Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s ‘The Diplomat’ follows the story of Kate Wyler, who is appointed the US ambassador to the U.K. during a particularly turbulent time for both countries. In the second season, the circumstances of her appointment change as she discovers that she is being considered for a VP nomination. If chosen, she would be working with President Rayburn, whose current VP is Grace Penn. The second season takes Kate through a rollercoaster of feelings about the advancement of her political career. However, all of that is put on the back foot when President Rayburn’s health takes a drastic turn. SPOILERS AHEAD.
President Rayburn’s Death was Foreshadowed Throughout Season 2
In the final scene of ‘The Diplomat’ Season 2, Hal Wyler decides to expose Grace Penn’s involvement in the terrorist attack on HMS Courageous in a bid to secure Kate’s nomination as the Vice President. At first, he thinks about sharing this information with the Secretary of State, Miguel Ganon, but changes his mind at the last minute. He doesn’t want Ganon to use the information in his favor, so he patches a call directly to President Rayburn. To his surprise, Rayburn takes the call, and Hal tells him everything. He knew that Rayburn would be angry, but he didn’t realize just how extreme his reaction would be. Discovering that his VP was behind the attack makes Rayburn have a heart attack, and he dies while still on call with Hal.
Since the death happens during their conversation, Hal blames himself for the President’s death. When Grace Penn discovers that Hal told Rayburn her secret, she blames herself for doing something so bad that it pushed her boss to his death. While the secret and its shock may have played a role in it, Rayburn’s death wasn’t exactly anyone’s fault. Going back to Rayburn’s appearances in the season, one can note the times when it is pointed out that his health is not so good. When he arrives in London, he makes a remark about not being allowed to eat carbs and is forced to follow doctors’ orders.
Later, as he sits down for a meeting with PM Trowbridge and coffee is served, Billie becomes concerned when it is revealed that there is confusion about which coffee was served to whom. She points out that Rayburn cannot have real coffee because of the impact it has on his heart. This proves that he has a heart condition, and it is deteriorating by the day. This is why, perhaps, despite being in a position where he has to constantly deal with high-stakes situations, he could not handle the mess made by his VP. Kate points out the same thing to Grace and Hal to prevent them from blaming themselves or anyone else for something that had never been in their control to begin with.
President Rayburn’s Death Confirms Michael McKean’s Departure from The Diplomat
The role of President Rayburn in ‘The Diplomat’ is played by Michael McKean, and with the character meeting a shocking end in the Season 2 finale, the actor’s return to the show becomes highly unlikely. Despite the actor’s brief presence in the series, he makes quite a mark as Rayburn, who remains a pivotal force in deciding the trajectory of Kate’s life, as well as of those around her. Speaking of his role, McKean talked about relating to Rayburn’s morbid humor, particularly the part where he talks about dying rather than being told not to eat carbs. The actor called it a common feeling for men his age. He added, “[Rayburn] develops a kind of gallows humor about life and death. And he’s amused by the fact that people are trying to keep him alive.”
Similarities were also drawn between Rayburn and former US President Joe Biden, and while McKean acknowledged them, he pointed out that the events on ‘The Diplomat’ take place in a radically different world than what Biden had to deal with in his administration. “The comparisons are few, and the longshots are many in this kind of political world,” he said, adding that he came up with his own backstory to enrich the character. All in all, it was a fun and interesting experience for McKean, particularly with the brilliant cast that he starred alongside. He praised Keri Russell’s portrayal of Kate Wyler, who still remains at the center of the show, and whose journey along the third season takes her through quite some treacherous situations.
Read More: The Diplomat Season 3 Ending Explained: Who Took Poseidon?
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