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.
Yes!!! We want a season 3, 4, 5
This was the only show on tv that I watched every week! They have a great cast! Okay so maybe the current story line could have ended, but this program could have soared in so many other plots. I say give it a chance with another plot, and see how the series does for the season. Honestly there is not another show I watch on this network. So disappointed!!
This is a stupid idea…I mean it’s Trumpian to go by “biggest” ratings. Come on this is how The Walking Dead started and now look 8 years later..a great show! My husband and I watch it faithfully and frankly are extremely irked ..but alas not surprised that ABC would do something this stupid…From now on ABC will remain in our alphabet only and not on our channel selections..PERIOD! Stupid is as stupid does..nice going ABC…
Are you kidding? What are you replacing it with? The American Kardashian’s are no one’s idol but these stupid shows are giving them a voice?
One of the best shows on tv.
I’m so tired of great shows getting axed
REALLY! All the great shows (in my opinion) are always being cancelled. We are left with the stupid reality shows because they are “cheaper” to make. ABC bring Designated Survivor back!
Well, there goes my fourth show going away… About a third of what’s worth watching out there… Guess I’ll be watching more sports/wrestling shows and/or listening to the Music Choice which gets about 90% of my TV’s time outside of local news and the real fake news shows like Sam Bee & Daily Show.
We enjoyed “Designated Survivor,” and could see in some episodes similarities to current Washington, D.C. politics. Especially pleasing was Maggie Q as Hannah Wells. The writing was good, and the plots exciting. This was one series that drew us back to network TV. The only one actually. Network TV programming lost us long ago due to uncouth, profanity ridden behavior being portrayed in sticoms and dramas. ‘Designated Survivor’ showed some class and intelligence to it’s viewers. We will miss it. Sorry networks, you lost again. We will go back to other more thought provoking programming in other areas of TV… Read more »
Sad, I love the show and the cast.
I’m so upset that this exciting and very well written show had been cancelled. ABC please reconsider this!!
BYE BYE ABC!! You cancel an intelligent, interesting, very enjoyable show! And you keep crap like ‘Blackish’ that hasn’t been funny since season ONE!
VERY DISAPPOINTING! NO MORE ABC FOR ME!
You are so right. When the History channel cancelled American Ripper we were left “hanging” in suspense with nothing as a finale..seems this show has just done the same thing? ABC is going the way of the Dinosaur..BYE BYE!
I Absolutely love this show, The three best shows on the air are Lucifer, Designated Survivour and Marvel’s Agents of Shield in that order
I loved the show it should have been renewed for season 3 it’s shame that you won’t keep a good drama but keep all the goofy crap on tv that makes no sense refuse to watch channel 2 any longer
As of Thursday May 17 I will be boycotting ALL ABC programming!!!!!
Bad move ABC. If you cannot renew Designated Survivor Season 3, then I will not step down.