the KGB. Their marriage functions through compromise and sacrifice, disappointments and devotion. One of the best-acted and best-written shows of the century, "The Americans" reverses the feminist slogan "the personal is political," instead emphasizing how the political is personal.

Audiences love to take a look behind the curtain of politics, regardless of whether these depictions reflect reality. While "The Diplomat" explores the infrequently discussed world of diplomacy, "The Night Agent," another Netflix series, dives into a government program that doesn't (at least that we know of) really exist. An adaptation of Matthew Quirk's novel of the same name, "The Night Agent" stars Gabriel Basso as Peter Sutherland, an FBI agent heralded as a hero after preventing a bombing. As a reward, White House chief of staff Diane Farr (Hong Chau) sends Peter to the White House basement, where he monitors a phone used by the mysterious Night Agent program.

When the phone finally rings, Peter gets drawn into a dangerous conspiracy involving senior members of the U.S. government. He's sent to protect Rose Larkin (Luciane Buchanan), a former tech CEO connected to the Night Agent program through her family. Peter and Rose find themselves fighting for their lives, on the run, and unsure of who they can trust.

"The Night Agent" is a deliciously fun political thriller, featuring both action-packed episodes and charming characters you can root for. Created by "The Shield" showrunner Shawn Ryan, "The Night Agent" hits the familiar beats of a spy show but contains enough suspense and intrigue to keep you coming back for more.

Though the BBC series "Bodyguard" is only six episodes long, it takes the audience on quite a journey over the course of those six hours. Richard Madden plays David Budd, a veteran suffering from PTSD. Working as a police sergeant, Budd stops a terrorist attack on a train. His high-profile heroism results in a promotion, working as a bodyguard for Julia Montague (Keeley Hawes), the Home Secretary. Budd vehemently disagrees with Montague's politics, and struggles to put aside their differences to do his job.

Because of its truncated length, "Bodyguard" wastes no time diving right into the action, drawing the viewer in from minute one. The series expertly weaves twists and turns into the narrative while still giving us time to get to know the characters and puzzle through their relationships to one another. Budd and Montague's complicated dynamic drives much of the series, and Madden and Hawes both give brilliant performances as dogged but potentially conflicted players in this dangerous game. Budd is told to surveil Montague as he protects her from potential threats, while Montague seems intent on using her feminine wiles to win over her skeptical new bodyguard. This combination of simmering tension and (sometimes literally) explosive revelations gives the series an addictive quality that makes it hard to turn off.

In 2016, BBC One aired "The Night Manager," one of the best spy thrillers and best British crime dramas to air on television. Those involved in the series were rewarded handsomely for their efforts, garnering two Emmy Awards (for directing and composing) and three Golden Globes (one for each of the main actors). Adapted from the 1993 John le Carré novel of the same name, the series transports the action to the 2010s, looking at the aftermath of the Egyptian Revolution.

Tom Hiddleston plays Jonathan Pine, a British Army veteran working as the night manager of a hotel in Switzerland. Pine is traumatized by his time in the military and what he experienced in Egypt during the revolution. Hugh Laurie plays Richard Roper, a demented arms dealer. Roper often frequents the hotel where Pine works, and to assuage his guilt about past events, Pine agrees to help Angela Burr (Olivia Colman), a British foreign affairs officer, take Roper down.

A sexy, sumpotus adaptation of Carré's novel, "The Night Manager" fires on all cylinders. Laurie and Hiddleston's performances take the series from good to great. You've never seen Laure like this, playing a character referred to as "the worst man in the world" and filling up the screen with his gleeful malevolence. Hiddleston plays the two sides of Pine perfectly, introducing him as a diplomatic Englishman before revealing the simmering rage that lies within. Along with Colman (and Elizabeth Debicki), these fine performers deliver a tour de force of tense dramatics.

A decade after he appeared as Jack Bauer in the pulse-pounding thriller "24," Kiefer Sutherland returned to the world of high-stakes politics in "Designated Survivor." Sutherland plays Thomas Kirkman, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Kirkman has been named the designated survivor and sequestered away from the rest of the cabinet, and when the president and his successors are killed in an attack during the State of the Union address, an unlikely scenario comes true: Kirkman becomes the President of the United States.

A low-level cabinet member without ambitions of political ascension, Kirkland is unprepared to hold the highest office in the country. Thrust into a position of power, he fights to keep the United States from dissolving into chaos and must deal with the foreign policy implications of the terrorist attack. Like Kate in "The Diplomat," Kirkman is promoted to a job he never asked for and finds himself suddenly in the public eye. As he tries to unite the fractured nation, he's also put in the position of winning over his colleagues in the government, some of whom don't believe he's cut out for the job.

