Designated Survivor (LAArtsOnline.com)

^{Cast of Designated Survivor premiere September 21st on ABC}

Designated Survivor!
By Ken Werther

In the United States, a designated survivor is an individual in the presidential line of succession who is placed at a physically distant, secure, undisclosed location when the President and the country’s other top leaders are gathered at a single location, such as during State of the Union addresses and presidential inaugurations. The intent is to maintain continuity of government in the event of a catastrophic occurrence that kills the president and others in the line of succession. Did you know any of that? I sure didn’t!

One of the most anticipated new television series this fall is — you guessed it — Designated Survivor. This ABC suspense thriller will star Kiefer Sutherland as Tom Kirkman, the designated survivor who becomes president when very bad things happen. Without warning, Kirkman faces the challenges of keeping the country from falling apart while leading the search to find out who is responsible for the very bad things that landed him in the Oval Office.

After eight seasons of 24, Sutherland was disinclined to take on the rigors of another TV series. When he read the pilot script of Designated Survivor, however, he instantly changed his mind. I’ve seen that pilot episode but I’m not allowed to share anything about it here… so I’ll just say this: plan to watch.

“Designated Survivor” premieres on ABC on September 21st.

Creepy Fun! (LAArtsOnline.com)

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^{The cast of The Family airing on ABC}

CREEPY FUN!

By Ken Werther
Photo Courtesy of ABC

A young boy disappears. Presumed dead, he returns 10 years later. His steely and ambitious mother is the Mayor of their town and is now running for Governor. His pious sister is a closet lesbian and mom’s political adviser. The boy’s older brother has grown up to be an unfocused and aimless alcoholic. The police inspector that originally put the wrong man away is having an affair with the dad, and there’s a newspaper reporter determined to get to the bottom of the whole mess. These are the elements of The Family, ABC’s new suspense thriller series.

Everyone in this tale has a dark secret. I think I’ve figured out some, but I’m not so sure about others. The central question is whether or not this returned boy is actually the one that was taken 10 years ago. Everyone believes it is … except for the older brother that no one listens to because he’s … well … drunk all the time. Here’s the thing — I don’t believe it’s the same boy either!

When I was a kid, my father loved to read murder mysteries and somehow always knew who the killer was within the first 10 pages. Me, not so much. I’m loving all this mystery and deception. Oh, and did I mention that it’s all really creepy? I can’t wait to see what happens next!

“The Family” airs on Sunday nights on ABC.