5 Years Later, Kiefer Sutherland’s Post-’24’ Political Thriller Makes a Timely Streaming Comeback

In the 2001 espionage thriller series, 24, Kiefer Sutherland plays a man in crisis as he seeks to prevent a larger catastrophe. The series was told in real time, with each episode covering an hour of the story. Sutherland plays Jack Bauer, a CTU agent racing against time to stop political crises. The series ran for 9 seasons and made Sutherland a household name, with many lauding his ability to bring the character to life. Two years later, the actor returned to the thriller genre with the ABC political drama, Designated Survivor. He starred as Tom Kirkman, a low-level Cabinet member who is named the designated survivor when the US President and other senior administration officials gather for a State of the Union address that ends in tragedy following a terrorist attack.

Data from FlixPatrol shows that Designated Survivor is seeing renewed interest five years after its final season. The thriller is the fifth-most-watched series on the Apple TV Store in the US at the time of writing. The surge coincides with the planned State of the Union address, which is scheduled for Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 9:00 p.m. EST. Designated Survivor was inspired by the real-life phenomenon in which a Cabinet member is named as the successor to ensure government continuity in the event of a catastrophe. Representative Mike Thompson has been chosen for this year’s address. “I’ve been selected as a designated survivor for tomorrow’s State of the Union, so I won’t be there in person, but I’ll be watching. Americans deserve accountability for the militarization of ICE, terrorization of our communities, and killing of American citizens,” he said on his X account ahead of the event.

Will There Be a Fourth Season of ‘Designated Survivor’?

The series launched to critical acclaim in 2016, with Sutherland praised for his performance as the brilliant Kirkman. It was placed in the same category as The West Wing, House of Cards, and 24 for its sharp writing. However, the acclaim did not carry over into the second season, which lost focus and meandered into melodrama. ABC opted not to renew it for Season 3 after a sharp ratings drop, but Netflix picked it up for a third season, giving the show a chance to continue the story. Ultimately, the streaming service cancelled it after one season due to contract issues. “We had an amazing experience with Netflix, and a kind of freedom that was wonderful,” Sutherland explained to Simon Mayo in a radio interview. “But the reality is, because the contracts were so complicated and different from network television to Netflix, etc. They didn’t book a lot of the actors that were on the show, and they took other jobs, and I don’t blame them for a second for that.” Over five years since the third season was released, it’s even less likely the show will return.

Designated Survivor is available to stream on Netflix or for purchase on the Apple TV Store. Stay with us for more updates.