ABC Canceled Kiefer Sutherland's Designated Survivor
Originally published Jul 10, 2026
By Madeline Lapreziosa · TVLine
AI-generated summary based on TVLine · Aggregated by Filmarian · Human-reviewed and approved on Jul 10, 2026
Key points
- ABC canceled 'Designated Survivor' in 2018 due to declining ratings and creative disagreements with Kiefer Sutherland.
- Netflix picked up the show for a third season but canceled it again in 2019.
- Production costs associated with moving to Los Angeles contributed to the show's financial challenges.
Kiefer Sutherland's political thriller 'Designated Survivor' faced multiple cancellations during its run from 2016 to 2019. ABC canceled the show in 2018, and Netflix canceled it again in 2019 after its third season. The show's ratings declined from Season 1 to Season 2, and Sutherland reportedly had creative disagreements with the showrunner. The move of production to Los Angeles also posed financial challenges for the series.
Read the original story: TVLine — by Madeline Lapreziosa