Designated Survivor season 4: Kiefer Sutherland on why it may not happen
Will a Designated Survivor season 4 happen over at Netflix? There’s some enthusiasm around the idea for some parties involved. However, there’s also a reality that is difficult to ignore.
One of the things that we’ve written about already in regards to the show’s future is that Kal Penn has a new series in Sunnyside — if Netflix renews the show, we’re not sure Seth can be back around full-time. That’s without even mentioning some of the other actors who may have other film and TV commitments coming up.
Speaking in a new interview with Scala Radio, star Kiefer Sutherland made it clear that he had some personal doubts that we’d get to see President Tom Kirkman or other members of his staff back in action soon:
“I don’t think [another season] is going to happen … We had an amazing experience with Netflix and a kind of freedom that was wonderful. But the reality is, because the contracts were so complicated and different from network television to Netflix, they didn’t book a lot of the actors who were on the show and they took other jobs. I don’t blame them for a second for that.
“So I think doing a season 4 would be very complicated and difficult … The truth is, I loved making that show. I also miss aspects of what I enjoyed about 24, which was something that was really visceral and physical. I think it’s time for all of us to go and find something new to do.”
In expanding upon some of what Sutherland is saying here, because Netflix waited so long to renew Designated Survivor after it was canceled at ABC, many of the initial contracts expired and the actors had to sign new deals. Some of them may have only signed one-year contracts and are free to pursue other things. They needed to do that, given that they didn’t know what Netflix viewers would think about their show. We do think that the streaming service likes how Designated Survivor is performing to some extent, but even if they wanted to renew it, could they do it without it being a totally different show?
We think there is still a chance that the series could come back, but it may not be for some time. Maybe this becomes the sort of show that is made once every couple of years. If season 3 is it, at least we’re happy that it says goodbye with its strongest and smartest season to date, one that took a real look at the world and gave a lot of the characters fantastic storylines.
If Designated Survivor season 3 is it, will you be sad?
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