The three-episode premiere of Countdown did not adequately sell the story and the characters.
However, all is never lost just because a show has a rough initial landing.
Countdown Season 1, Episode 4 is a significant improvement over the preceding episodes, as it strengthens the team’s bonds through a shared tragedy.
Drew was shot in the line of duty. Unsurprisingly, he succumbs to his injuries, and as sad as that is, it unites the team at a deeper level.
In my review of the series premiere, I noted how out of sync everyone felt.
Among the feedback we received from that assessment was that I was judging the show too harshly and should not have expected them to have instant chemistry when they had just met.
It was a fair point to make. However, sometimes I will say things that I would otherwise ignore if they fit into the larger story.
For example, the team was not the best when it was formed. Tragedies have a way to unite people, and Drew’s death brings them together.
Shared moments, like waiting anxiously in the waiting room to see if a colleague will make it, build strong bonds among people in this line of work.
I doubt anyone will forget the sinking feeling they experienced when they learned that Drew had died.
Damon Drew’s Death Turns Tragedy Into Opportunity for Growth
His death is not something I would have done, but I understand why it had to happen.
I connected with Drew’s story much more than any other character and was hoping to see it developed.
It gives me great pleasure to see people going through the worst life situations pull through and emerge on the other side. It’s comforting to know that no matter what happens in your life, you can make it because other people in similar or worse situations have managed to do so.
Although losing Drew was disappointing, it served a much larger purpose than any other character’s death would have.
The Stakes Were Elevated
One of the biggest problems with Countdown is that the main threat doesn’t feel like a threat.
It feels more like a puzzle that, once solved, will give everyone a sense of accomplishment and warmth inside.
However, shows like these need stakes, and the looming threat of death is a significant one.
Drew’s death drives the point home that there are real dangers, even if the fissile material angle did not manage to do that.
Impact On Remaining Characters
It forces characters like Meachum, whose cowboy attitude I disliked, to engage in introspection and assess the impact of his actions on others.
Having been undercover, his actions now affect him and his teammates.
Meachum gains some depth in this episode instead of remaining the deep-voiced, annoying brat he was.
His concern for Oliveras was sweet and might make me forget that their relationship is contrived. However, I have a feeling the show is going the romance route, and I’m not sure anyone wants that. Do you?
We have Shephard and Bell, who don’t know it yet, but they’re smitten with each other.
Speaking of Shephard, Drew’s death lit a fire under other team members.
It’s easy for techies to feel out of place in shows like the FBIs, but they are also dealing with the same pressures, just not as directly.
Evan was one of the few people to witness the immediate impact of Drew’s death on those who loved him.
“I found myself pitying his poor wife, who lost a child recently, and might lose her husband. How does someone heal from such pain?” an excerpt of my review of the third episode reads.
Countdown comes through for me with that musing and shows us Drew’s wife. It is heartbreaking to see someone undergo such pain. However, she and the team are able to turn that pain, which could cripple someone, into fuel.
Overall, Countdown handles Drew’s story better than anyone could have expected.
And Now, Back to the Sidequests
However, the fissile material arc doesn’t get better.
Somehow, there’s something dangerous out there, but the team is more interested in playing games.
If there ever was a moment to bring out the big guns, this is it.
Instead, they gon on more side quests that do not bring them closer to finding Volchek and only expose themselves to him.
We do not see much of Volchek in this episode, but given how Drew’s death is handled, it is excusable.
Still, he looms, and whatever he’s planning must be significant. Speaking of, what is he planning and why is it taking him so long?
To play devil’s advocate, I’d have blown the city into annihilation if I were him, and this team was looking for me.
Series creator Derek Haas said that he added countdowns to the characters’ lives to elevate the show.
Meachum has his brain tumor while Oliveras is struggling with sobriety.
There is also a recurring threat to the team in the name of DA Derrick McCartha.
It feels like another countdown. While these might be great, they have the potential to backfire if they are not adequately utilized.
I’m interested in seeing how they come together – that’s if they do – or if the show will dig itself into a hole that might be hard to get out of.
By the end of the episode, we are no closer to finding the fissile material, and we have lost someone.
However, the emotional impact of Drew’s death and the ever-exciting action scenes in the show make “Bite ‘Em Down” a worthwhile experience.
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