http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/21/arts/television/review-designated-survivor-kiefer-sutherland.html 2016-09-20 23:13:10 Review: In ‘Designated Survivor,’ Jack Bauer Gets a Promotion Being 12th in line to the presidency of the United States makes vaulting to that office sudden and tragic in this fast-moving ABC drama. === “Designated Survivor” Actually, Tom Kirkman, the character If you’ve managed to avoid ABC’s saturation promotional campaign for the series, here’s how Kirkman takes office (based on actual law): As the secretary of housing and urban development, he’s 12th in the line of succession. When the show opens, he’s lounging in a secure location in his Cornell sweatshirt and jeans, having been named the The execution of this premise, which takes up not quite the first half of the pilot, is taut, fast-moving and reasonably believable, offering some promise that “Designated Survivor” could develop into an entertaining hybrid of political thriller and family drama. Once Kirkman arrives at the White House, though, the momentum fades as various tedious-looking subplots are introduced, and disbelief becomes more difficult to suspend. The odds of victory, at this point, look to be about 50 percent. The opening works through understatement — the shock and awe of the disaster that wipes out the Capitol aren’t oversold, and the confusion and fear of Kirkman and his wife ( As soon as Kirkman walks into the situation room, though, what had felt economical and credible suddenly feels bargain-basement. One barking general seems to be in control of the entire United States military, while a surviving presidential aide serves as Kirkman’s sole adviser. The newly sworn-in president, presumably a valuable commodity, doesn’t appear to have a security detail, and he wanders off to the restroom by himself to vomit and have a character-defining encounter with a skeptical speechwriter ( “Designated Survivor” was created by the writer David Guggenheim, whose experience has been in action-thriller features ( The constant, of course, will be Mr. Sutherland. His range as an actor may be limited, but he has a gift for projecting resolve and decency with an overlay of grouchiness — like a TV-scale, less charismatic Tom Hanks or Jimmy Stewart. Kirkman, mild-mannered but firm, evenhanded but paternalistic to the women and children in his life, is a perfect role for Mr. Sutherland, and tuning in to see him save the country each week may be one of the new TV season’s prime guilty pleasures.