Designated Survivor opens with a startling image: a State of the Union broadcast is abruptly cut off and Tom Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland), the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, looks out a window in a secure location to see the Capitol Building in flames. A terrorist bombing has killed the President, Congress, and justices of the Supreme Court, and Kirkman—the "designated survivor"—is immediately sworn in as President. Kirkman is in no way prepared for this and has no choice but to step up. The first season of this compelling drama charts the journey of the political novice as he works to calm the nation, rebuild the government, elect a new Congress, and appoint a Supreme Court, all while fending off challenges to his leadership and overseeing the investigation into a conspiracy. While he and his staff navigate daily challenges, a maverick FBI agent (Maggie Q) sees past the planted evidence and traces the clues back to a home-grown organization. This is The West Wing meets 24 with a conspiracy subplot, a series that digs deep into the swampy weeds of government, delivers action spectacle, and takes time to explore the strains of responsibility on the new president's family. Sutherland plays the role as an ethical man, Natascha McElhone costars as the new First Lady, Virginia Madsen is the sole surviving member of Congress ("the other designated survivor"), and Kal Penn (a former member of President Obama's staff) is a costar playing a speechwriter and acts as a political advisor on the show. Presenting all 21 episodes from the 2016-17 debut season, extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette, a set tour, and the full version of President Kirkman's first speech to the nation. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)
Designated Survivor: The Complete First Season
Buena Vista, 5 discs, 903 min., TV-14, DVD: $39.99 December 25, 2017
Designated Survivor: The Complete First Season
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