Designated Survivor season 2: The latest promo; ratings expectations
First and foremost, may we present the latest promo right now courtesy of ABC? This is not the most extended promo that you’re ever going to see in terms of content, since a good part of it is actually footage from back in the show’s pilot mixed with various review quotes from throughout the first season. We certainly do not blame the network for going in this route; they need to get people aware of what the premise of the show is, just as they also want to remind people that they have Kiefer Sutherland. Thanks largely to 24, there is an awareness on the part of the network that they’ve got one of the bigger stars on TV and he needs to be front and center in all promotional material. (At this point, we’re almost shocked that the show isn’t just shouting JACK BAUER at the top of its lungs in the promo.)
Behind the scenes, there also seems to be an awareness that there are some elements of the show that need to change. This is, more than likely, why we’ve heard some reports about more story-of-the-week plots, and content that will take place within the White House and President Kirkman’s staff. There will still be storylines featuring Maggie Q and others, but with a new showrunner comes a somewhat-new creative direction.
The new season premieres on ABC come Wednesday, September 27 at 10:00 p.m. Eastern time. While this is a competitive timeslot given that the series is up against Chicago PD and Criminal Minds, there’s no reason to think that Designated Survivor will not be competitive.
Check out the new season 2 promo below; meanwhile, you can view our take on another recent one by visiting the link here.
What are the ratings expectations?
This is another interesting question regarding the show, given that there were some fluctuations throughout the first season. It started as one of the top new shows on TV, but started to taper off in the end of the first season.
In some of the ratings averages that are out there courtesy of ABC, Designated Survivor season 1 generated a 1.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic on average. However, there are only two episodes in the entire second half of the season that posted a rating equal to that; this is a show that premiered last fall with a 2.2 rating before losing much of that within the first month.
Any cautiously optimistic fan should expect a season 2 average of at most a 1.2. Shows often fall year-to-year, especially on network TV. Personally, we foresee the show posting around a 1.1 if it’s lucky. That would equal some of the ratings that it was generating near the end of season 1. Hopefully it retains most of those viewers, and if the storytelling gets better and better along the way, some additional viewers will find their way to it in due time.
What are some of your ratings expectations for Designated Survivor season 2? Be sure to sound off now in the attached comments! (Photo: ABC.)