Table of Contents Designated Survivor Season 1 ReviewPlot Analysis Cast / CharactersInfluence of the Opening Episode Final Thoughts
Designated Survivor Season 1 Review
Netflix‘s Designated Survivor: Season 1 stars Kiefer Sutherland as Tom Kirkman in a thrilling political drama that originally aired on ABC and now can be streamed on Netflix.
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In 2016, the first episode of Designated Survivor was released on ABC, and its riveting opening season continued through 2017 for a total of 21 episodes. These 21 episodes entailed success, failure, loyalty, honesty, and about every other category possible. Despite this season’s age, its overall message and perspective of what happens in Washington D.C. can never be forgotten, and can always be used. Throughout this series, I learned more about how the United States government operates than ever before. Although not all aspects of the content are realistic, the experiences of those who serve our government and how it is structured couldn’t be more accurate. Neal Baer, the Executive Producer and Showrunner of the third season confirmed that the detail displayed in the show can be great for grasping a better understanding of the government. On top of its educational purpose, the show is entertaining, suspenseful, and emotional, creating one of the best seasons of a show I’ve watched.
Plot Analysis
The plot of the season starts off with a literal and figurative “bang”, with the explosion of the Capitol Building amid the State of the Union Address. Right into the opening episode the audience is immediately glued to the screen, and the action immediately starts. As a whole, the story-line of a designated survivor becoming President of the United States is perfect, and makes me wonder how the idea wasn’t already thought of. I didn’t even know what a designated survivor was, so right off the bat I learned something new about the government. Throughout the season, an abundance of plots take place, including finding the responsibility for the bombing, which is still left unsolved by the end. Each episode contains detail on the main problem, while showcasing the daily predicaments of being the President and small inner conflicts between the characters that combine for non-stop action. However, I did find some of the political language to get slightly boring, and at some times dragging. On the contrary, the fast moving plots and conflict of characters like Congresswoman Hookstraten and the moving relationship of Hannah Wells and Jason Atwood keep things moving, and make it impossible to stop watching.
Cast / Characters
The cast of season one checked every box of my expectations from the start. Kiefer Sutherland as Tom Kirkman was a little surprising to see as playing the role of President based on his history of action movie roles. But, his acting is powerful to say the least; the way he is able to bring America together with his kind heart and truthful virtues was perfectly executed. He shows emotion when needed and overall does a solid job of playing the part. Another huge character and favorite is Maggie Q as Hannah Wells, offering her perseverance and combat skills that make for an interesting character. It seems to reach a point where she will never be wrong, and how she works tirelessly to conceive a theory on how Peter MacLeish is behind the bombing makes that evident. Kal Penn as Seth Wright knocks the roll out of the ballpark with his wit and intelligence along with his sense of humor that combines for the perfect Press Secretary for President Kirkman. Adan Canto as Aaron Shore and Italia Ricci as Emily Rhodes also offer great emotion and are characters essential to the show.
Influence of the Opening Episode
The opening episode of the season is worth going over, and in my opinion it is the most well put together episode in the entire season. Not only does it immediately grab the attention of the audience with its shocking opening scene, but the cinematography is exquisite. The flashback of Kirkman as the secretary of Housing and Urban Development is one thing I look back on as being interesting now that I’ve finished watching. How the one thing on his mind is why a few lines of his work weren’t included in the state of the union speech is ironic, figuring later that day he takes on the task of becoming President of the United States. As Mike tells Tom while being taken to the White House that he is the President of the United Sates, it truly en-captures the surreal nature of the situation, and it was perfectly executed. The slow motion scene of Tom first walking into the White House is well done, showing the distress of everyone and that he is actually the President. Even me watching it feels eerie; the directors knocked the opening scenes out of the park.
Final Thoughts
At the conclusion of the season, I was happy there were two more seasons to dive into, because the first was nothing short of amazing. From the intensifying plots of characters like Hannah Wells and her quest of hunting down Patrick Lloyd to the daily drama of the White House and how Kirkman made mistakes along the way, but rises to the top is everything I hoped for while watching. It is entertaining, educational, and well written, giving it everything and more of what it needed to be a great all around watch. Leave your thoughts on this Designated Survivor: Season 1 Review and this season of Designated Survivor below in the comments section. Readers seeking to support this type of content can visit our Patreon Page and become one of FilmBook’s patrons. Readers seeking more Designated Survivor news can visit our Designated Survivor Page, our Netflix Page, and our Netflix Twitter Page. Want up-to-the-minute notifications? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Flipboard.
