‘Designated Survivor’ May Be Revived by Netflix After ABC Cancellation

Designated Survivor may be revived by Netflix after ABC recently canceled it, opting not to pursue a third season.

Deadline reports that sources tell them the streaming giant has shown interest in picking up the series, but that Hulu already has the streaming rights for seasons one and two.

Assuming negotiations can progress, the show’s creative team is said to be excited about the possibility of what they will be able to do in a more “premium” format.

“We’re right at the beginning but there’s more to play on that one,” a source close to the show previously told reporters. While there are no further details on a possible continuation of Designated Survivor, it’s not far-fetched that the series could possibly get picked backed up.

Additionally, TV Line reports that ABC President Channing Dungey recently spoke with journalists and explained why the network made the decision to not continue the series.

“Creatively, we’ve had a lot of behind-the-scenes churn on the show in terms of the number of showrunners involved,” she reportedly noted. “We were less confident with the creative path forward than the other shows we brought back.”

The outlet reports that Dungey’s comments may be related to the fact that Designated Survivor was constantly changing showrunners in its short two-season run.

Originally created by David Guggenheim, Amy B. Harris was the first Designated Survivor showrunner, though she was replaced by Jon Harmon Feldman when the show was officially picked up. Feldman left the show and Jeff Melvoin was brought in to take over, only for Keith Eisner to be made showrunner for season two.

Ratings-wise, the show did fairly well early on, averaging almost six million viewers, but more recently it had only been averaging around four million viewers, which placed it near the bottom of ABC’s top drama series.

After news of Designated Survivor’s cancellation at ABC had been announced, many took to social media to lament the reports, with series actress Italia Ricci tweeting, “Thank you to all of the Designated Survivor fans. You’ve been passionate and engaging. I have had an amazing time being a part of this show. Wish we had more to tell. Until I see you again. xo.”

Kal Penn, who stared as White House Press Secretary Seth Wright on the show, also commented on the news, tweeting out a cast photo and writing, “Thanks for a great two years, guys! Series finale is next week. What a fun ride.”