Washington is thrown into catastrophe.
In the opening episode of Netflix’s Designated Survivor an explosion during the State of the Union address kills the President, the Vice President, and nearly every member of the Cabinet and Congress — catapulting Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Tom Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland) into the presidency overnight.
Kirkman, a mild-mannered academic turned reluctant politician, happens to be the “designated survivor,” the person sequestered during high-level government meetings in case of disaster. Now, he must lead a shattered nation through its darkest hour.
What unfolds over three seasons is part political thriller, part conspiracy drama, and part meditation on leadership under fire. In its early episodes, the show’s central mystery around who orchestrated the Capitol bombing is gripping, with federal agents scrambling for answers as the country teeters on the edge of collapse.
As Kirkman settles into his role, Designated Survivor evolves into a broader commentary on governance, ethics and power. Sutherland plays the role with measured restraint, portraying a man whose decency often clashes with the political machinery around him. His struggle to preserve American ideals while navigating betrayal, scandal and personal grief is a turbulent journey audiences follow as Kirkman moves through Washington.
The show brings together West Wing-style debates with action-movie-style urgency. While later seasons lose some of the tight plotting and veer into melodrama, the show remains committed to exploring what it means to lead in times of chaos.
Not every arc lands, and some subplots stretch credibility, but the series’ central question resonates throughout: Can a good man survive Washington without becoming a part of it?
Click here to change your cookie preferences