Sophie Rundle explains what makes new crime drama The Diplomat unique
Rundle spoke exclusively with RadioTimes.com on the set of her new Barcelona-based Alibi series.
Sophie Rundle, star of Peaky Blinders, Happy Valley and many more series, will next be seen as the lead of new Alibi series The Diplomat, in which she plays Laura Simmonds who works at the Consulate in Barcelona.
Along with her colleague and friend Alba (Serena Manteghi), Laura works to protect Distressed British Nationals in the city, with a series of surprising and complex cases - including the tragic and suspicious death of a young British barman.
Rundle spoke exclusively with RadioTimes.com on set for the series in Barcelona, and explained how, with so many crime dramas across our screens, The Diplomat stands out from the crowd.
Rundle explained: "I really liked Laura and I love Serena’s character, Alba, and I really liked the dynamic between them. Because I think it's still quite unusual to get to see our female characters just being funny, outside of a comedy show. To get to see women being witty with each other and quick and enjoying each other's company."
She continued: "I really love that element of it, that lightness and that brevity and the humour in amongst it. It's nice to play someone who is funny. She's really competent.
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"I think we also have this propensity to need to see our female protagonists be somehow slightly unhinged, or display typically masculine traits, there's got to be something unusual about them to validate them being your protagonist. But actually with Laura, she's just really normal, really nice, a very likeable female protagonist that then gets into slightly hot water."
Rundle also explained the "specific format" of the drama, which sees a long-running mystery intersecting with smaller, episodic storylines.
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She said: "I really like the episodic dramas each week. It's a quite a specific format but it really works with this, because we've got that main thrust of the drama that carries us through the six episodes, which I think World [Productions] who are making this do so well – they do that in Line of Duty, in Bodyguard, the kind of pacey thriller that you've got to get to episode 6 to find out what happens.
"But then in amongst that we have these episodic dramas that allow us to explore different characters and different scenarios that Laura's character would be involved in, different parts of Barcelona. I think it's a really nicely balanced mix."
The Diplomat airs on Alibi from 9pm on 28th February 2023. For more news, interviews and features, visit our Drama hub or find something to watch now with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
