Just watched "Designated survivor"

[question everything]

Interesting. It is not a spoiler to tell the premise: a bomb explodes in the Capitol during the State of the Union address, and "Tom Kirkman" - HUD secretary - is the designated survivor.

As the TV monitor "reported the news" with a caption "explosion in the capitol" I was thinking that anyone just opened the TV might actually think that this is real news, what with what we see so often.

Reminded me of "Murder One" in 1995 that came on the heels of the OJ Simpson and the reports were so much like the real ones that one had to remember that this was TV.

[MADem]

1. Very formulaic. They are gonna have to give me more nuance to make it worth my while.

Cute twist at the start that the guy was told he was about to be fired; promoted 'upward' to a faux ambassadorship to a working group in Canada (that's where Keifer's from-LOL).

If it turns out that the "terrists" are home grown, and that obese general (in need of a haircut who wouldn't qualify to remain in uniform in the real military owing to a poor fitness example) who serves as the snarling and sneering nay-sayer is the bad guy who is secretly trying to overthrow the government, a-la-Turkey but without the associated traditions, I would not be at all surprised. FWIW, that's just a wild-assed guess; I have no insight into the arc of the story.


On the plus side, it was fairly well shot--they managed, with clever editing, to give one a sense that one was in DC during the bomb site scenes. The new First Lady did a good job; the little kid overacted a bit but I blame the director for not yanking back on that performance. The other supporting cast members seemed to do a pretty good job--not over-the-top.

From a tech standpoint, they wouldn't have him wandering around the above ground floors of the WH or slap the new First Lady in the "residence" straight off the bat--hell, the dead family's stuff was still there, they wouldn't shove the new POTUS in the place with the dead POTUS's underwear and socks still in his sock drawer--it's just not believable. They'd have dragged them to the bowels of the sub-basement if they went back there at all (which would have been a bit stupid to do, frankly). That whole bit just rang false with me. There are lots of places in the greater DC area where secure VIP quarters are available--I'd have had them trot him off to a nearby military installation, or even Camp David, rather than the WH. I mean, the smoldering wreckage of the capitol is within sight of the place and the area had not been secured--a real failure, that bit.

I could NOT watch that ghastly "24" -- so I have no idea if Sutherland is any good as an actor. Both his mother (she played the Grande Dame in "Wind At My Back" - heartwarming depression era series that aired in Canada; people were pissed when it was cancelled) and his father, Donald, have outstanding skills--I should hope something rubbed off on the kid.

I don't mean to sound negative; if this kind of drama is your cuppa, it might get better. I'd have to rate it just "OK" to this point--not great, not horrid.

[question everything]

6. This is entertainment, after all

I don't expect these programs, or other forms of entertainments, to cross all the t's and dot all the i's. For me what matters - at least st the start - is that the story will hold my attention and will have some likeable characters.

This is the problem that I had with "Shondaland" shows. I liked Private Practice - had interesting medical issues - but then the characters - physicians, for crying out loud - were so neurotic and whining and I stopped. I did not like the characters in Scandal - and there, really, it stretched credibility - nor did I like any of the main characters in How to Get Away with Murder.

I did watch all the episodes of "24" even thought in most cases it stretched credibility. As a start, in one hour they would make it from one side of LA to the Valley. And "Jack Bauer" was killed and maimed and burned and poisoned so many times and still resurrected. But the pace was fast and I liked the characters. It had the first credible, likable black president - Dennis Haysbert.

Back to Designated Survivor - obviously will have to see how it develops - but i like it that "Tom Kirkman" is not a politician, came from academia. Reminded me of president Bartlet from "the West Wing" who won the Nobel prize for economics.

So will see.

By the way, many of the former "West Wingers" are now campaigning for Hillary..

[MADem]

7. Oh sure--I appreciate your perspective, certainly.

I can still watch HOMELAND even though I rolled my eyes at the garbage Arabic and Farsi (and I'm no pro but I can spot horseshit) and obvious "come off it!" mistakes in protocol. A cracking, fast-paced plot can make up for a lot of absurdities. I hope they eschew the obvious with the Survivor show--time will tell!

Then again, I was a total sucker for that Scott Bakula show where he was trying to make "the final leap home!" That was an absurd premise but I loved seeing who he'd 'be' every week! The only reason I was able to follow that one & many others, as well, is that I had a wonderful network of TV addict relatives, all of whom would put together a video tape, recorded on the slowest possible speed to fit as much crap as possible on the tape, of MUST SEE TV that they would send me no matter where I was stationed (and I was out in the boondocks in some assignments-hee hee). I became VERY popular, too--after I watched a tape, it would "make the rounds" and after a while, I'd have to cut off access to all tapes until my errant tapes were returned -- I'd then send the tapes back home, so they could be re-recorded (they cost more back then and I was cheap--LOL).

I watched the West Wing on occasion, but during part of the run of that show I was IN DC and often as not was at work (horrible hours--real crusher of a job, too--just brutal) when the program came on! The few episodes that I saw were fun, though.

[Hieronymus]

2. I'm thinking the guys who loved 24 Hours won't love Kiefer as the peace loving president.

BTW, I like it.

[JustAnotherGen]

3. I started watching and zonked out at

about 10:15.

I will watch on demand this weekend.

I was never a '24' fan/watcher - but I think Sutherland is an amazing actor - so looking forward to this.

And good point on Murder One . . . I missed out on the brouhaha over ER because I got sucked into that show.

[femmocrat]

4. I will watch it again.

I thought the pilot was interesting and fast-moving. I liked when Kirkman became presidential in spite of other peoples' perception of him. I also liked Maggie Q as the FBI agent. (I remember her from "Stalker".) I thought the shock and confusion in the WH was believable. My biggest nitpick was that they sent in technicians and not a robot to investigate the other "bomb".

I know there were a lot of nitpicks with the details, but overall, I was surprised at how watchable it was. I wasn't even going to watch it, but I'll give it another view or two before I decide. (Thanks for the OP! I was thinking of starting one.)

[ananda]

5. I liked it!

Guess I'm in the minority, though, so it probably won't last.
Oh well.

[Marc2010]

8. Like it

I happen to like the show and in today's climate, is something that could see happening

[question everything]

9. So do I. Still

And, after watching the second episode I could understand why conservatives do not.

Still, with Trump and his supporters and Islamophobia - this comes too close to reality.

[a kennedy]

10. New season just started Wed March 9th......anyone still watching?? eom

[murielm99]

11. I am.

There is a lot of absurdity in it, but it is t.v. I am enjoying it so far.