ABC's 'Designated Survivor' Debuts With Kiefer Sutherland as US President
ABC's new drama 'Designated Survivor' premiered with a shocking first hour showing a terrorist attack wiping out the entire U.S. Capitol, taking out the president and his cabinet during the State of the Union address.
Created by David Guggenheim, the drama stars Kiefer Sutherland as Tom Kirkman, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development who takes over as the President as the nation is thrown into a crisis. He is the 'designated survivor' - the one Cabinet member sequestered in a secure location so that a top-ranking official in the line of presidential succession remains to run things in case of a calamity.
The Wrap reports that the little-known provision is actually true. The practice is adopted whenever all major players of the U.S. government gather in one place including the State of the Union address or a presidential inauguration.
The show follows Kirkman's journey as he takes over the role of POTUS and explores how a smart and cautious politician would handle a Presidency. Adding to the drama is the fact that most White House insiders don't think he is cut out for the job. It also charts the FBI investigations into the terrorist attack, adding in some features of a procedural thriller.
Guggenheim, who has penned the movie thrillers Safe House and Stolen, is known for his scripts that bring together elements from secret-agent thrillers and political drama. The show is expected to be particularly interesting in the current climate with widespread anxieties about terrorism, political stability, and security.
Sutherland who made his name as Jack Bauer in the show 24 brings to life the struggles of an unassuming, inexperienced man who has to now deal with political machinations at the highest level while making tough decisions like choosing between a military response or diplomacy. NPR's reviews give his performance a thumbs-up, calling him 'great ' in the show .
Most reviewers are expecting the show to become a cross of The West Wing and Homeland - some political drama, some terrorism-fighting thrills.
