8.5/102,322 votesLoading...#1 - The Oath
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 12/14/2016
President Kirkman fears there could be a traitor in the White House when he discovers shocking information connected to the Capitol Bombing. Confiding in Emily, Kirkman puts her in charge of quietly investigating. New information surfaces about Congressman MacLeish, raising concerns regarding his vice presidential nomination.
Director: Fred Toye
Writer: David Guggenheim
8.4/102,007 votesLoading...#2 - The End of the Beginning
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 3/15/2017
Circles must tighten as a new discovery within the conspiracy emerges. Tension rises between Aaron and Emily as suspicions loom in the White House. A new lead places Agent Wells closer than before to the truth.
Director: Mike Listo
Writer: David Guggenheim
8.1/103,734 votesLoading...#3 - Pilot
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/21/2016
Lower-level cabinet member Tom Kirkman becomes President of the United States after a catastrophic attack on the U.S. Capitol. Kirkman must keep the country and his family safe while leading the search for the those responsible for the attack.
Director: Paul McGuigan
Writer: David Guggenheim
8.1/101,877 votesLoading...#4 - Warriors
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 3/8/2017
The nation reels from the aftermath of the shooting on the steps of the Capitol while Emily struggles with the knowledge there may be a traitor in the White House. Agent Wells grapples with her decision to reveal what she knows about the conspiracy behind the Capitol bombing.
Director: Stephen Surjik
Writer: Paul Redford, Carol Flint
8.0/102,847 votesLoading...#5 - The First Day
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 9/28/2016
Hours after the attack on the Capitol, President Kirkman steps into his role as Commander-in-Chief in the midst of chaos and confusion. Facing dangerous new challenges and adversaries, Kirkman struggles to hold a country together that is on the brink of falling apart.
Director: Brad Turner
Writer: N/A
8.0/101,905 votesLoading...#6 - The Blueprint
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 12/7/2016
When classified government documents are leaked online, President Kirkman searches for the party responsible only to find that they have taken refuge inside a foreign embassy and are beyond even his reach. Agent Hannah Wells races furiously to gather evidence of MacLeish's involvement in the conspiracy before he can be confirmed as the country's next Vice President.
Director: Richard J. Lewis
Writer: Michael Russell Gunn, Dana Ledoux Miller
7.9/102,335 votesLoading...#7 - The Enemy
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/12/2016
Kirkman learns who is behind the attack and needs to grapple not only with the prospect of war, but brewing domestic troubles as well. Kirkman taps Emily to monitor the domestic situation. Alex may be in for more than she bargains for when she seeks out help from Hookstraten.
Director: Paul A. Edwards
Writer: Dana Ledoux Miller, Jon Harmon Feldman
7.8/102,193 votesLoading...#8 - The Mission
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/26/2016
Realizing his attempts at diplomacy with Algeria have failed, President Kirkman makes the difficult decision of sending Navy SEALs on a mission that will define his presidency. Agent Hannah Wells discovers more secrets than answers.
Director: Paul A. Edwards
Writer: Michael Russell Gunn, Sang Kyu Kim
7.8/101,650 votesLoading...#9 - Brace for Impact
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 5/17/2017
In the nail-biting season finale, Hannah Wells must stop the conspiracy from carrying out a final attack while President Kirkman authorizes a nationwide manhunt for the mastermind behind it all.
Director: Fred Toye
Writer: David Guggenheim
7.8/10966 votesLoading...#10 - #undecided
Season 3 Episode 9 - Aired 6/7/2019
Trailing in the polls, Kirkman weighs forcing the FBI's hand over the bioterrorism plot. Emily struggles with her mother's final wishes.
Director: Peter Leto
Writer: Dawn DeNoon
7.7/102,453 votesLoading...#11 - The Confession
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 10/5/2016
President Kirkman and his staff work to keep a high-level security breach of the White House a secret just as he’s about to give his first television interview. The FBI continues to investigate the Capitol bombing but Agent Hannah Wells starts to develop her own theories about who was really behind the attack.
Director: Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
Writer: Paul Redford, Jennifer Johnson
7.6/101,959 votesLoading...#12 - The Traitor
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/16/2016
When an American track-and-field coach heads to Russia, President Kirkman is thrust into a hostage exchange involving the CIA and the Russian government. Agent Hannah Wells and Deputy Director Atwood's investigation into the Capitol bombing uncovers information that puts Atwood and his family's life at risk.
Director: Fred Toye
Writer: Michael Russell Gunn, Jennifer Johnson
7.6/101,906 votesLoading...#13 - The Results
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 11/30/2016
On the eve of the country voting to elect a new House of Representatives, an unexpected development forces Kirkman to consider cancelling the elections entirely. News about Majid Nassar’s death leaks out, and Kirkman has to handle the fallout.
