19 Behind-The-Scenes Facts About "The Diplomat" — AKA The No. 1 Show On Netflix Right Now

🚨This post contains spoilers for The Diplomat Season 1! 🚨

Netflix seems to be on a roll lately. Less than a month after its very successful FBI thriller The Night Agent premiered, its new show The Diplomat, starring Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell, made a similarly huge splash.

So, to celebrate the new series, here are some behind-the-scenes facts every fan should know:

1. According to Netflix, The Diplomat debuted at No. 1 on the streaming site's weekly global Top 10 TV (English) list, bringing in over 57 million hours of viewing in its first weekend alone.

2. The Diplomat isn't series creator Debora Cahn's first outing with the political thriller/drama genre.

3. The show marks Keri Russell's first leading role in a TV series since The Americans — another series with heavy political themes serving as the background for a marriage story — ended in 2018.

5. In fact, Keri was all set to turn down the role because she didn't want to do another TV series so close to The Americans ending.

6. Ultimately, Keri really related to Kate and that was one reason she ended up saying yes to the role.

7. Cahn also had her eye on Rufus Sewell for the role of Kate's husband, Hal.

8. Cahn first had the idea for The Diplomat while working on The West Wing.

9. Attending "spy camp" for Homeland only bolstered the idea for Cahn.

11. In fact, stunt doubles were on set the day they filmed Episode 3, but Russell and Sewell wanted it to "not look professional" so they elected to do the stunts themselves.

12. Cahn drew inspiration from Hillary and Bill Clinton for Kate and Hal's relationship.

13. Kari Amelung, a former CIA agent of 33 years, consulted on the series.

14. She also finds the couple's use of humor to be realistic, despite how serious spies and politicians are often depicted.

15. This is Rory Kinnear's second time playing Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

16. In terms of the cliffhanger ending to Season 1, Cahn said she wanted to "make people want more" and she also wanted "to bring together all of the different dynamics of the political relationships and the personal relationships in one event that splits apart all at the same time." David Gyasi, who plays Austin Dennison, said he was shocked when he found out the ending.

17. The show was primarily filmed in London and the Cotswolds, though the scenes taking place in Winfield House — where the real-life US Ambassador to the UK actually lives — were shot elsewhere.

19. And finally, fans of the series will be happy to know that it was renewed for a second season less than two weeks after its debut.

Are you excited for another season of The Diplomat? Share your thoughts in the comments!