Designated Survivor (2016)
Declare your independence.
Tom Kirkman, a low-level cabinet member is suddenly appointed President of the United States after a catastrophic attack during the State of the Union kills everyone above him in the Presidential line of succession.
| Type | TV series |
|---|---|
| First aired | 21 September 2016 |
| Status | Canceled |
| Genre | Drama, War & Politics |
| Created by | David Guggenheim |
| Starring | Kiefer Sutherland, Maggie Q and Kal Penn |
| Seasons | 3 seasons, 53 episodes |
| Episode length | about 43 min |
| Time to watch it all | about 38 hours |
| Rated | TV-14 |
| Scores | TMDB users 7.2/10 |
Where to watch Designated Survivor
Designated Survivor is streaming on Netflix ($19.99 a month) in the US. At ten hours a week, all of the series takes about 1 month of Netflix, or $19.99 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 26 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
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What kind of watch this is
Kiefer Sutherland plays Tom Kirkman, a low-level cabinet member who wakes up as President of the United States because everyone above him in the line of succession died in a Capitol explosion. Created by David Guggenheim, the series runs 38 hours across 3 seasons. It leans into the absurdity of a housing secretary holding the world’s most stressful job.
What the critics said
Critics largely agreed that the premise worked, even if the execution had rough edges. Rotten Tomatoes reported an 87% approval rating based on 62 reviews, while Metacritic scored it 71 out of 100. The consensus was that Kiefer Sutherland anchored the political drama effectively. Terri Schwartz from IGN called the debut strong, noting it fit well within ABC's political lineup.
Not everyone was convinced. The Guardian’s Brian Moylan criticized the dialogue as "meaningless platitudes." That is a fair warning for anyone who hates speeches that sound like they were written by a committee.
How it did with audiences
The premiere drew 7.67 million DVR viewers, surpassing the previous record of almost 7 million set by the How to Get Away with Murder pilot on September 25, 2014. On TMDB, users rate it 7.2 out of 10. People recorded the start, then the signal went quiet.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Designated Survivor.
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Sources
- Designated Survivor on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q22662417 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Designated Survivor (TV series)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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