Follow the LEADER
KIEFER SUTHERLAND returns to the White House for more political intrigue
THE FIRST SEASON of Designated Survivor hit the ground running as littleknown politician Tom
Kirkman, played by Kiefer Sutherland, suddenly became US President when a devastating attack on the Capitol killed not only the President, but the entire Cabinet.
By the season finale, Kirkman had started to adapt to his extraordinary circumstances, and also solved the conspiracy behind the Capitol bombing when fanatical former CIA operative Nestor Lozano was killed – but not before transferring Pentagon secrets to Patrick Lloyd (Terry Serpico), leader of the True Believers, a group who wish to overthrow the federal government.
THRILLING CONCLUSION
As the drama returns to Netflix this week, Lloyd is on the run with access to some of America’s biggest secrets. But according to new showrunner Keith Eisner, it looks like things will soon change for him.
‘We will bring the whole Patrick Lloyd story to a thrilling conclusion in the second episode of the season,’ reveals Eisner. ‘The show is going in a new direction this year. We’re making it much more focused on events in the West Wing, with a lot more characters and standalone White House storylines every week.’
Sutherland says he is looking forward to the new direction and the renewed focus on the difficulties for an extremely inexperienced President governing the free world.
‘Solving the conspiracy was really important for us to get above water,’ he says. ‘Now we can get to defining how this man will govern without any political history. What kind of a platform will he bring forward?’
NEW CHARACTERS
Among the new characters are political director Lyor Boone (Paulo Costanzo), a whizz kid brought in by special adviser Emily Rhodes (Italia Ricci) to help with political strategy, but whom Kirkman doesn’t trust. Australian actor Ben Lawson will play Damian Rennett, an MI6 agent who gets close to FBI agent Hannah Wells (Maggie Q), and Bonnie Bedelia joins as Eva Booker, the mother of First Lady Alex Kirkham (Natascha Mcelhone).
Kirkman is Sutherland’s first major TV role since he called time on his 24 character Jack Bauer in 2014, and he reckons the two men have quite a bit in common.
‘At first I thought they were very different, but the more I play Tom the more I see the similarities,’ says the 50-year-old star. ‘Their skill sets are very different, but Kirkman is a guy who has taken on a position that you wouldn’t wish on anybody. But he’s taken on his responsibilities because, like Jack Bauer, he has a desire to serve his country.’
Playing Kirkman has also given the actor a new-found respect for the role of the President.
‘I go on set in the Oval Office and find myself sitting straighter there,’ he smiles. ‘You feel a heavy weight when you walk into that room.’
‘I go on set in the Oval Office and find myself sitting straighter there’