Countdown Review
Director: Jonathan Brown, Lisa Robinson, Eric Stoltz, Avi Youabian, Chris Grismer, Rashidi Natara Harper, Nina Lopez-Corrado and Tess Malone
Date Created: 2025-06-25 18:25
3.5
Countdown Review: Directed by Jonathan Brown, Lisa Robinson, Eric Stoltz and others, and produced by Derek Haas, this latest crime thriller TV series on Prime Video has just dropped the first three episodes. The 13-episode series will be dropping a new episode each week. The cast features familiar faces such as Jensen Ackles, Eric Dane, Jessica Camacho, Violett Beane, Elliot Knight and Uli Latukefu, all of whom bring gravity and realism to this edge-of-your-seat extravaganza.
The plot of the Countdown series revolves around tough-as-nails LAPD detective Mark Meacham (Jensen Ackles) is turned into a pawn in a secret, high-stakes government game. This unit is composed of agents from several law enforcement agencies, and they’re tasked with investigating the public murder of a Homeland Security agent. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg—this murder is one element of a ring of crimes nationwide, and the deeper in, the more dangerous it becomes, and the more bodies they find. What ensues is a suspenseful race to stop a mass disaster.
Countdown Review
I’ve watched the first three episodes, and I can confidently say that Prime Video Countdown has definitely caught my attention. The series does not dawdle from the opening scene. The series also drops us in at the deep end, maintaining the same pace throughout the three episodes. it does not overdo things like some crime dramas that overindulge in style or melodrama. It’s a more efficient action than elaborate CGI, and I have to say that it has a gritty, raw edge to it.
The greatest thing is that the show never goes off the rails. Whenever it hints at some sort of vague romantic tension between actors (like Jensen Ackles and Jessica Camacho), it turns around and focuses its energy back on the main case. It’s one less thing to worry about getting in the way of our enjoyment. It’s a welcome thing to watch a show that trusts the power of its main story to keep us engaged without feeling the need to fall back on fabricated subplots.
Jensen Ackles as Mark Meacham is the focal point of the series. He is not another action hero — his emotional depth and personal demons (which involve a cryptic medical condition) add depth to his acting. Jensen does a great job of balancing toughness and vulnerability. Additionally, his sarcastic sense of humour, even in extreme situations, adds a relief undertone to the intensity of the show.
And as the chief of the task force, Eric Dane brings his usual sure, commanding presence to bear. The fact that we know he’s dealing with health shit in real life (ALS diagnosis) makes this especially impressive. His job is to manage the political pressure of the operation, and he manages it with quiet authority. Jessica Camacho does a good job, too, and the way she fits with the team seems normal.
Some of the supporting characters, like Violett Beane’s, have not been fleshed out very much, but I’m holding out hope that later episodes will allow them room for growth. Countdown is also providing us with a villain to root for in a genre that too often lacks monsters that aren’t cheap or two-dimensional. We don’t know a lot about her so far, but what we do see makes her look like someone who’s calculating, dreadful and has an agenda. That ambiguity creates a lot of tension in the show.
It’s more of a cat-and-mouse game, not necessarily good and evil. I like that the show allows us time to watch the squad put the pieces together and get through the red herrings. It’s as if we’re solving the case with them. That’s so much more compelling.
One thing that was remarkable, how well the show takes advantage of its location. Prime Video’s Countdown is filmed in its entirety in Los Angeles, and it’s clear that the city isn’t merely the background but part of the narrative. And be it desolate warehouses or downtown alleys, the locations are inhabited and grounded. It’s a welcome change to see a show that isn’t overly produced in its scenes and is rather using actual spaces to narrate its story.
Summing Up
Currently, I’d bet Countdown stands on its own two feet. It has all the tested-and-proven elements of a crime show — action, suspense, quality characters — and has a 21st-century feel to it, too. It doesn’t turn the wheel, but it accomplishes what it attempts to do fairly well.
The weekly delivery schedule can be infuriating to binge-watchers, but it also gives each episode some room to breathe. So far, It’s suspenseful and tidy, too, and although most of its episodes may rely on the overwound overcomplication of the half-hour pilot, it has promise if the next episodes follow through on where this hour’s good start takes off. If you enjoy suspense thrillers and detective television series, I believe Countdown is worth watching.
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