Following the cancellation of Jensen Ackles’ Prime Video action series, Countdown, the actor and showrunner have responded to the news, with the latter also giving fans an answer to the question over one character’s fate that was left in the balance at the end of the season. Countdown is the latest series to have been given the chop from the streamer, along with Daniel Dae Kim-starring Butterfly, and the show’s star did not take long to share his response to the “bummer” news.
Sharing a video on his Instagram, Ackles reflected on the ending of the series, saying that sometimes you can “tick all of those boxes” and still end up being canceled. He said:
“As some of you may have seen already, Countdown did not get picked up for another season, Amazon have let it go, and it’s a bummer. I had such an amazing time making that show, had an absolute blast with the cast and crew. Thank you to Derek Haas for writing those characters and thanks to Amazon for giving us the opportunity. Sometimes you can set out to do your best, and you tick all of those boxes but it is out of your hands. That’s the way it goes in this industry. So that’s the end for Mark Meachum. But I’m thankful for the experience, and will see you down the road on something else, I guess.”
‘Countdown’ Showrunner Reveals Oliveras’ Fate
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The worst thing about a show being canceled ahead of its expected end is that there are often several cliffhangers left unresolved. Countdown is not an exception, as the final episode of the series was actually just the beginning of Mark Meachum’s next story. In his short response to the news of the cancellation, showrunner Haas shared the resolution of one of the cliffhangers for those who will now never see the story continue on screen. He wrote:
“Hey, thank you to Amazon Prime and a great cast and crew for our season of Countdown! Fun to make all around! (pssst…Oliveras lived.)”
Countdown’s cancellation was a shock to many fans, and most likely to Haas, Ackles and the rest of the cast and crew. The series has been in the streamer’s U.S. Top 10 since its debut, and still features in the chart a month after it aired its finale. This would usually make it a no-brainer that more episodes would follow, but it seems that the global take-up of the show has not been enough for Amazon to renew it for a second bite of the cherry.
Fans of Ackles will still be able to find the actor appearing on Prime Video thanks to his upcoming appearance in The Boys Season 5 and its new prequel series, Vought Rising. However, when it comes to Countdown, the show’s divisive reviews perhaps make the cancellation the right call, and while we will never know whether Season 2 could have upped its game, at least we know the fate of Oliveras. A small consolation for those who invested in the season.
- Release Date
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June 25, 2025
- Network
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Prime Video
- Directors
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Jonathan Brown, Avi Youabian, Lisa Robinson, Chris Grismer, Eric Stoltz, Tess Malone, Nina Lopez-Corrado