With its thrilling premise, "Designated Survivor" is an escapist political show driven by the kind of idealism in "The West Wing." The killer pilot episode, which may remind you of "Battlestar Galactica," drops the viewer right into the action, and while it doesn't always live up to the thrills of this starting point, it's suspenseful enough to keep you tuned in.

Before creating "The Diplomat" and after her time on "The West Wing," Debora Cahn worked on another era-defining political thriller: "Homeland." The Showtime series stars Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison, a CIA agent who finds herself in a series of very tricky situations. She meets Marine Corps sniper Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis), a prisoner of war, and begins to suspect he has been turned by al-Qaeda and is part of a terrorist plot against the United States. When Mathison grows closer to Lewis, her loyalties — and grip on reality — are put to the test.

"Homeland" is filled with twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and the tension never lets up. The show goes in different directions following that thrilling first season, as Mathison goes through hell for the organization she's pledged her life to. Danes' incredible performance lends the series much of its power. Though the seasons vary considerably in quality, "Homeland" remains an interesting, satisfying puzzle, one that Claire Danes described as being like "origami." Despite its lofty aims, the series has been rightly criticized for playing into the Islamophobia that defined the post-9/11 landscape. Thankfully, "The Diplomat" manages to mostly steer clear of these prejudices, while continuing to illustrate Cahn's talent for weaving tangled webs of political intrigue.

In "The Good Wife," Julianna Margulies plays Alicia Florrick, the series' titular spouse. The show begins when Alicia's husband, Peter (Chris Noth), the State's Attorney, is caught in a sex/corruption scandal and sent to prison. Publicly humiliated and suddenly the breadwinner for her family, Alicia returns to work as a lawyer after spending 13 years at home raising her kids.

She gets a job at Stern, Lockhart & Gardner thanks to her old friend Will Gardner (Josh Charles), whom she's always held a candle for. Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski) and the frequently absent Jonas Stern (Kevin Conway) serve as the firm's other name partners. Going back to work proves difficult for Alicia, as she must prove that she can do the job after years away and reclaim her public image. To make matters more complicated, she works in Chicago, one of the most corrupt places in the nation.

Fans of "The Diplomat" will appreciate Alicia's dilemma, similar in many ways to Kate's unexpected diplomatic posting. "The Good Wife" delves into tense workplace politics and the broader political landscape of Cook County, further complicating Alicia's standing. Once you've watched "The Good Wife" you can go on to the spin-off, "The Good Fight," which more explicitly touches on American politics and will delight viewers on the lookout for witty political commentary.

If you're looking for a political drama that looks beyond the overrepresented world of American politics, check out "Borgen," a Danish drama that premiered in 2010. Sidse Babett Knudsen plays Birgitte Nyborg Christensen, a low-level politician who becomes Prime Minister after a series of political mishaps. Slower-paced than "The Diplomat" and not plotted like a thriller, "Borgen" keeps the drama grounded in a believable reality. The series doesn't sensationalize the role of Prime Minister or the workings of government, turning seemingly boring debates about things like pension plans into riveting television.

Not overly cynical nor overly optimistic, "Borgen" is a clear-eyed look at how politics seep into personal lives, and vice versa. Every political decision Nyborg makes reverberates in her home life, and we watch as she struggles to balance the needs of her family with the needs of the nation. Nyborg's job and her political standing are constantly and flux, and this sense of dynamism makes the show far more compelling than it might sound. All of the characters in "Borgen" become different versions of themselves as circumstances change, and supposed political divisions aren't drawn in black and white.

Knudsen does an amazing job playing Nyborg, keeping her sympathetic and human even when she starts to lose track of the ideals she once held dear. This kind of nuance elevates "Borgen" above other political dramas but doesn't limit the tension that builds in every episode.

"The Pitt" was rightfully lauded this year for executing its clever premise, with every episode depicting one hour of a 15-hour shift in real-time. The Fox series "24" revolutionized the concept two decades earlier and felt like the most timely (no pun intended) show of its era when it premiered mere weeks after 9/11. Kiefer Sutherland plays Jack Bauer, an agent in the Counter Terrorist Unit. Every season of the show takes place over the course of a 24-hour period, with each episode spanning an hour, as Bauer races to stop terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.

When it comes to delivering on its premise, "24" knocks it out of the park. Every episode is tense and thrilling and requires focused attention on the part of viewers. Indeed, if you miss an episode, you'll have missed an essential part of the story. Though excitement is baked into the premise, the thrills don't stop there. The show features numerous twists and turns that you won't see coming, and Bauer often faces a threat from within, in addition to the terrorists he's fighting.

Like "Homeland," "24" has been criticized for upholding Islamophobia, frequently depicting Muslims as the enemy and Christian-adjacent Americans — no matter how unethical — as the heroes. Indeed, the show embodies the climate of the 2000s, for better or for worse, but if you can stomach its implicit prejudices, you're in for an exciting ride.