There’s been a growing sense of paranoia among Netflix subscribers that any fantasy series – regardless of how popular or well-regarded it is – finds itself on the chopping block for cancellation from the second it premieres. It’s easy to see why, and those fears haven’t been dampened in the slightest by the news The Diplomat has scored a rapid-fire renewal.
Following in the footsteps of both The Recruit and The Night Agent – which occupy eerily similar genre territory as fast-paced political thrillers – Keri Russell’s Kate Wyler will be back for a second run of episodes, with the announcement being made a mere 11 days after the initial batch dropped.
To be fair, The Diplomat has won strong reviews and conquered the viewership charts in an instant, but if it hadn’t been rewarded with a stay of execution, then it would have fallen into the all-too-familiar trap of ending things on a cliffhanger that never gets resolved. It’s not an issue any more, though, but a pattern has nonetheless emerged in terms of which genres are proving to be the most palatable to the top brass.
Effects-heavy shows boasting a fantastical twist have been getting canned by the dozen, while espionage-driven adventures have continued to prove worthy of almost immediate renewal. Maybe we’re facing a decrease in fantasy, an uptick in spy stories, or perhaps a combination of both, but let’s hope the Warrior Nun fandom doesn’t catch wind of The Diplomat living to fight another day too soon, because you know there’s going to be an uproar.
