Designated Survivor [ABC] - *Spoilers*

The Black Oil

Agent Coulson wrote: »

ABC Orders ‘Designated Survivor’ Series Starring Kiefer Sutherland From David Guggenheim, Mark Gordon, Simon Kinberg

EXCLUSIVE: Jack Bauer is heading to the White House. Kiefer Sutherland is returning to primetime television with Designated Survivor, an ABC conspiracy thriller drama, in which the 24 star will play the President of the United States. Designated Survivor, which was written on spec by David Guggenheim (Safe House), has received a straight-to-series order. The script, with Sutherland attached to star and Simon Kinberg (The Martian, X-Men, Days Of Future Past) to executive produce for the Mark Gordon Company, sparked a major bidding war before landing at ABC.

In Designated Survivor, a lower level United States Cabinet member (Sutherland) is suddenly appointed President after a catastrophic attack during the State of the Union kills everyone above him in the Presidential line of succession. This is a family drama wrapped around a conspiracy thriller about an ordinary man in an extraordinary situation.

The title of the project, Designated Survivor, refers to the term used for a member of the U.S Cabinet who is sequestered in a safe location when the President and the country’s other top leaders are gathered in one place, such as during State of the Union addresses and presidential inaugurations. The policy is designed to preserve continuity of government in the event of a catastrophic occurrence when the President and those in line of succession are killed, leaving the designated survivor to become the Acting President of the United States under the Presidential Succession Act.

Source

First little teaser. I like his glasses, I do solemnly swear...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGSGMyk8zZU

expectationlost

The Black Oil wrote: »

First little teaser. I like his glasses, I do solemnly swear...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGSGMyk8zZU

didn't the Last Ship already do this story line

_Kaiser_

Well, this looks interesting....

Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actor Kiefer Sutherland (“24”) returns to primetime in a conspiracy thriller as Tom Kirkman, a lower-level cabinet member who unexpectedly becomes president after a devastating attack on Washington. He will struggle to prevent the country and his own family from falling into chaos, as he is thrust into one of the most difficult presidencies in history.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_f1v0Nx5Sw

Jack Bauer becomes President? I dunno but looks pretty good to me

Mr E

Threads merged.

crazyderk

That looks quality!

Mr E

That looks very very very very good indeed.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

I'll definitely be giving this a shot anyway.

crazyderk

I'm just throwing this out there but the 3 of us have very very similar taste in TV shows.

TV Fwiends :D:D:D:D

JohnFalstaff

This looks like the premise for one of those fish-out-of-water comedies from the 90's... "it's King Ralph in the White House!"

They should have cast Rob Schneider or Chris Rock in the Kiefer Sutherland role.

_Kaiser_

Actually the premise kinda reminds me of the Tom Clancy novel "Executive Orders" where after a similar attack, Jack Ryan finds himself President.

It and the book immediately before it were an excellent read

minidazzler

This looks like a great show, Kal Penn, Kiefer, Natasha all great actors. Not a huge fan of Maggie Q but don't hate her either.

The_Valeyard

Will be watching.

The Black Oil

Dan Fienberg's quick reaction to the pilot. I'll check it out, regardless.

there's also an overly cutesy daughter and an overly sullen teen son

No way - on TV?! :pac:

lukin

The pilot for this is only a week away. I'll probably watch it but I don't usually like ABC's shows, they are usually very formulaic and don't take many risks. This is not an action role for Sutherland either so we won't be seeing him shooting and beating the living daylights out of people like in 24. He is probably too old for that now anyway. I would love to see him take on a really ballsy role that would challenge him (in a Sopranos or Game of Thrones type show) but he has played it fairly safe since he finished 24.

Mr E

Early buzz for this is strong. Look up some reviews of the pilot, I haven't read too many negative ones...

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Wow, that was really really good. This could potentially be one of the best dramas we've gotten in many years, so hopefully it can keep it interesting.

Kiefer Sutherland as always is amazing and the rest of the cast seem spot on so far - even with all the characters we had to meet in that first episode, each of them managed to stand out as charismatic and likeable (or intentionally dislikeable in one case) and I'm already hugely invested in these people.

Basq

Sorry but I'm in the "clichéd hokey muck" camp!

Cutesy child cooing at every opportunity? Check!
Missing angsty teenage son (who is also a drug dealer by the way) after a terrorist attack? Check!
The newly sworn-in good guy president spouting dialogue like "We're going to do things my way!"? Check!
Potential insider corruption in the White House? Double-check!
Kids discussing house and clarifying to the audience how brave they think their "Daddy" is in this daunting new role? Check!

This was really goddamn horrendous.. and I'll be amazed if this doesn't turn into a run-of-the-mill family melodrama with little bits of political corruption by the 8th episode!

