“The Diplomat” pulls off a remarkable feat by managing to sustain its drama while never getting bogged down in it, enthuses “Streaming” columnist NICK OVERALL.  

WHO would have thought a show about geopolitics and statecraft could be considered “fun”?

It’s the first word that comes to mind when describing “The Diplomat”, a new eight part series streaming on Netflix.

In it, star of “The Americans” Keri Russell plays Kate Wyler, a scrappy career diplomat who must juggle her new post as America’s ambassador to the UK and her turbulent marriage to a famous politician.

As if it’s not enough plates to keep spinning already, things get complicated when a British aircraft carrier is blown up in the Persian Gulf, sending international tensions into overdrive.

Sounds like heavy viewing, right? Well, yes, but “The Diplomat” pulls off a remarkable feat by managing to sustain its drama while never getting bogged down in it. 

Zippy, Aaron Sorkin-like dialogue that bounces between a lively cast makes this political thriller refreshingly entertaining.

There’s something kind of “The West Wing” about it all, something kind of “Homeland” about it and even throws a dash of “007” in there.

The highlight is the finely written conversations between Kate and her husband, Hal. Their musings on international politics and their own shaky relationship makes for addictive drama that operates on both a large and small scale.

This one’s definitely worth checking out.

WHILE we’re on political telly, production powerhouse HBO has a new streaming called “White House Plumbers”.

Woody Harrelson takes the reins in this new series on Binge that puts a comedic spin on the Watergate scandal.

Harrelson plays E Howard Hunt, an intelligence officer and conspirator of the famous plot to wiretap the Democratic National Committee HQ for the Nixon administration.

He’s joined by star of “The Leftovers” Justin Theroux, who plays Gordon Liddy, an FBI agent and lawyer who’s also in on the scandal.

Throughout the years there’s been so many movies and TV shows about Watergate, kicking off with the excellent 1976 film “All The President’s Men”. 

Last year subscribers to Stan might have even caught “Gaslit”, a political thriller about the woman who sounded the alarm on her husband and Nixon’s team of schemers. 

What audiences have seen much less of is the funny side of the controversy.

It’s a change of pace compared to films such as “All The President’s Men” where two journalists worked to uncover the intricate plans of the perpetrators. 

“White House Plumbers”, on the other hand, tries to illustrate why the perpetrators were stupid enough to leave a trail of breadcrumbs in the first place. 

It turns out, despite the highly sensitive nature of the operation, there were actually a lot of mistakes that seem rather ridiculous. 

“Whitehouse Plumbers” homes in on those screw-ups, turning the whole Watergate escapade into something of a goofball comedy.

Does it work? Sort of. The quality of writing wavers as the show goes on but it certainly hits more than it misses. With only five episodes as well, the series certainly doesn’t outstay its welcome.

The time period here is a real highlight and remarkable in its consistency. Costumes, crowds, cars all look like they’re straight out of the ‘70s. Even the HBO intro at the beginning of each episode is made to look like it belongs on a TV set made 50 years ago – a nice touch.

IF there was an award for most uninspired film title of all time, Gerard Butler’s newest action thriller flick would certainly be in the running.

“Plane” tells the story of commercial pilot Brodie Torrance, who is forced to make a risky landing on a wartorn island after his aircraft is struck by lightning.

Turns out that’s only the beginning. When the passengers are taken hostage by dangerous rebels, Torrance is forced to team up with an accused murderer in order to save them.

Even by B-grade standards, “Plane”, now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, barely manages to hover above competent. 

The premise admittedly has some potential, especially for one that asks viewers to leave their brains at the door, but apart from a few somewhat impressive action sequences, this 100-minute flick makes for a rather banal affair.

Drop an “E” and add an “I” to the title and one gets a bit closer to what the movie is really like.