After Countdown’s Cliffhanger Leading Into The Finale, Jensen Ackles’ Comments About Needing Viewers ‘To Care’ Make So Much More Sense

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In the summer schedule of 2025, Jensen Ackles made a comeback on television, but not for another stint in the realms of Supernatural or The Boys. Instead, he headlines the thrilling series Countdown, created by Derek Haas, who is known for Chicago Fire. Joining him are Eric Dane from Grey’s Anatomy, Jessica Camacho, Violett Beane, Elliot Knight, and Uli Latukefu. The drama is nearing its Season 1 finale, thanks to a weekly release format as opposed to all episodes being released at once for binge-watching. After the second-to-last episode, Ackles’ comments about Countdown standing out among his other projects and urging viewers to engage are proving to be true.

Last summer, I had the pleasure of chatting with Jensen Ackles and the crew behind the series “Countdown” before its premiere on Amazon Prime Video. Given my familiarity with his work in shows like “Supernatural,” “The Boys,” and “Big Sky,” I was curious to know how he’d describe the show for someone who primarily knew him from those projects. During our conversation, he offered an insight into it:

If you’ve enjoyed the mix of action, suspense, comedy, and drama in my previous shows, then you’ll love this one as well. While it doesn’t fit neatly into a specific genre, it does offer high-stakes situations, lots of action, and plenty of character growth. Unlike many procedurals, we delve deeply into the personal lives of our characters, giving you an opportunity to understand them better.

In Countdown, there are no actual demons like those encountered in Supernatural or the wild “Herogasm” event from The Boys. Instead, it marks a departure from the supernatural genre projects that Jensen Ackles is well-known for. However, the series starts off with high-stakes situations right away, and the penultimate episode of Season 1 leaves us on a tense note as the identities of the task force members are revealed to a dangerous killer, setting up an ominous finale. Before creating the show, Ackles and Derek Haas (a veteran from various shows in the Dick Wolf TV universe) discussed their vision for this project.

Derek and I discussed things right from the start, and I expressed, “You know, for the audience to embark on this journey with us, they must first care about these characters.” This was crucial to both of us, as well as Eric and everyone else involved. We made sure that the viewers would empathize with these characters so they could truly participate in the journey. I believe we achieved that. In fact, that sentiment seems to have been a key aspect in the creation of this show, something that might remind you of certain projects I’ve handled before. There are numerous elements within this series that echo my previous work, I think.

It’s undeniable that introducing Milo Ventimiglia’s character and then having him perish was an effective hook to grab viewers’ attention, given his popularity from “This Is Us.” However, as someone who has been through a lot of crime TV shows, I wasn’t entirely convinced that the show could make me develop a deep emotional connection with the characters. But, I can certainly appreciate the action and excitement it offers.

The ending of Episode 12 last week made me realize just how much I care about the characters’ survival, more than I had previously thought. Despite there being no immediate danger or dramatic explosions or gunfire in the final moments, the cliffhanger still left me tense and eagerly anticipating the finale.

Many members of the task force found themselves unwillingly caught in a dangerous predicament orchestrated by a cunning antagonist who seemed to foresee their actions. With this adversary now aware of their identities, they find themselves in grave peril. While not all team members were present, given the series’ history of writing off characters, it’s unclear what the future holds for the finale. However, despite the potential for violence, I don’t expect a massacre where most characters will die. Nonetheless, I’m eager to see how things unfold. Kudos to Jensen Ackles and Derek Haas for creating such engaging characters that have captured my interest – bravo!

You can now stream the initial twelve episodes of “Countdown” on Prime Video, as the Season 1 finale is set to air on Wednesday, September 3. During our summer conversation with Derek Haas, he didn’t rule out the prospect of a second season, so fans will just have to stay tuned to find out if Derek Ackles and the rest of the cast return for Season 2. Of course, this all depends on who makes it through the upcoming finale!

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2025-09-01 03:36