Sorry, Jensen Ackles Fans: 'Countdown' Is a Masterclass in How to Waste a Perfectly Good Actor
Were you only waiting for Countdown for Jensen Ackles? You were right – there's nothing else worth watching on this show from the creator of Chicago Fire. Here's why it's not worth your time.
The series Countdown was eagerly awaited by millions of viewers – of course, for the sake of Jensen Ackles, the beloved star of Supernatural.
The show was released on Amazon Prime Video on June 25, and it is now halfway through. But it is already enough to say that if you miss Ackles, you better watch The Boys.
What Is 'Countdown' About?
LAPD Detective Mark Meachum (Jensen Ackles) joins a secret task force to investigate the murder of an officer.
What initially seems like a simple case quickly turns into a race against time when the team uncovers a sinister conspiracy threatening the lives of millions of residents in the city.
'Countdown' Is Derek Haas' Biggest Failure So Far
Derek Haas, the showrunner and creator of the project, is one of the people who brought us Chicago Fire and FBI: International. His name in the credits usually guarantees a tense, dynamic procedural with intricate investigations, but that is not the case this time.
Countdown is an old-fashioned series about cops with personal traumas and secrets who are just trying to do their job.
The cast does not deviate from standard genre tropes: an experienced boss leads a team consisting of an honest and courageous detective, an operative mired in addiction, and a young digital technology genius.
We've seen all these archetypes in dozens of other crime shows.
'Countdown' Has Some Spectacular Action, But It's Not Enough
In each episode, viewers are treated to a bit of politics, nostalgia, and modest interpersonal drama between flat characters, as well as clumsy dialogue.
At some moments, Countdown seems to remember that it wasn't created just to talk about the difficulties of police work. It produces adrenaline-pumping scenes, where Jensen Ackles shines, having performed most of the stunts himself.
However, these bright moments of old-school action are quickly replaced by local, unconvincing drama or awkward political behind-the-scenes games.
What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Countdown'?
Variety critic Aramide Tinubu wrote:
“Unfortunately, though the show has all of the fundamentals needed for an engaging action series, “Countdown” grows duller by the episode. [...] Without compelling storylines or characters, the show fails to make a significant impression.”
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Countdown has 38% from critics and 73% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
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On IMDb, the series has a score of 6.8/10.
