Designated Survivor has not survived, sadly. Today, it was revealed that ABC has cancelled the TV show after two seasons. *Update below.
The political drama centers on Tom Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland), a low-level cabinet member who becomes President of the United States after a massive attacked on the capitol. The cast also includes Natascha McElhone, Adan Canto, LaMonica Garrett, Kal Penn, Maggie Q, Malik Yoba, Paulo Costanzo, Zoe McLellan, Ben Lawson, Tanner Buchanan, and Mckenna Grace.
Designated Survivor: A Look at the Ratings
Designated Survivor debuted strong in 2016, but the ratings have waned in its sophomore year. So far, season two is averaged a 0.71 rating in the 18-49 demo and 3.95 million viewers, making it one of ABC‘s lower-rated TV shows for the 2017-2018 season in the demo.
The show could easily have been cancelled but the network renewed it, likely hoping that the ratings would rise in year two. They went in the opposite direction. In the demo, the ratings dropped 43% year-to-year and 32% in viewers.
The May 16th episode will now serve as the defacto series finale.
What do you think? Are you a fan of Designated Survivor? Are you sad to see the series go? Would you have watched season three?
9/5/18 update: Designated Survivor was cancelled by ABC but Netflix later ordered season three.
I loved this show and am disappointed it has been cancelled. I, too, am in the over 50 demographic. We are a VERY large group ( baby boomers, after all), and our likes and dislikes should be taken into consideration. I rarely even turn on my television any more, as the shows that I enjoyed (plot driven, thinking required), are being cancelled and replaced with even more “reality” shows. I put “reality” in quotes because we know these shows are choreographed, with certain people directed to be the bad guys….ie….they are NOT real! Enough! We need more shows for intelligent,… Read more »
I too, can’t understand how those “reality shows” keep being renewed. I think people just love to talk against other people and/or listen to others talk dirt about people. It is a sad statement on society.
But all the Crappy Shows are still on right?Ugh. So looking forward the find out so many things.
WHY????????????????
I and my family loved this how. We are sad that it got canceled.
Absolutely loved this show. I do not watch many US TV dramas, but this I loved.
So sorry to hear Designated Survivor was not renewed. It was a very good show and left a loot of questions not answered. There are so many shows that are not as good as DS.
I have been watching Designated Survivor & im hooked ,so why cease it. You have left us wondering whether Emily has turned ?.
Why dont you take all the subtitled movies of way to many !!. .
I really enjoyed this show, Kiefer Southerland is one of my favorites. However, I felt it was more on the liberal side for the President being an “independent”. I would have liked to see some episodes that were more conservative as well, to keep it politically neutral. Sad to see it go.
THis the biggest mistake ever made in canceling a show! It is the best shows on tv today. You leave stupid shows on and take this good show off I just don’t understand….
I think this is a very good show. We need this show now to help the younger demographic to understand politics! They really do not grasp what is going on and this show helps with great talent and storylines. Please re-think your decision to bring back this show! This show could air on a different time and have different ratings!
I love this show. I think the channel and the time frame messed me up from watching sometimes. I also do not fall into the age category of 18-49.
I loved it !
I am very disappointed to read that this show has been cancelled. It was somewhat soap-opera-ish, however, in today’s political demonstrations of hate and racism, it was very comforting to think that this is the way we would want out leaders to behave. It made me think perhaps we could get back to a time when this would occur and we could admire our president again.
I’m upset!! I love this show. A very good show!!
I think it is a sorry state when one of the most thoughtful, innovative and quite realistic presentations of the American presidency. We need this now more than at any time and as with the treatment of “impeachment”, it shows us what it might mean. The acting was very good (talented actors), the topics were timely and the display of a moral, principled president is badly needed as we have lost sight of the standards we should expect. I am disappointed the network took this action given some of the other shows that they renewed.
I agree with everything Donal King has said. That is exactly why I had hoped it would be renewed — At the same time the very sophistication and intelligent nature of the show, and the demands it made on viewers, i.e. what made it good in my view, may have been why its ratings plummeted in this age of over-simplification in US politics.
Absolutely—heaven forbid that we have a TV show aimed at thinking adults !
I agree. The show made you think and politics seemed realistic. All the acting was good. It was a real adult show !
Oh no. My 92-year old father and I have been watching it together. We really enjoyed it. They should at least have a season three to wrap up all the sub-plots. Too bad viewers over 50 don’t seem to count.
Nickie, you’re right. It ticks me off that only the 18-49 category of viewers is what determines what keeps a program going! I absolutely LOVE the show! However, when President Kirkman’s wife was killed, I felt like I didn’t want to watch it anymore because she was central to his presidency. Of course, I did watch because I wanted to see how he would recoup from her loss (and he did an admirable job of handling his grief!). I was so looking forward to another season!
The viewers over 49 have a lot of disposable income because their children are grown. A pity that TV stations don’t seem to realize that, and continue to cancel shows that we like.