Designated Survivor season 4: Will there be another season on Netflix?

Following the blockbuster release of the new hit Netflix original series The Night Agent, fans of the action thriller have been searching the streamer’s ranks for more shows to binge-watch. They’ve seemingly landed on Designated Survivor, which entered the top 10 in April 2023.

The political drama stars 24 vet Kiefer Sutherland as Tom Kirkman, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development who survives a bombing at the Capitol Building. As everyone in the presidential line of succession was killed, Tom’s next in line as the “designated survivor” and sworn in as president.

Designated Survivor first debuted on ABC back in September 2016. The series ran for two seasons on the Disney-owned network before being canceled and later saved for a third season by Netflix. All three seasons are currently on the streamer, and with their newfound success in 2023, why was the series canceled and could there be a fourth season on the horizon?

Will there be a Designated Survivor season 4?

After the show’s cancellation by Netflix in 2019, there haven’t been plans to bring Designated Survivor back for a fourth season. The cast have gone their separate ways and begun working on new projects. Sutherland currently stars in the Paramount+ series Rabbit Hole and will next be seen in the Netflix film They Cloned Tyrone.

However, in this day and age, you truly can never say never. Shows are constantly being rebooted or revived due to fan interest. With renewed viewership on the show, it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Currently, it’s unlikely that season 4 will happen, simply because lightning rarely strikes twice when it comes to shows being saved. That being said, savor seasons 1-3.

Why was Designated Survivor canceled? (By ABC and Netflix)

In May 2018, ABC canceled Designated Survivor after two seasons because of decreased ratings returns and behind-the-scenes logistics. The series had an oddly high turnover rate for showrunners, with five showrunners taking the helm of the series across three seasons.

Even though the series wasn’t a massive ratings player for ABC, it was still a profitable show due to its deal with Netflix, where it streamed internationally, and additional international sales, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Canadian production company eOne, which owned the series’ producer The Mark Gordon Company, negotiated a deal with Netflix for a third season.

When deals were negotiated for Designated Survivor season 3, they only locked down one-year deals with the cast, making a fourth season a complicated task. Because the cast’s deals were for one season, they were released to find work on other projects. Another season could have been on the table, but Netflix opted to make season 3 the final season.

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