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 enjoyed the early episodes in the first season, but by the last few the story lines began getting very pointedly political rather than leaving the “enemy of the state” less defined. But no, they couldn’t go there. Alienation, well, alienates. So I decided to say “Good-bye” no matter how many seasons were to follow. I’ve had to do that a lot lately. I vote. With my remote. Maybe others felt the same way and the viewership dropped. It doesn’t pay to take jabs at large segments of the population via storylines and dialogue if you want your program to… Read more »
Great series. Fast moving with multiple plots to follow! Don’t know why it was canceled but it should be given a
reprieve and scheduled for more series.
Designated Survivor was one of the better shows on TV.
Yes we would have loved another season. It still was rough they killed off the First Lady. This may have turned a lot off people off
I can not believe they have canceled this show. Every time something worth watching is put on the air they take it off. I am really saddened by this. I am guessing there wasn’t enough violence, skin, same sex couples to keep them happy. This show made you think and have hope of a better way to govern these United States. Shame on you ABC.