There are two big problems with Designated Survivor right now, or at least two big ones – the smaller ones are just too numerous to count and I just don’t have the time or inclination to list them. Let’s focus on the big picture here.
Number one: No one knows what’s happening. Number two: No one cares
Harsh, I know, but hey, I gotta call it how I see it. Or how I almost don’t see it, because these days getting through the episodes has become an exercise in patience.
I’m apparently very, very patient. Way more than I ever gave myself credit for.
This show only works – and it does so marginally, when Maggie Q is on screen, when Adan Canto is allowed to show what it’s like to be an actor that has chemistry with everyone and everything and when President Kirkman is actually displaying something resembling actual human emotions, and these are all things we’ve seen precious little off lately.
As for the rest – nothing works, not the high powered guest stars (hello again, Kim! Am I supposed to be …eh, happy to see you?) not the “supposed” emotional fallout from Alex Kirkman’s death and certainly not the Seth/Emily romance.
Did they break up again? Is ABC airing episodes out of order now or is it just silly for me to expect this show to remember what happened a week ago? Because they’d just gotten back together. On screen. I literally saw it. We wasted precious minutes on this shit, only for them to now be broken up again, no explanation. It’s enough to give a girl whiplash.
Not to mention that, with this storyline of sorts that they’re trying to give Emily, it would make sense for them to have Aaron, you know, Emily’s supposed friend and one time romantic partner, step in. But yeah, that only happens in shows with coherent emotional arcs. Silly me.
Ah, the days of Aaron, Emily and Seth sharing drinks and telling each other about their days. I miss them almost as much as I miss the conspiracy.
Bur, back to the romance, or lack thereof. Did I say that was the worst part? Because it’s not. The worst part is that I don’t really care for the answer to these questions. I don’t care about what the show is doing and not doing. I certainly don’t care about the romance. In fact, at this point, I don’t even care to complain about Adan Canto’s hair gel.
That would require effort, and right now, that’s more than Designated Survivor deserves.
Waaay more.
Is there a way to fix this show? Considering the stellar cast, I’d say there is, but whatever that way may be – and isn’t it sad that I don’t even want to speculate as to how that could happen – they better find it soon, because I’m clearly not the only one bored by this show.
And right now, if it gets cancelled, I’ll actually feel relieved. Not at all how you want your viewers to feel as you get ready to wrap up a season, or like, ever.
Clock’s ticking, Designated Survivor. Balls in your court. What are you going to do?
Designated Survivor airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on ABC.
