Jensen Ackles has been awfully busy as of late. The Supernatural actor had guest roles on both Big Sky and The Boys, and most recently he appeared on CBS’ new hit series Tracker as Justin Hartley’s brother. Not to mention, he was also heavily involved with the short-lived Supernatural prequel The Winchesters, where he served as a producer, narrator, and guest star. Now, the actor is returning to Prime Video for a brand new series alongside Chicago Fire co-creator Derek Haas.
Prime Video has announced that it has ordered the new series Countdown for 13 episodes. Ackles will be starring in it as it was developed for him. The show comes just over a year after he entered a first-look TV deal at Amazon with his wife Danneel Ackles for their Chaos Machine production company. Countdown is also Haas’ first series under his own exclusive overall deal with Amazon MGM Studios. The official synopsis reads:
Countdown starts following a suspicious murder in broad daylight, which leads to LAPD officer Mark Meachum (Jensen Ackles) being recruited to join a secret task force of undercover agents from all branches of law enforcement to investigate. But as the truth of a more sinister plot comes into focus, the team must overcome their conflicting personal agendas to unite and save a city of millions.
Considering Ackles played a sheriff in Big Sky’s final season, it will certainly be interesting to see how he does as a police officer going undercover. He can definitely play a range of characters, having gone from a football coach-turned-villain to a demon hunter to a superhero. Now he can add undercover agent to his growing resume, and I'm thrilled about it.
It will also be fun to see him trying to save the world again, or at least the city of Los Angeles. A lot of us know him because of his tenure on the beloved Supernatural, and while this new show won't have fantastical beings, it will be fun to see him solving crimes and saving folks once again.
With Jensen Ackles leading Countdown, it’s unclear how it will impact his recurring roles on various shows. After appearing on Tracker, it seemed like the series was setting up something much bigger for the Shaw family. Tracker is returning for Season 2 on the 2024 TV schedule, but it hasn’t been confirmed that Ackles will be returning as Russell. There is a lot more to dig into on that front. At the very least, if he can’t show up in person, maybe he can at least cameo via video.
Meanwhile, with the show also coming from Haas, known for the One Chicago franchise, you know it has to be good. Haas is partly responsible for getting the entire Chicago franchise off the ground, and he also created fellow Dick Wolf series FBI: International. Four out of five of those shows are still going strong, with the exception of the short-lived Chicago Justice. So, it feels like we're witnessing a dream team in the making with his upcoming collaboration with Ackles.
Countdown has a lot to live up to, considering Derek Haas is one of the masterminds behind a massive franchise and Jensen Ackles led a TV show for 15 seasons. As of now, a premiere date has yet to be released, but hopefully it’s soon. With the two of them attached and likely more exciting news to come, the wait will surely be worth it for those with an Amazon Prime subscription.
