The Diplomat (Netflix)

 For a little while before the pandemic started, my wife and I were empty nesters. During that time we experimented on watching a few serial shows together: some were abandoned in an episode or two, but we both loved a couple that we watched all the way through. Some that we watched all the way through:

1. Made in Heaven (Amazon Prime).

2. Family Man (Amazon Prime).

3. Madame Secretary (network TV, then syndicated by Netflix).

4. Panchayat (Amazon Prime).

There may be others but the above are ones that we absolutely loved and looked forward to curling up together with and watching. 

Netflix recently released a show, The Diplomat, that I thought we might love because it sounded kinda’ like Madame Secretary — a woman in a powerful US government post with international repercussions to her position.

Although we completed the first season — and were very glad that we did — there were instances where we almost abandoned the show:

1. The lead actress in The Diplomat, Keri Russell, doesn’t have the presence that Tea Leoni did as Madame Secretary.

2. Madame’s husband was a theologian and he was amazing as one. He had the scholarly background and his acting and persona totally embraced the role that he was put into. Also, the focus was on Madame because that’s what the show was about. Diplomat’s husband was in the role that she steps into and it appears that he was a formidable one too. Too much attention is being paid to his doings. There appears to be an important role there but it’s a bit confusing in season one at least.

3. Madame had three endearing kids and their stories were nice too. The diplomats have no kids. Moreover, one could relate to Madame’s married life. The diplomats are in marriage hell but having way too much sex for the hell they’re in.

4. Madame’s clothes were always on. The script and the crew treated her with the respect and dignity that she deserved. Diplomat is way too willing to take her clothes off and the script doesn’t give her enough respect. Besides, her body isn’t too appealing. She’s slim, but small breasted — hello, small is out right now.

5. Madame’s supporting staff was way more interesting than diplomats’.

Anyway, we ARE looking forward to the second season because toward the end of the season the show got much more interesting. No spoilers here other than that.

Shiv Shakti Bhavan

 This is Shiv Shakti Bhavan at the intersection of H. T. Parekh Marg and Maharshi Karve Road in the Churchgate area of Mumbai. It’s a superb example of reasonably well preserved and not too modified Art Deco architecture in Mumbai.

A few features that make it Art Deco:

1. A square building with one rounded corner at the intersection of the roads of its venue.

2. Geometric patterns and motifs that harken to Native American art.

3. Balconies with metal railings.

4. Eyebrows above windows and balconies.

5. Threes recurring: three windows at every rounded corner. Three balconies on every side (third not visible on the left hand side though in this picture).