Derek Haas is a well-known name in television, having helped create and produce Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and FBI: International. He's now behind Countdown, which premiered on Prime Video on June 26. The series stars Jensen Ackles as an LAPD detective brought into a task force made up of various agencies to look into the murder of a Homeland Security officer.
Ackles realizes the group's leader (Eric Dane) has chosen these agents as they're considered troublesome by their various agencies. Much bigger is that the case leads them to uncover a possible terrorist attack on L.A. using a nuclear weapon.
The show is still ongoing on Prime Video, and thus, there is no word on a renewal yet, but Haas recently told ScreenRant that he is hoping for a second season.
"Oh yeah. I've been thinking about season 2. The truth is, you don't want to get too far ahead, because the real world rears its head, and then you want to be able to be in the moment of what's happening in the world when you're doing a show like this. So I've definitely been thinking about plots for season 2, but I'm not past that."
While fans will be happy that Haas is hoping for a second season for Countdown, they're right to be as wary as he is if it could happen.
The big issue for Countdown getting a second season is the always-fickle nature of streaming services. It's impossible to count the number of shows that seemed to be doing great in terms of viewing numbers, only for the streamer to axe it after just one season.
Prime Video has had several cases, most notably Etoile. The ballet-themed dramedy had earned a two-season order from Amazon before it even premiered, giving viewers and the creators confidence it would continue. Instead, Amazon canceled the show just weeks after its first season dropped on the streamer, citing financial reasons.
Countdown is a mixed bag for Prime Video. It currently holds only a 31% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with an audience score of 69%. It scored big numbers as per ScreenRant, it debuted at No. 2 on the list of the ten most watched shows following its debut on June 26. With new episodes dropping every Wednesday, the chances are good that the series can build its momentum.
The question is whether that will be enough for Amazon. The show has a large budget for its action sequences, and the possibility Prime Video saw it as a limited series adventure. There is potential for a second season, either reuniting this team or a new team on a new mission, still racing the clock to stop a threat.
We may need to wait for Countdown to wrap up its first season before we can tell whether or not it's a real success for Prime Video. Even if it does well in the viewing numbers, it may not be enough to score another season, thanks to how oddly fickle some streamers can be on another season of a show, even one that seems to be a hit.
As of now, viewers can still enjoy watching Countdown unfold while hoping the thriller's time doesn't run out too soon.
Countdown streaming on Prime Video.
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