The new ABC drama “Designated Survivor” tells the story of U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Tom Kirkman (Kiefer Sutherland) ascending to the White House after the Capitol building is blown up during the State of the Union address.
The premise here, as described by ads for the show, is that Kirkman is the “designated survivor” — a term used to describe the cabinet member who doesn’t attend the State of the Union so there’ll be somebody who is in the presidential line of succession left alive should, you know, a bomb kill everybody in attendance.
The designated survivor is a real practice by the U.S. government, one that comes into play any time the major players in the government are gathered in one place — including, but not limited to, the State of the Union. Other such events would be a presidential inauguration or a presidential address to a joint session of Congress.
Here’s how it works. The designated survivor is a Cabinet member will be chosen from those in the line of succession, often based on who has the least tangible reason to attend the event. (Jon Favreau, a former speechwriter for President Obama, who is not thatJon Favreau, nicely explains some of the ins and outs of who is chosen as the Designated Survivor at The Ringer.)
“Designated Survivor” provides a good example: There’s a whole to-do about how Kirkman’s policy suggestions didn’t make it into the president’s speech, and thus Kirkman doesn’t need to attend the State of the Union, because he won’t be mentioned.
Once chosen, the designated survivor will be sequestered in a secret and secure location, with Secret Service protection. The “secret” part is crucial — simply being away on government business precludes someone from being the designated survivor.
The line of succession will remain intact, of course. Anybody in the line of succession who is ahead of the designated survivor and is still alive after the hypothetical event that wipes out a bunch of the government would still become president instead of the designated survivor. The position is just there as a worst-case scenario thing, which is what we see on the show.
The designated survivor must, of course, be someone who fulfills all the requirements to actually become President. Sally Jewell, current real-life Secretary of the Interior, cannot be a designated survivor because she was born in England and is not a natural-born citizen of the United States — and is thus not able to become President.
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, by the way, is 13th in the line of succession (or, in the real world at this moment, 12th — because Secretary of the Interior is higher in line but Jewell is not eligible). That places the HUD secretary behind nine cabinet members, the President pro tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House and the Vice President. There are five other cabinet members lower on the totem pole, also.
11 Fall TV Shows We Can't Wait to See: From 'Designated Survivor' to 'The Good Place' (Photos)
"The Good Place," Sept. 19 on NBC Michael Schur does not disappoint, and neither does his newest series. "The Good Place" is the kind of sitcom that maybe has more jokes buried than out in the open. Spend some time with the Pause button engaged when the pilot's points system to get into Ted Danson's Heaven is explained -- we particularly appreciated the Cleveland Browns fandom reward. More please.
NBC
"This Is Us," Sept. 20o on NBC As shows become darker and more genre-driven, an unabashed emotional family melodrama like "This Is Us" is the perfect antidote. The story of several people who happen to share the same birthday isn't afraid to tug at the heartstrings, and is perfectly situated to cater to an under-served audience. Just ask the over 50 million people who watched the trailer.
NBC
"Lethal Weapon," Sept. 21 on Fox Damon Wayans provides the laughs as Det. Roger Murtaugh, but Clayne Crawford's Martin Riggs steals the show in this TV reboot of the classic buddy cop film franchise. And since Danny Glover and Mel Gibson aren't likely to put the badges back on any time soon, it's time to sit back and enjoy the insane stunts and solid performances this show has to offer.
Fox
"Designated Survivor," Sept. 21 on ABC The combination of a proven star, a compelling premise and timely relevance make ABC’s “Designated Survivor” one of the most intriguing new shows this season, and the pilot immediately lives up to that initial promise. Kiefer Sutherland and the rest of the top-notch cast manage to turn the idea of the decimation of the entire U.S. government into a refreshing hour of escapism and one of the few must-watch dramas this year.
ABC
"Speechless," Sept. 21 on ABC Minnie Driver and John Ross Bowie have great chemistry in this ABC single-camera comedy with a twist, about a suburban American family with three kids, one of whom (played by Micah Fowler) happens to have cerebral palsy. Think of it as a "Life Goes On" for the 21st century.
ABC
"Pitch,"Sept. 22 on Fox Baseball season may be coming to an end but Fox's newest drama seems like the perfect way to keep that love going into the fall. Kylie Bunbury plays the history-making first female MLB pitcher, in a timely reflection of the sport that seems on the precipice of shattering that barrier too. "Pitch" should be the perfect distraction to get you through to spring training.
Fox
"MacGyver," Sept. 23 on CBS Lucas Till brings everybody's favorite DIY secret agent back to the small screen in fine style in this prequel series. Till and co-star George Eads ("CSI") share an easy chemistry that bros the world over will recognize. Combine that with big stunts and big laughs and this one could easily break out of its Friday night timeslot.
CBS
"Son of Zorn,"Sept. 25 on Fox You had us at Lord/Miller. Add Jason Sudeikis, Tim Meadows and maybe the weirdest concept in broadcast primetime history, and we were always going to look forward to "Son of Zorn." Of course, this one already aired via a post-pigskin preview, but the good news is the debut left us looking forward to continued ridiculousness.
Fox
"No Tomorrow,"Oct. 4 on The CW While The CW continues to build up its superhero shows, it's also found a bit of a niche in the slightly fantastical romantic dramedy genre, and "No Tomorrow" looks like a worthy successor to "Jane The Virgin" and "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend." It's been aptly described as an "apocalyptic joy," and Tori Anderson seems like the perfect quirky, funny, charming leading lady to follow in the footsteps of Gina Rodriguez and Rachel Bloom.
The CW
"Frequency," Oct. 5 on The CW The CW deciding to pick up a mostly forgotten early 2000s sci-fi film for series adaptation was a bit of head-scratcher, but "Frequency," the TV series, may just exceed expectations with a strong pilot that takes the story in a totally different direction and sets up various intriguing plot points. It hardly seems hyperbole to say "Frequency" has been the best pleasant surprise of the fall season so far.
The CW
"The Great Indoors,"Oct. 27 on CBS The fish out of water is a reliable sitcom premise. Thus we have this CBS sitcom starring Joel McHale as a gruff, 40-something legendary outdoorsman who finds himself riding herd on PC millennials at an online magazine. It may all be obvious, but the opportunity for good one-liners abounds. And any show that finds work for the great Stephen Fry (as McHale's British boss) is worth a look.
CBS
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TheWrap previews some of the new series that we think will light up the airwaves this season
"The Good Place," Sept. 19 on NBC Michael Schur does not disappoint, and neither does his newest series. "The Good Place" is the kind of sitcom that maybe has more jokes buried than out in the open. Spend some time with the Pause button engaged when the pilot's points system to get into Ted Danson's Heaven is explained -- we particularly appreciated the Cleveland Browns fandom reward. More please.
NBC
NBC
