LOS ANGELES, Sept 6 — Netflix has stepped in to give the political drama that was cancelled this spring by US TV network ABC another chance on the streaming site. Season three is expected to enter production before the year is out for launch early in 2019.
Kiefer Sutherland isn’t out of office just yet, it seems. Although ABC announced that it was cancelling Designated Survivor in May, Netflix has stepped in to revive the show for a third season.
The streaming giant — which already held international screening rights to the show — will bring back Designated Survivor for 10 new episodes with Neal Baer (ER, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) taking over as showrunner.
Baer will be the fifth showrunner so far to work on the series, which launched in 2016, after Keith Eisner, Jeff Melvoin, Amy B. Harris and Jon Harmon Feldman.
The show follows Tom Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland), who becomes US President when a terrorist attack during the State of the Union address kills the President, the Vice President, the Speaker of the House and every individual ahead of him in the ahead of him in the line of succession.
As a result, Tom Kirkman, then Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, finds himself chosen as the “designated survivor” to take over the top job.
According to US entertainment media, the new season from Netflix will see President Kirkman explore the world of political campaigning.
Filling a ‘House of Cards’-shaped gap?
“The continuation of the show via Netflix is a win-win for all involved,” says executive producer, Mark Gordon.
“The story of President Kirkman and those around him has not been fully told, and we look forward to working with our new partner in continuing the show for a global audience.”
Natascha McElhone, Adan Canto, Italia Ricci, LaMonica Garrett, Tanner Buchanan, Kal Penn and Maggie Q are also on the cast, with production due to start before the end of the year. Season three is slated for release early in 2019.
Designated Survivor saw 24 star Kiefer Sutherland return to TV when the political drama launched in 2016.
The show could come just at the right time for the streaming site’s fans of political dramas since Netflix sees House of Cards enter its final season later this year. — AFP-Relaxnews
