Watched episode 1 so far. It's not the same show.
Spoilers Designated Survivor - Season 3 Discussion Thread
- Thread starter Photoman15
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That could be a blessing. It was pretty damn awful when I stopped watching in season 1. 
It's not the same show (lots of TV-MA swearing, and sometimes they don't always neatly solve a political issue by the end of the episode) but it's still the same show (lots of feel-good speechifying, and when they do solve a political issue, it's still naively optimistic and implausible). For most of the episodes, they introduced real people talking about real issues they've gone through, but it's so awkwardly placed into a fictional show that likes to put a bow tie solution onto everything, a show where a big pharma CEO will watch a video about a mother losing her son because of overpriced meds and that's all it takes for him to suddenly have a change of heart and do a 180.
They did drop the two unnecessary additions to season 2, which was good.
Also, if someone were to crunch the numbers, it's possible the Kirkman administration has been operating without a VP longer than the combined time of its two previous VPs.
They did drop the two unnecessary additions to season 2, which was good.
Also, if someone were to crunch the numbers, it's possible the Kirkman administration has been operating without a VP longer than the combined time of its two previous VPs.
I couldn't vote in the poll because in my opinion it's a different show but it's still the same show. I know that sounds like a cop out, but I don't really know how else to explain it. A lot of stuff is better thought out, but a lot of stuff still isn't, and it's still a very clunky show. When it comes to politics, it's still the CliffsNotes version.
I just finished season 3 [oh as I write this two more left, not quite] and I kinda logged in for the first time in ages almost in the hope that I could vent.
*MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD*
The amount of showrunners makes this car crash TV and it lurches about in tone and content. I quite enjoyed seasons 1 and 2. I liked the 24 stuff. I liked him fighting the political fights. I liked it when it turned into The Good Wife. The transitions were hard, but some of it was interesting.
Then when it was canned, I was glad... it needed to be put out of its misery. Oh, season 3... I couldn't help myself.
I'm a gay guy. I have trans friends... some of these topics are of interest to me. I value them telling them. But the trouble is... they go KITCHEN SINK. Let's throw EVERYTHING at the screen. Aids, immigration, trans rights, black rights, latino rights, opiate addiction... the lot... everything. All at once.
The thing i don't feel represented. I don't feel warm by this. I feel like my sexuality is a fucking tick box on a spreadsheet to appease Netflix. I don't feel it's a story or two woven into a narrative that may make people with other views consider things. It's pandering, it's pandering to their audience who they think want to pat themselves on the back for being 'woke' as I keep seeing in even mainstream media.
Then they basically say FUCK YOU MAGGIE Q. I mean how much can you make her look like a sub plot for the entire season then... all of a sudden, after all the melodrama of the season, oh you want to be 24 again! Let's kill off this appendix of the show.
I think I really am done with this Frankenstein monster of a show now. Season 3 is just quite frankly SHIT.
*MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD*
The amount of showrunners makes this car crash TV and it lurches about in tone and content. I quite enjoyed seasons 1 and 2. I liked the 24 stuff. I liked him fighting the political fights. I liked it when it turned into The Good Wife. The transitions were hard, but some of it was interesting.
Then when it was canned, I was glad... it needed to be put out of its misery. Oh, season 3... I couldn't help myself.
I'm a gay guy. I have trans friends... some of these topics are of interest to me. I value them telling them. But the trouble is... they go KITCHEN SINK. Let's throw EVERYTHING at the screen. Aids, immigration, trans rights, black rights, latino rights, opiate addiction... the lot... everything. All at once.
The thing i don't feel represented. I don't feel warm by this. I feel like my sexuality is a fucking tick box on a spreadsheet to appease Netflix. I don't feel it's a story or two woven into a narrative that may make people with other views consider things. It's pandering, it's pandering to their audience who they think want to pat themselves on the back for being 'woke' as I keep seeing in even mainstream media.
