Designated Survivor: Top Moments from the Series Premiere (Season 1 Episode 1)
There are a lot of good moments on Designated Survivor’s season premiere. In fact, it kind of feels like the whole episode is one good moment after another.
Picking just one was hard. But pick I did. And here they are, for you, the top moments from the first episode of a show that will certainly deliver its share of highlights this year.
We’re in for quite a ride.
“Sir, you are now the President of the United States”
There’s a gravitas to the moment that kind of takes your breath away. Because this is not a far-fetched situation that we could never, ever imagine, no. It’s an unlikely and yet still possible scenario.
That’s why it’s scary. And that’s why it works.
He’s not the President of the United States. And he doesn’t know what to do. Talk about stakes.
“I, Thomas Adam Kirkman do solemnly swear …”
He’s wearing a sweatshirt and jeans, and he’s now the President of the United States. The image is as jarring as it is powerful, as scary as it is momentous.
Thomas Kirkman was an ordinary man, and he is dressed like an ordinary man. But his life’s about to change. Big time.
The question is, will he allow it to change him?
“You may be right. But for now, I’m all you got.”
If you can get over the horrible feeling of second-hand embarrassment at Seth blabbing about how bad the President will be at his job to …well, the President, this moment turns out to be the first defining moment of Tom Kirkman’s presidency.
He doesn’t cower, doesn’t back down, doesn’t panic. Or, if he does, he hides it pretty well.
Which, I imagine, is pretty much what you need to do when you’re the President of the United States.
“Please, I need to be here.”
We don’t get time for background, so, as it stands, Maggie Q’ character is an enigma, and yet there’s a softness to the way she portrays what’s clearly a strong woman that makes her interesting. One-dimensional characters? Not in this show.
Best thing about her? She’s not just there because she might have lost a loved one, no. She’s there because she can help and the stakes are too high not to let her.
It’s all hands on deck.
“Mr. President, you need to be stronger than you’ve ever been before.”
Seth’s words to the new President are worded as advice, but what they really are is a request. Please, Mr. President, he’s saying. Please convince me.
Please make me believe we can get through this. Please make me believe it’s all going to be okay.
Seth might not have been sure about Kirkman, but he’s speaking for everyone in that moment.
“Forty minutes ago they showed me the nuclear football. I guess I’ve had it long enough to try it out.”
Its gallows humor, of course, but this phrase also seems to underscore the dimensions of what Tom Kirkman is walking into. Everything is big – too big to even comprehend.
And he’s got to trust someone. Problem is, who?
I’m not sure, but it does seem like the answer to this question right now is: none of the usual suspects.
“Are you kidding? Dad’s not scared of anything”
You could be forgiven for considering Leo a rebel. He, after all, seems a typical surly teenager who doesn’t exactly do affection for his parents. And then, there’s this line.
He’s trying to comfort his sister, true, but in a way, Leo is also trying to comfort himself. Because, for all that he pretends, he really does think his dad can do anything. And if he really is going to pull this off, Tom Kirkman is going to need all the support he can get.
“It’s not always up to us how history plays itself out.”
It sounds like a threat, but it’s not. It’s just a warning from a man who’s new at this job, yes, but who won’t hesitate to do whatever it takes.
This is the scene of the Pilot for me, the moment where Kiefer Sutherland takes this character from fish out of water stumbling through this big moment to President.
It’s a subtle change, but it’s there. Before, Tom Kirkman wasn’t sure. After this, he believes he can do it.
“So what if they’re just getting started?”
The suspense/thriller part of the plot could have been a one-and-done though, a cut and dried investigation into what happened. And yet this line adds an element of danger that turns this from just a procedural into a changing situation.
Is Tom Kirkman in danger? Is his family? What else can this show throw at us?
I, for one, am excited to find out.
“I’m always on your side, Mr. President.”
The main reason it feels like Kirkman can pull this off is because of the support group he has around him. Sure, he’s a strong, principled man, but he’s also got a loving, smart, supportive wife.
A partner. And hey, in politics, that can be not just a big deal – it can be everything.
What did you think of this episode of Designated Survivor? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Designated Survivor airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on ABC.
Lissete Lanuza Sáenz
Lawyer. Writer. Columnist. Geek. Falls in madly in love with fictional characters. Hates the color yellow, misogyny, and people who are late. Can always be found with a book. Watches an absurd amount of TV every week, often, while eating coffee ice cream. She has no regrets. You can check out her blog here: Absurday. Lissete is a senior writer for Tell-Tale TV. Follow @lizziethat