Jensen Ackles & Eric Dane discuss Countdown with Kyle McMahon on Pop Culture WeeklyPhoto: Kyle McMahon Media LLC
Jensen Ackles & Eric Dane Talk 'Countdown' - Their New Hit Prime Video Show - on Pop Culture Weekly with Kyle McMahon
If you’ve ever found yourself shouting “Where’s my next edge of your seat thriller?!”, Countdown just slid into your DMs with a badge, a tragic past and zero time for nonsense.
In this week’s episode of Pop Culture Weekly I sat down with the men themselves - Jensen Ackles (aka The Trench Coat King, aka Dean Winchester) and Eric Dane (yes, McSteamy, but in Countdown he’s more like Mr. I Will Break You With My Voice). And let me tell you Countdown is it. Think the white knuckle intensity of 24 (one of my favorite shows ever), but smarter, deeper and hotter. It’s action packed, emotionally grounded, and full of those “Wait, what just happened?!” twists that we freaking live for.
Why Countdown Works - Straight From the Stars Themselves
When I asked Jensen what drew him to Countdown, he hit me with this:
“There was a vulnerability to this show. There was a heart to this show. There was a personality to this show… You want to root for these people, you want to hope that they succeed.”
Right?? That’s the secret sauce. It’s not just explosions and chases - it’s real, flawed characters you actually care about. Which, frankly, feels rare in modern procedurals.
Eric Dane echoed that sentiment (with his signature intensity):
“It scratches that itch. It’s an elevated procedural… you get to invest in these characters because you get the time to care about them.”
Photo: Elizabeth Morris / Prime Video
Will There Be Seasons 2, 3, 20 of Countdown?
So will there be a Season 2 and beyond of Countdown? You bet. When I asked if there’s room for more stories in this world, Jensen said:
“A hundred percent. Derek’s a phenom of a writer. He’s got stories for days.”
Eric chimed in too and we all agreed (unanimously, no takebacks) that showrunner Derek Haas is cooking up something special here. The man is a machine. He’s got like 47 shows already on air and somehow still made Countdown feel fresh.
Countdown is streaming right now on Prime Video and has hit the Top 10 already and I promise you that it’s worth the watch. I can’t wait for you to see it so we can finally talk about it. Because currently, I’m bursting at the seams and legally prohibited from texting spoilers. (Thanks, NDA.)
Are you watching Countdown? Are you screaming at your screen yet? Let me know - DM me, tweet me, carrier pigeon me. I want to hear your theories, your reactions, and your inevitable “HOW is this not already renewed for five seasons?” rants.
Listen to my full interview with Jensen Ackles and Eric Dane on Pop Culture Weekly here.
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Check out Kyle Mcmahon and subscribe to the Pop Culture Weekly podcast. You can follow him on Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Instagram and check out his official Amazon Store.