Mr E

Jesus Brian, you've gotten really cynical in your old age.

Basq

Mr E wrote: »

Jesus Brian, you've gotten really cynical in your old age.

Definitely not cynicism... there's always one pilot each year that hits every clichéd box..

.. I like Kiefer Sutherland so was really hoping it wouldn't be this!

That_Guy

I'm on the fence about it.

I really like the characters involved but the whole "who is gonna double cross who in the White House" shtick has been done to death especially in Sutherland's other famed role in 24.

I enjoyed the opening sequence and the view of the explosion from when he opened the window was really well done.

I didn't come away with my mind blown and I certainly didn't think it was the worst but I'll give it a couple more episodes to see how it pans out.

I've no strong feelings on it either way which in itself is a disappointment because I liked the premise and I was hoping it would grip me more than it did.

Meh is my overall feeling about it.

The Black Oil

I liked it. Didn't cringe. It does what you expect for a pilot - fairly standard character intros, disaster scenario with associated music beats. Attack itself seemed a little low key (impact aside), imo, TV outage. Of course, the teen son gets a grade B on the doofus-o-meter, most of the civilian staff are tools and that general might be sent packing soon, but not much America is awesome chest-beating going on, I felt. The bald secret service bloke seems good, plus Maggie Q as eyes and ears on the ground - yep.

Agent Coulson

A decent pilot but very by the numbers in a way I enjoyed but when the inevitable conspiracy within a conspiracy within a conspiracy that these shows always have and then the twist to make it get a second season comes I will probably have invested too much time in it to give up watching which is probably what they want.

pixelburp

BTW, for those not aware, Netflix UK are airing each new episode every Thursday, so Episode 1 has appeared on the service.

_Kaiser_

Just watched it there... I enjoyed it.

Unsurprisingly the General wants to bomb everyone back to the stone age and thinks the "wuss" accidental president isn't up to the task, but the scene with the Iranian ambassador was excellent and shows that Tom has potential IMO

CastorTroy

At last Jack has become president after telling the president what to do before.
Good job it isn't Jack or that general mightn't be walking around as he is.

Intereting how they got Kal Penn in, and as consultant as well, after he left House to go work at the White House.

I'll keep watching to see where they go with it, but I can see the son getting into loads of trouble. Arguing with his dad, sneaking out, etc.

Funnily enough, I only recently watched the episode of The West Wing where this was explained. So was wondering before watching this, does the new president have to keep the existing First Lady or does he get his own?

And don;t know about other glasses wearers here, but if I took off my glasses, I'd have trouble seeing the text on the screen in front of me and his glasses looked thicker

pixelburp

Watched the first episode and it definitely has potential; but it totally depends on what direction it now takes and how much they lean on the whole 'wayward teenager' angle for family drama. Odds are the wife had an affair too at some point, it's how these sorts of things go usually. It could also be worth watching for the political / constitutional angle alone, given Sutherland will have to reform the entire US government - somehow! - while navigating obvious attempts to create an American junta

The completely open mystery of who is behind the attacks will be a tricky narrative balancing act as well. Kept too vague for too long and peoples' patience - including my own - will wear thin quickly enough. Sometimes these sorts of shows think withholding is a good storytelling tool, when imo it just suggests the writers are being told to hold off the big reveal as much as possible.

Mr E

I enjoyed it. I agree with _Kaiser_ - the chat with the Iranian Ambassador (and to a lesser extent, standing up to the General) showed the potential of the show.

_Kaiser_

I know I said this previously, but having watched it it's very reminiscent of the plot of Tom Clancy's Executive Orders... which is no bad thing

Following the conclusion of Debt of Honor, Jack Ryan is sworn in as President of the United States minutes after becoming Vice President. With nearly every executive, legislative, and judicial figure deceased, Ryan is left to represent the United States by himself. Ryan deals with various hardships and crises, from reconstituting the House and the Senate; to a challenge on his legitimacy by former vice president Ed Kealty; to a brewing war in the Middle East.

FunLover18

Good idea but soooo many cliches. The military lad trying to get a coup going because Kiefer is unelected, oh the irony.

CastorTroy

Turns out it was all planned by Tom to get the job.

Well it's gonna be a short series anyway since I think they said the president has been in office 3 years. So only 1 year to cover.

_Kaiser_

CastorTroy wrote: »

Turns out it was all planned by Tom to get the job.

Well it's gonna be a short series anyway since I think they said the president has been in office 3 years. So only 1 year to cover.

By the end of the term he's turned it around (stopped a war etc) and is re-elected by the country

rossie1977

I thought it was ok and will continue to watch. Wednesday is a strong night for abc currently

ibFoxer

I thought it was great, especially for a pilot. Sets it up nicely, but it needs a strong second episode to get the hook.

