Designated Survivor has survived a cancellation as it moves from ABC to Netflix. Set to premiere its third season this June on the streaming platform, the first episode back will reportedly explain some very glaring changes in the upcoming installment.
One of these changes was hinted in the teaser where the campaign team of President Tom Kirkman (played by Kiefer Sutherland) has been looking for a new Vice President. In fact, the clips revealed that National Security Adviser Aaron Shore (played by Adam Canto) was named as his VP candidate.
The fact that Kirkman didn't pick the incumbent VP Ellenor Darby (played by Aunjanue Ellis) to be his running mate has fans wondering what has happened to the character. According to TV Line, this change will be tackled immediately in Designated Survivor season 3 episode 1.
Behind the scenes, however, it doesn't look Ellis has been asked back to reprise her role as the VP. Her current IMDb listing indicates that she's not signed on for Designated Survivor season 3.
Meanwhile, most of the major cast members from the past seasons will be featured in Designated Survivor season 3. There are also speculations that guest star Michael J. Fox could return to play Ethan West though Netflix has not made any official announcements.
There will, however, be new people on Designated Survivor season 3. Last October, reports revealed the show has cast a campaign manager (played by Lorraine Zimmer), a new Chief of Staff (played by Anthony Edwards), a White House digital team head, and a geneticist who will be important to the new case Hannah (played by Maggie Q) has stumbled upon.
Designated Survivor season 3 will have President Kirkman convincing the American people to actually vote for him this time in his re-election bid. He has to convince the country that he is still the right man to run, rebuild and rehabilitate the country two years after that terrorist attack in Congress.
However, according to Sutherland in an interview with TV Insider, Designated Survivor season 3 will no longer be focusing on disaster stories for most of the plot. Instead, it will be keener on character development to show how a good man, like his character, can thrive in the dirty world of American politics.
"Television doesn't need to have bombs going off to present a crisis," Sutherland said about this shift. "I think we underestimate the audience and the value of a simple moral crisis."
Designated Survivor season 3 will drop all 10 episodes on Netflix on Friday, June 7.
