We’ve come to know Kiefer Sutherland as a heroic man with a plan. Many have come to recognize him from his time as the leading man in shows like 24 and Designated Survivor, however, in the new complex series Rabbit Hole, he’s not the obvious protagonist we’re used to seeing, it’s a bit more complicated than that. So, when Glenn Ficarra and John Requa were developing their espionage thriller, they needed a guy who people would trust, so that they could deceive the audience, which is why Kiefer Sutherland was the perfect choice for John Weir.
Glenn Ficarra said that they actually worte the part specifically for Sutherland, the writer explained to CinemaBlend why they had him in mind, and what made them want to cast the 24 alum in their new show:
We actually wrote it for Kiefer. We had heard he was looking for something and John [Requa] just had this kind of stroke out of the blue about a guy who sort of manipulates reality for a living and getting caught into something kind of gets in over his head or at least we can seem that way that maybe his reality is being manipulated and he doesn't know it.
This idea of a layered thriller excited Sutherland, and he told Collider that when he was approached by Ficarra and Requa about the role he was reminded of the ‘70s thriller he loved, and explained that when he started his career he “really wanted to get to do those films.” The actor was drawn to the complex layers of deception that the show had, and he loved the idea of playing a con man. Ficarra loved that idea too, especially considering Sutherland’s career of playing heroes, he noted that the juxtaposition of his filmography to this character he was being asked to play would be fun for people to watch, explaining:
Because Kiefer is sort of you know, an American hero, you know, in our sort of folklore. You know, we always knew that the audience was going to be with him, even if he was sometimes misleading them with what, he knows what he doesn't know and, and what he reveals all throughout the series. So it was vital that it was somebody like Kiefer, and we were lucky to have him and we talked about it a lot as we were writing and we talked about it all the time, obviously as we were shooting.
Sutherland’s career is filled with lots of heroic characters, but the first two that come to mind for me are Jack Bauer in 24, which could get a revival, the rumors are always swirling, and Designated Survivor, where he played the Secretary of Housing turned President of the United States Tom Kirkman. Both shows were beloved by fans, and were long-running, even though Designated Survivor did have to move to Netflix at one point. So, with Rabbit Hole I know I had a preconceived notion of who Kiefer Sutherland tends to play whenever he’s in a TV show, and the creators are right, his casting really did help create this web of deception that the show is based on.
While Sutherland’s character in Rabbit Hole is actively a part of the problem, like Jack Bauer in 24, John Weir in Rabbit Hole is ultimately trying to stop a force that could potentially destroy a nation. The two characters are also both highly motivated to do what they need to do to get their job done, and sometimes that means crossing legal and ethical lines that they probably shouldn’t.
I think Ficarra and Requa had the right idea when they decided to approach Kiefer Sutherland about taking on this Paramount+ series. Audiences love seeing this iconic actor in intense dramas like 24 and Designated Survivor, and they will likely love seeing him in this espionage thriller Rabbit Hole.
New episodes of Rabbit Hole drop every Sunday for those with a Paramount+ subscription, and be sure to stay tuned to the 2023 TV schedule to see what other shows like this one are coming to the small screen soon.
