Countdown season 1 is a crime drama series that debuted on Amazon Prime Video on June 25, 2025. Derek Haas has created and written the series and also serves as its showrunner. It is produced by Mike Ganzman and executive produced by Marc Bienstock, Jonathan Brown, and Haas.In Countdown season 1, Jensen Ackles plays the LAPD detective Mark Meachum, who joins a federal task force with Amber Oliveras, Keyonte Bell, Evan Shepherd, and Lucas Finau to investigate the murder of a Homeland Security officer and stop a terrorist plot to launch a nuclear attack on US soil.Amazon Prime Video has described the official synopsis of Countdown season 1, as follows,"When an officer with the Department of Homeland Security is murdered in broad daylight, LAPD detective Mark Meachum is recruited to a secret task force, alongside undercover agents from all branches of law enforcement, to investigate. But the hunt for the killer soon uncovers a plot far more sinister than anyone could have imagined, kicking off a race against time to save a city of million."What is Countdown season 1 about?Countdown season 1 features 13 episodes and will conclude on September 3, 2025. It aired the first three episodes at once on June 25, 2025, with the remaining episodes releasing weekly on Wednesdays at midnight ET. The runtime for each episode is between 45 to 53 minutes.The action thriller series is directed by Jonathan Brown, Avi Youabian, Tess Malone, Nina Lopez-Corrado, Lisa Robinson, Rashidi Natara Harper, Eric Stoltz, and Chris Grismer.Furthermore, Jensen Ackles told The Hollywood Reporter on June 25, 2025, that his character, Mark Meachum, in Countdown season 1 is an ode to the action heroes from the 1980s and 1990s. He described his character as follows,"He has a love of the game. This is a guy who has found his calling in doing what he does. I can look to old school characters for inspiration — the John McClanes (Die Hard) and (Martin) Riggs from Lethal Weapon. Any of those early ‘80s and 90s action movies starring the Kurt Russells, Bruce Willises and Harrison Fords."Ackles added,"But also like Josh Brolin in Sicario. A guy who likes to show up in flip flops who doesn’t give a sh*t, where maybe his commanding officers don’t love how unbuttoned he is. I’ve always gravitated towards characters like that. I’ve loved to watch performances like that. So it was very easy for me to fall into finding this guy."A brief recap of Countdown season 1 View this post on Instagram Instagram PostCountdown season 1 begins with the murder of the HSI officer, Robert Darden. In response, the senior FBI Agent Nathan Blythe creates a federal task force comprising Mark Meachum, Amber Oliveras, Evan Shepherd, Keyonte Bell, and Luke Finau from various law enforcement departments like the FBI, LAPD, DEA, and the Secret Service.During their investigation, the team's tech expert, Evan, zeroes in on the image of the shooter and identifies him as Cesar Murillo. Another key figure is Maurice Spellman, Robert's colleague from the Customs and Border Protection division. They discover that Robert was looking into Spellman's corrupt activities with a drug cartel before he was killed.Spellman reveals that he was helping the cartel and Borys Volchek, an official of the Belarusian Defense Ministry. In episode 2 of Countdown season 1, Mark and Amber infiltrate the cartel through one of its members Javi Lopez, and carry out a drug run for him.They help bring a truckload of heroin into the United States from Mexico to win Javi's trust and gain access to his drug operations. But, before he can disclose any relevant information, Javi is killed in car explosion by Volcheck.In the third episode, Mark connects with Timur Novikov, a prison inmate he knew while working undercover at the prison facility in Palmdale. Timur leads Mark to his uncle, Mikhail, unaware that he works for Volchek. At Mikhail's mansion, Mark uncovers blueprints, electronic gadgets, and maps, confirming