Pepe LeFrits

Entertaining enough premise but I'm not exactly hooked. Very, very cliché. I frequently I found myself thinking I'd much rather see a show about this guy becoming president:

Kirby

I watched it.



Meh.



Thats my overall takeaway from it. Its pretty bland, has very little edge, the dialogue is pretty juvenile, its too safe, by the numbers and cliche. I may watch the second episode to see what they do next but I wasnt impressed.

This is an adult situation and story. It should be handled as such and ABC just doesnt do adult well. The kids just scream that.

Unearthly

So Kiefer left 24 to join a show which is pretty much 24. The conversations about attacking a country fast in response to a terrorist attack I've seen all before. Just waiting for the painful twist that Iran had nothing to do with it.

I'll keep watching though

pixelburp

Given the perpetrator of the attack is completely unknown, even though we're just one episode in, I presume it's a deliberate secret as to shock the audience later on; on which case it's probably not going to be the 'obvious' suspect of an enemy nation state. The brass all thinks it's iran so it probably wasn't : My own initial theory is that it'll be an internal coup or terrorist plot by supernationalist types.

FortuneChip

Thought it was fairly poor.

They don't have to try and force full character bios on you in the first episode. The scene with Maggie Q investigating the site was awful. Two guys start to repeat their findings to her only to find out she was listening all the time as she repeats verbatim (Wow, she pays attention, she's no nonsense, we like her) rather than just saying "Yeah, I heard you. Thanks".

Delinquent kid - No, please not again.

Also, while the premise could have been decent the choice of "Designated Survivor" makes NO sense. How could it happen that a guy that is about to lose his job (and it seems well known with the speech-writer confident to blurt it out cubicle to cubicle) end up in such a position. I'm sure that will fall into the conspiracy at some point with a bigger picture in mind, but any "long-term plan" that involves putting the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in charge of the White House seems nonsensical.
They couldn't even make it one episode before teasing the inevitable conspiracy.

Kiefer & Natasha were fine I guess.

Kirby

FortuneChip wrote: »

Thought it was fairly poor.

They don't have to try and force full character bios on you in the first episode. The scene with Maggie Q investigating the site was awful. Two guys start to repeat their findings to her only to find out she was listening all the time as she repeats verbatim (Wow, she pays attention, she's no nonsense, we like her) rather than just saying "Yeah, I heard you. Thanks".

Delinquent kid - No, please not again.

Also, while the premise could have been decent the choice of "Designated Survivor" makes NO sense. How could it happen that a guy that is about to lose his job (and it seems well known with the speech-writer confident to blurt it out cubicle to cubicle) end up in such a position. I'm sure that will fall into the conspiracy at some point with a bigger picture in mind, but any "long-term plan" that involves putting the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in charge of the White House seems nonsensical.
They couldn't even make it one episode before teasing the inevitable conspiracy.

Kiefer & Natasha were fine I guess.

This bit was actually one of the most plausible things in the episode actually. Nobody wants to be the designated survivor. It's a bit of a wooden spoon in Washington by all accounts. You miss the speech.

Everybody important, and those we think they are important, wants to be in the room as the President gives the state of the Union. And nothing ever happens so giving it to somebody on their way out kills two birds with one stone. You dont risk insulting or upsetting anybody coz he is being fired anyway.

But yeah, I thought it was quite poor too overall.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Now that I've taken off the rose tinted glasses I was wearing during the pilot, I found Episode 2 quite the struggle. There was a good flow to the pilot, but episode 2 felt incredibly clunky and the dialogue is fairly terrible - it's a good cast, but I don't think there's enough of a story there (a bit like Quantico last season - great pilot and then slowly lost steam as the episodes progressed). I'll keep my ear to the ground and see if it's worth trying again a few months down the line, but for now can't see myself watching any more - too many other good shows out there as it is.

The Black Oil

It is a little cloying, really. The wife character seemed to have more to do in 1.02 than Maggie Q. I did have a concern from the pilot that they were echoing 24 season 2, trying to point the finger at an innocent country/group in order to get the US to over-react. Speaking of that show, I thought Maggie Q might have a word with Kiefer /Kurkman at the bomb site, in a way Jack Bauer would get close to POTUS at some stage, but it's perhaps early for that and the conspiracy isn't in full flow yet. The General is a little too political 'you need to tell the world who did this', rather than merely providing sound military counsel, forgivable - it's TV. I did like Kurkman getting angry. Whilst Congress was lost, I'm still not really feeling it compared to how you would in say, Homeland. It should be bubbling under the surface more, it's not for me.

