Prime Video Users Are Obsessed With A Jensen Ackles Crime Thriller Series

It's a great time to be Jenson Ackles. Not only has the internet been thirsting over his character on "The Boys" for three years and counting, but he's now leading another hit show that's climbing the charts over at Amazon's Prime Video. "Countdown" is a crime drama series in which Ackles plays a reckless cowboy detective working to prevent a deadly terrorist attack. Only a handful of episodes have been released so far, but the show currently ranks firmly among Prime Video's top 10 most watched shows of the week across the globe (per FlixPatrol).

Of course, being a top 10 show isn't a guarantee that the series will be a long-term success. (Just ask "Pulse," which initially performed well on Netflix but was canceled a few months later anyway.) But one factor "Countdown" has in its favor is that it's being released on a weekly schedule and not dropped all at once, as Netflix loves to do. This model gives it more chances to gain popularity through sheer word of mouth, like what's happened to recent hit weekly-released shows like "The Pitt" or "The White Lotus."

Admittedly, the reviews for the series have not been as good as the viewership numbers. "Despite its large cast and grandiose themes, 'Countdown' ultimately falters due to its monotonous nature," as Aramide Tinubi wrote for Variety. Joel Keller wasn't keen on it either, writing for Decider, "'Countdown' pretty much uses every action procedural cliché to piece together a plot and cast of characters that are neither exciting or interesting." With its 36% rating on Rotten Tomatoes so far, most of the other reviews echo these sentiments.

While discussing the show's premiere episode with The Hollywood Reporter, Ackles explained what drew him to the project in the first place:

"It was everything I grew up loving about entertainment. There was action and salty characters — there was the 'will they or won't they,' are they going to make it? Are they going to save everyone and catch the bad guys? It was a bit of a throwback, and I gravitated to it."

For Ackles at least, it seems like the procedural clichés the show uses are not a bug but a feature. "Countdown" isn't reinventing the wheel, but it's a good fit for anyone who wants some light and breezy fun. Ackles also seems to be happy to return to a lead role again; it's now been five years since his show "Supernatural" ended, with both COVID and the writers' strike throwing a few wrenches into his post-"Supernatural" career plans. The road to making "Countdown" was filled with delays, one of which was his surprise return to the final season of "The Boys." As Ackles explained:

"I was talking to my dear friend Eric Kripke [creator of 'The Boys']. He was like, 'Hey, I understand you just took on a new show: Congratulations, that's amazing! However, we're gonna need you for season 5 coming up; what's your schedule like?' So, there was a little bit of an overlap. We had to make some magic work, schedule-wise, but we made it happen. I actually wrapped up season 5 of 'The Boys' last week, and so it all worked out. I'm thrilled because I love both shows."

"Countdown" is now streaming on Prime Video.