his suspicion that Volchek is planning something sinister.However, Volchek and Mikhail escape in the ensuing shootout with Mark's team at the end of the Countdown season 1 episode 3.Cast and characters of Countdown season 1 View this post on Instagram Instagram PostThe full cast list of Countdown season 1 is given below:Jensen Ackles as Mark MeachumEric Dane as Nathan BlytheJessica Camacho as Amber OliverasViolett Beane as Evan ShepherdBogdan Yasinski as Borys VolchekElliot Knight as Keyonte BellUli Latukefu as Luke FinauRachel Armstrong as HeatherMerrick McCartha as DA Grayson Valwell/District Attorney Grayson ValwellJonathan von Mering as AndrejJonathan Togo as Damon DrewMatt Kaminsky as JerryNikolay Moss as DanillNick Bardin as Dmitry KotovCameron Gayden as MemoRyan de Quintal as Rolf/Rolf MorozovKamy D. Bruder as KirillScot Ruggles as Adic Jay TostrudNas Akkerman as ShopperMilo Ventimiglia as Robert DardenBrent Sexton as DennisLeith M. Burke as Maurice SpellmanSamson Moeakiola as Sam JohnsonJ.J. Soria as Javi LopezEmily Bridges as Meredith DardenNicole Lyn as Amina FinauToby Larsen as Zach DardenChris Marroy as DanielsRyan Padilla as BPD JordanGrace Jenkins as Cameron FinauSean Sekino as ChunHudson Brown as Delphi Manager GregoryMichanne Quinney as the ParamedicStephanie T. Keefer as KarenChristian Barber as LAPD Sgt. Hugh LambertDima Savyan as AntonAutumn Layne as Kennedy FinauGregory Gast as DaleAaron Blakely as CharlesErik Marion as the ER DoctorPéter Végh as KostenkoTim Abell as Warden Gil ThompsonNicola Bertram as Amy MorenoSteve Filice as Police ChiefCharles Kim as SA Steve ChaJacob Figueroa as CedroRyan Pratton as GalenChet Grissom as Jim TalbottRobb Zbacnik as Prison GuardBrittany Freeth as MartaNicholas Stoesser as SamKevin Acevedo as ErasmoGreg Benson as Dr. CondreyJordyn Denning as RosemaryP.K. Simone as Van HerronPancho Cardena as Gregorio RuizMatthew Gudernatch as WriterMarcus DeAnda as GerardoMarypat Farrell as the Socialite FrancineBoise Holmes as DHS Chief OfficerAlastair Bayardo as SurgeonPanna Dominika Bíró as KiraJo-Marie Lawrence as Stella MyersRey Laredo as MBP GuardTroy Blendell as SSA Ray KublerDavid Douglas as Coach FrankRoderick Hill as ClarkeDevin Looc as BrunoNick Wittman as Matt WoodleyTamás Podlovics as PilotKrisztián Csákvári as VladJoy Sung Kim as a Korean WomanJayne Han as Jee KimAnna Barraza as Latina GirlAlan Silva as GabrielDeanne Black as GillyLily Keene as SharonJules Willcox as Caty BlytheRonnie Gene Blevins as Mike CollinsVincent Foster as an Older ManSam Daly as AynesworthKurt Yue as HoJoe Pistone as John RossAlex Sgambati as KaraLacey Claire Rogers as Officer HannahBetsy Beutler as Val SparksBrian Yang as Kieran TeoRico E. Anderson as Randall TooksBradley Snedeker as Detective FlaglerKarina Noelle Castillo as CarmelaValerie Loo as Venetia LimAnna Mhairi as DanielleJoshua Dov as HopperMark Rowe as Rory GroganPatrick Hume as Trevor Kellen TK PasternakAngel Rivera as Troy BallardDan Warner as MorrisAndre Boyer as TanakaNicholas Wagner as the Federal Civilian WorkerJulie Craig as Reilly MillerDenzel Johnson as ClausenCarolyne Maraghi as JaquelineScott Broderick as Del KilmartinDanny Minnick as CigsChristopher Lusti as WorthingtonSam Breslin Wright as Roger LangbertDwayne Standridge as Agent ConnellyMatisse Mazur as Dougray RawlstonVick Sabian as RamanMaurice Webster as TerryAaron Ford as BonnerZack Sayenko as Lubomir PiskunSelina Hui as the TouristHarry Santiago as the LAPD DetectiveAaron Marshall as Hunter 1Adrian M. Mompoint as CioneAaron DJ Williams as NeighborPasha D. LychnikoffDaniel ChernishAdam J. HarringtonAna AlexanderAmanda BrooksDuke Davis RobertsMark PuchinskyStephen Monroe TaylorRustic Bodomov as Radoslav (uncredited)Marco Vazzano as Javi's Bodyguard (uncredited)Ara Storm as Neighbor (uncredited)Ithaka Darin as Pappas Swineherd (uncredited)Watch all episodes of Countdown season 1 exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.