JP Liz V1

It has got a full season pick up so 22 episodes

http://tvline.com/2016/09/29/designated-survivor-full-season-1-order-renewal-abc/

_Kaiser_

Just watched episode 2 there and while still uneven, thought it was decent enough for a new show with 2 episodes under its belt. Comparisons with 24 are inevitable but it's not that sort of show/character. Will keep watching anyway.

TheCockpitGuy

Oh so we have a second designated survivor?

Im actually surprised it got the full 22 episodes. ABC are not known for their faith so early into the season.

Be interested to see how the numbers fair against Madam Secretary when that show returns.

pixelburp

I think there were definite Second Episode problems that made this one a chore to watch. The bang came with the first, literally explosive first episode and inevitably there had to be that lull so people could ask 'what now?', the show giving a better sense of the status quo (or at least the new version). Happens with most dramas: the first episode pulls you in with big names, set-pieces and higher budgets, the second then sets the table and lets everyone breath. I think it's doubly problematic when a shows premise relies on starting with the huge event; everything afterwards just feels a bit deflated..

The main narrative stumbling block though is that the West Wing material naturally invites comparison with other poltical dramas and just finds itself wanting; when compared with more luminous work such as The West Wing, or even Veep for that matter, Designated Survivor feels hokey and a bit bloodless. Heck even Braindead, a show about brain-eating space bugs has better Washington material than this. Keifer Sutherland does his best mind you and unsurprisingly remains the high point here.

Akrasia

It's sooo cliched that it's bubblegum unwatchable fluff.

The Main Character might as well have been the actual elected president dealing with a revolt, they could have done so much more with the idea that the designated survivor is just a back bench politician. Instead they have miraculously ended up with the only good decent, honourable politician in the whole system, the only man who could have been thrust into this position and still act calmly and assuredly in the face of overwhelming crisis.

Ways this could have been better
1. The designated survivor was a yes man, who is used to following the herd. Imagine this kind of person having to suddenly step up and be the leader, and how all the competing interest groups would try to bend them to their will

2. The designated survivor was a fringe candidate whose entire political career was based on a narrow interest, eg, an environmentalist, or an anti abortion, or pro gun lobby. Imagine the possibilities of one person given free reign to implement his narrow focus. Imagine if a 2nd ammendment politician was given ultimate power in a time when he could very legitimately institute martial law...

3. The designated survivor was a Donald Trump style character

4. The designated survivor was a gay dwarf with tourettes syndrome

Basically, any scenario where the main character is human and believable instead of a typical hollywood action hero, superman, honest, dignified, always tries to do the right thing for the right reasons.... would have been better than the paint by numbers show I suffered through last night.

iLikeWaffles

This is just going to be a dreadful series. Watched the pilot episode there and its full of some terribly overacted scenes. Its so bad its good can't help but realise with it being released so close to Novemeber, voting time in America, is this really how Fear in Americas media controls the way they think.

Its terrible I love it. But I can't help myself being reminded of so many other films and especially 24 and Die Hard 4 due to its cast but more so the way its story is written not a good sign for a pilot episode. Its like a mashup of a lot of different films TBH. Its pure propaganda I tell ya.

Would not be surprised if it is an actually war room scenario. Ahem plausible deniability....

cml387

Older members will remember "Washington behind closed doors", a similarly rather trashy but very watchable series.

I don't think there are any spoilers in this but...

...surely after such an event the new president would be rushed straight to Mount Weather, the designated bunker for such an eventuality. That certainly happened after 9/11

...before his speech, a flunkie gets Kiefer to remove his glasses to look more presidential.
It would hardly be very presidential for his first address to be "My fellow Americans, I can't read the autocue.."

miamee

I watched the first two episodes back to back on Sunday night. They were good but I'm not hooked. If there had been a third episode there I probably wouldn't have watched it. I'll give it another episode but if I'm not hooked in after that...
I actually found some of it a bit too real, e.g. the police in Louisiana are far too reflective of a lot of police action (shootings) in the US at the moment, it felt uncomfortable to me. Depends what they do with it I suppose, let's hope it's not a terribly preachy kind of show.

For the record, I';ve never watched more than a handful of episodes of 24 or The West Wing so I'm not comparing it to those

LoonyLovegood

I quite liked it, watched the first two episodes on Netflix, the brother and dad came in during episode two and were hooked. There's some obvious parts, but overall it seems to be a solid show so far

ThisRegard

Also Starring LeVar Burton wrote: »

Wow, that was really really good. This could potentially be one of the best dramas we've gotten in many years, so hopefully it can keep it interesting.

I wonder both if we watched the same program, and the quality of TV you've been watching up until this point. As others said, awful hackneyed cliche shtick, it really felt like one of those cheap made for TV movies. I'll still watch the second episode though to see which direction it goes.

edit: Lol, I got to your post in which you said you took your rose tinted glasses off.