Prime Video Launches Derek Haas Thriller ‘Countdown’ With Surprise Ventimiglia Cameo

Amazon’s Prime Video has launched “Countdown,” a 13-episode crime thriller created by “Chicago Fire” veteran Derek Haas. The service released the first three episodes on 25 June, introducing an elite multi-agency task force—led by Eric Dane’s FBI Special Agent Nathan Blythe and Jensen Ackles’ LAPD detective Mark Meachum—racing to stop a Los Angeles nuclear threat. Producers withheld the opening-scene casting of Milo Ventimiglia, whose Department of Homeland Security officer is killed in a high-octane chase that sets the investigation in motion. Haas said the unadvertised cameo was designed to ‘hook’ viewers immediately. Beyond the external bomb plot, the premiere reveals private crises for two team members: Meachum is battling an aggressive brain tumor while DEA agent Amber Oliveras struggles with addiction. Haas said the dual, personal “countdowns” are meant to keep audiences “on the edge of your seat” through the season. Early critical reaction is mixed. Variety called the series “tedious and repetitive,” arguing that the ensemble and sprawling conspiracy dilute tension, though it noted a late-season storyline shows promise. New episodes will stream weekly on Wednesdays.