The Foreign Desk Stranger than fiction?
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Nov 22, 2025 
Join historian and screenwriter Alex von Tunzelman, former British ambassador John Everard, and Emmy-winning writer David Quantick as they explore how film and TV shape our understanding of politics. Alex critiques the realism of films like Zero Dark Thirty and discusses the influence of government on storytelling. John explains how comedic portrayals often reveal truths about diplomatic blunders. David shares insights on creating satire amidst real-life absurdity, highlighting the delicate balance of comedy and plausibility.
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Diplomacy Is More Chess Than Sport
- Diplomacy is often misportrayed as a media-friendly spectacle of soundbites.
- In reality negotiations resemble chess: complex, procedural, and slow-moving.
Dramatise Negotiations’ Turning Points
- To dramatise diplomacy, focus on decisive moments where negotiations break through.
- Showing those turning points conveys process without boring audiences with every step.
Cockups Drive Real Diplomacy
- John Everard names Carlton Brown from I'm All Right Jack as a favourite fictional diplomat.
- He says bungling often reflects truth: the world advances more by cock-up than conspiracy.