Countdown season 1 ended with a major cliffhanger, and we all need answers. However, if Countdown season 2 happens, it’s not that that Jensen Ackles wants to see further explored.
Well, of course, it is the cliffhanger. He, like all of us, wants to see how that storyline will play out. Yet, there is something more personal for his character, Meachum, that he would like to see developed. It’s all linked to that 10-month time jump that arguably led to an arc being dropped.
Jensen Ackles wants to focus more on Meachum’s recovery in Countdown season 2
There’s no guarantee of a second season just yet, but that doesn’t stop anyone from hoping for things that could happen. Ackles told Variety that he hopes to see something about Meachum’s recovery that happened during the 10-month time jump.
After opening up to Oliveras about his tumor, she pushed for him to get a second opinion. She even found a doctor who could help, and so, Meachum got the second opinion that he needed and took part in a clinical trial. We learn that the clinical trial went well, and Meachum is well on the road to recovery by the time the task force is called back together.
However, what happened in those 10 months? It’s something Ackles and Countdown showrunner Derek Haas has talked about. Ackles would like to explore Meachum’s drive to fight through whatever the clinical trial threw at him, as it wouldn’t have been an easy ride.
He also wants to see how he coped with the recovery. Meachum is a man with few friends and little family that he talks about. Rather than turning to people for support, he prefers to suffer in silence. That’s likely what he did during the 10-month recovery period, and it’s something that needs to be explored.
"But I think for the most part, he had a drive to get back on his feet, get back to work, and get back to doing the thing that he loves doing, and it was probably a struggle for him. He didn’t want anybody to see that struggle, because that’s the kind of person he is. So he struggled quietly and got back to being capable of doing what he needs to do."
Meachum also needs to think about his future in Countdown
Personally, I also want to see more of Meachum’s future explored. This is a man who put everything on hold after learning of his tumor. He had somewhat accepted death was going to happen, and he just wanted to focus on the good that he could do before that.
Now, he has a future ahead of him. During Countdown season 1, episode 12, Blythe points out that Meachum hides behind humor because he’s insecure, but he has no reason to be that way. He could rise up the ranks in his career if he wants, but he’s never really given it much thought.
On top of that, there’s his personal life, which is a bit of a mess. However, he did tell Oliveras that her stepping up to help him meant a lot to him. It’s clear that he would like to try something serious with her, but now is not the time for her, and we’re not just talking about that cliffhanger! She is trying to make things work with her doctor beau.
So, I’d like to see Countdown season 2 explore all of this. Now that Meachum has a future, what does that future look like?
Countdown is available to stream on Prime Video.
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