Designated Survivor

When a catastrophic bombing wipes out the president and the rest of the line of succession during the State of the Union, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Tom Kirkman is suddenly sworn in as President of the United States. He has no political playbook for this level of power, just a family life turned upside down and a small team trying to steady a shaken nation. As Kirkman tries to stabilize government operations, reassure an anxious public, and confront ongoing threats, an independent investigator follows leads that suggest the attack wasn't as straightforward as it looked. The show keeps the focus on governing under pressure, the mechanics of security and succession, and the personal costs of a man unprepared for the job.

Created by David Guggenheim, the series premiered on ABC in 2016 with Kiefer Sutherland leading the cast. It ran on network television before continuing on streaming platforms, and its production emphasized procedural detail and political realism.

The series wasn't a major awards favorite, though critics often singled out Sutherland's restrained performance. It earned notice in television discussions and among genre fans, but it didn't rack up high-profile trophies like Emmys or Golden Globes.

Designated Survivor brought the continuity-of-government concept into mainstream conversation, making the term "designated survivor" familiar to viewers who hadn't encountered it before. Its scenarios and crisis sequences influenced how later political dramas staged national emergencies, and the show fed public interest in presidential security and succession protocols.

Critical reaction ranged from favorable to mixed, reflected in viewer ratings around 7.1 out of 10 from online polls. Reviewers praised the premise, the political procedural elements, and the moral dilemmas the presidency creates, while some pointed to uneven plotting and tonal shifts. Major themes include leadership under duress, the tension between transparency and secrecy, partisan politics versus national unity, and the personal toll of public service.