Countdown Season 1 Finale: An Exciting Season-and-a-Half

You know, I don't I've ever seen a series like Countdown before, the first season of which just finished on Amazon Prime Video.

[Some general spoilers ahead ... ]

I'm not talking about the story line, which, as I said in a review of a prior episode, was exciting, with some original elements, and reminiscent of 24.  I'm talking about the structure.  The first 2/3rds or so of the 13 episodes told one story, which was resolved (at least, as far as the good guys getting the bad guys).  The final third tells a very different story, with no connection to the first, other than more or less the same Federal task force is trying to save the day (actually, a Senator and President from being assassinated).

There's also a romantic relationship that was put on hold, even though the two agents -- a man and woman -- are still very attracted to each other.  But other than that continuing romantic story, there's no connection at all -- at least none that I could discern -- between the first story, which is resolved, and the second, which ends with a cliff-hanger.

In other words, we're treated in Countdown to a new narrative structure, which come to think of it, was also the case with 24.   And I have to say I very much enjoyed it.  Being presented one complete story (as far as getting the villains) and one half of another, well, it's radically unconventional, but it worked for me.  Who says storylines have to be cut neatly into individual television seasons?  Why can't a single season present one-and-a-half story lines?

I'm certainly going to watch Season 2 if there is one -- and I hope there is.  I'm eager to find out what happens in the second story.  And find out what part of a new story, or complete story, comes after.

See also Countdown: A Touch of 24 and More

Countdown: A Touch of 24 and More

My wife and I saw the first three episodes of Countdown on Amazon Prime last night -- the debut of the 13-episode series, which will proceed one-by-one until it concludes in September -- and we liked it a lot.

It reminded me in some ways of 24 -- a very good thing, because we were devoted fans, and I put the best of 24 in the Top 10 of all-time best television series.  I mean, there's no Jack Bauer, and no ticking clock, and each hour-long episode is not an hour of the same day unfolding in the story, but it is called Countdown, it does say "every second counts" in the above poster, and the good guys are struggling to prevent a terrorist attack in Los Angeles that would take as many lives as September 11th did in New York City.

[And there are some slight spoilers ahead...]

And what Countdown also has in common with 24 is some of the good guys, a task-force taken from several Federal agencies, get killed in the ongoing narrative.

And Countdown has something which I don't recall seeing in 24:  Mark Meacham (well-played by Jensen Ackles) has a glioblastoma tumor in his brain which will drastically shorten his life.  His doctor advises him to head off to some tropical isle to enjoy what's left of his life, but Meachum would rather spend his remaining time bringing down these bad guys.  This makes him a unique agent, who can be fearless to the max in fighting human monsters because he has literally almost nothing to lose.  (Incurable optimist that I am, I'm nonetheless hoping that he gets some new immunotherapy, and lives on beyond the end of this season -- or, if renewed, which I hope does happen, beyond the end of the series.)

I also have to say that it does my heart and soul good to see Federal agents doing what we need and want them to do -- fighting terrorists and true enemies in this country and keeping us safe -- rather than pulling good and decent people off the street because they weren't born in this country, or attacking a US Senator because he dared to pose a question to the Secretary of Homeland Security while she was talking in Los Angeles.  In other words, I'm glad to see a narrative like Countdown because I'm sad, to say the least, about what's really happening in our country.

See also Countdown Season One Finale