Then they basically say FUCK YOU MAGGIE Q. I mean how much can you make her look like a sub plot for the entire season then... all of a sudden, after all the melodrama of the season, oh you want to be 24 again! Let's kill off this appendix of the show.
I think I really am done with this Frankenstein monster of a show now. Season 3 is just quite frankly SHIT.
There's a chance Maggie Q wanted out. All three seasons for her has been nothing but one stupid thing after another and she barely ever interacted with any of the other regulars. Now that she's gone, I suspect there will be no more terrorism threats and it'll be West Wing-lite from here on out. Look how easily they resolved the season 3 conspiracy. Arrest random guy who they never even hinted had anything to do with it. Then he immediately turns on another guy who barely had any screen time all season. Case closed.
I'm glad I didn't give this show another chance. It sounds awful.
Yes, not only is it the same show but not, it's also better and worse. It's Schrödinger's cat. It's better because, with fewer episodes. it's tighter and more direct. But you lose the "everything happens at once" dynamic that is a hallmark of working in government at that level. People want focus, but focus wouldnb't be realistic. Realistic is you're trying to do "A", then "B" happens, and then "C".
I'm currently watching and pretty much loving the Korean version of Designated Survivor playing on Netflix now. It takes awhile to get going because it has to establish the differences between Korean and US political situations, and there are a few plot differences because of this, but so far it's following the track of DS season 1.
The biggest difference for me is the "survivor". I like President Park much more than Tom Kirkman. He is MUCH more of a fish out of water and he has to really acclimate to his situation more than Kirkman did. And because it's a Korean show with longer episodes, there's plenty of time to do this. It's been great to watch him grow in confidence. If this show is anything to go by, Korean politics is much more cutthroat, so he has to navigate some crazy waters. There's some melodrama of course (it wouldn't be a Korean show without it) but I love how they are taking their time with the plot. I'm on episode 10 now and people are looking to him as the President, and he's finally starting to believe it himself. The conspiracy is still unfolding though, and I want to see if they put a spin on it because it's Korea (and since the conspiracy in DS was so lame when they finally revealed it).
When Kirkman was shot in season 1, I didn't really care. I will care when (if) they have that plot point in this show. I like this guy and I'm rooting for him. I want him to run and win the election. In this show, he's the "acting president" for 60 days until there's another election, and people are starting to form around him to push him to run instead of step down. I'm invested in it. "Actual" Designated Survivor never made me feel any of that.
He's gone from a guy who found his dress shoes uncomfortable and who couldn't wait to change out of his work clothes at the end of the day to looking and acting as the President, with people looking to him for leadership. And they did this much better than Designated Survivor did. Too bad Netflix is only releasing 2 episodes a week.
The biggest difference for me is the "survivor". I like President Park much more than Tom Kirkman. He is MUCH more of a fish out of water and he has to really acclimate to his situation more than Kirkman did. And because it's a Korean show with longer episodes, there's plenty of time to do this. It's been great to watch him grow in confidence. If this show is anything to go by, Korean politics is much more cutthroat, so he has to navigate some crazy waters. There's some melodrama of course (it wouldn't be a Korean show without it) but I love how they are taking their time with the plot. I'm on episode 10 now and people are looking to him as the President, and he's finally starting to believe it himself. The conspiracy is still unfolding though, and I want to see if they put a spin on it because it's Korea (and since the conspiracy in DS was so lame when they finally revealed it).
When Kirkman was shot in season 1, I didn't really care. I will care when (if) they have that plot point in this show. I like this guy and I'm rooting for him. I want him to run and win the election. In this show, he's the "acting president" for 60 days until there's another election, and people are starting to form around him to push him to run instead of step down. I'm invested in it. "Actual" Designated Survivor never made me feel any of that.
He's gone from a guy who found his dress shoes uncomfortable and who couldn't wait to change out of his work clothes at the end of the day to looking and acting as the President, with people looking to him for leadership. And they did this much better than Designated Survivor did. Too bad Netflix is only releasing 2 episodes a week.
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