Director: Chris Grismer
Writer: Paul Redford, Sang Kyu Kim
7.6/101,659 votesLoading...#14 - Commander-in-Chief
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 3/29/2017
Turmoil in an African country forces President Kirkman to rely on an unlikely ally for help. Hannah's investigation into the Capitol bombing takes an unexpected turn. Emily settles into her role as chief of staff. Aaron has to make a difficult choice.
Director: Fred Toye
Writer: Michael Russell Gunn
7.6/101,490 votesLoading...#15 - Bombshell
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 5/10/2017
President Kirkman’s first international summit is derailed when journalist Abe Leonard publishes an explosive article. Meanwhile, Hannah Wells uncovers the conspiracy’s next target.
Director: Sharat Raju
Writer: Sang Kyu Kim
7.5/102,051 votesLoading...#16 - The Interrogation
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 11/9/2016
When shots ring out at The White House during a Governors Summit, President Kirkman’s plans at electing a new Congress are thrown into turmoil. Agent Hannah Wells continues investigating the Capitol bombing and makes one of her most shocking discoveries yet.
Director: Michael Katleman
Writer: Jenna Richman, Barbie Kligman
7.5/101,701 votesLoading...#17 - Backfire
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 3/22/2017
An investigative journalist shocks the White House when he reveals classified information during a press briefing and leaves Seth struggling to contain the damage from the leaked story. Hannah unearths a key connection between MacLeish and the conspiracy.
Director: Tara Nicole Weyr
Writer: Pierluigi D. Cothran, Sang Kyu Kim
7.5/101,606 votesLoading...#18 - The Ninth Seat
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 4/19/2017
As President Kirkman struggles to put together a new Supreme Court, FBI Agent Hannah Wells goes undercover and discovers much more than she ever could have imagined. Seth Wright has to contend with journalist Abe Leonard, who returns from the Middle East with an explosive story.
Director: Fred Toye
Writer: Paul Redford
7.5/101,317 votesLoading...#19 - Line of Fire
Season 2 Episode 10 - Aired 12/13/2017
It’s Christmas Day and President Kirkman is alerted to a group of religious extremists who refuse to evacuate when a forest fire threatens to engulf their cabin. Deploying Emily and Aaron to help diffuse the situation, Kirkman must act quickly to save multiple lives at stake. Meanwhile, the First Lady finally gives her testimony to the FBI director, while what happens next changes the lives of the Kirkman family forever. The Season 2 midseason finale.
Director: Chris Grismer
Writer: Keith Eisner
7.5/10952 votesLoading...#20 - Fallout
Season 2 Episode 16 - Aired 4/4/2018
President Kirkman and his staff have credible intelligence that a dirty bomb is on U.S. soil, thrusting the president into a high-stakes effort to find the bomb and stop it from detonating. At the White House, Emily approaches Chuck to help her with something that has damaging and illegal consequences.
Director: Joe Lazarov
Writer: Tom Garrigus
7.5/10955 votesLoading...#21 - Kirkman Agonistes
Season 2 Episode 18 - Aired 4/18/2018
As more content from President Kirkman’s confidential therapy sessions continues to leak out, Vice President Darby meets secretly with the entire Cabinet, resulting in attorney Ethan West looking into the president’s past – while playing a large role in his future as commander in chief
Director: Leslie Libman
Writer: Pierluigi D. Cothran, Patrick Cunnane
7.5/10993 votesLoading...#22 - Run
Season 2 Episode 22 - Aired 5/16/2018
As President Kirkman continues to deal with the turmoil surrounding the hacker and Congressional investigation, a natural disaster threatens the lives of two White House staffers. Meanwhile, Kirkman’s closest allies are surprised when the president makes an announcement no one saw coming.
Director: Chris Grismer
Writer: Keith Eisner
7.5/10932 votesLoading...#23 - #scaredsh*tless
Season 3 Episode 8 - Aired 6/7/2019
Kirkman mobilizes a frantic hunt for the bioterrorist. Lorraine plays hardball and pushes the opioid epidemic into the campaign fray.
Director: Sudz Sutherland
7.5/101,204 votesLoading...#24 - #truthorconsequences
Season 3 Episode 10 - Aired 6/7/2019
On election day, Kirkman turns to his therapist to assuage his conscience about the events -- and his own decisions -- of the momentous prior 36 hours.
Director: Chris Grismer
Writer: Peter Noah
7.4/101,526 votesLoading...#25 - Misalliance
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 5/3/2017
As the White House gears up for President Kirkman’s first international summit, Kimble Hookstraten faces her toughest political battle yet when her speakership is challenged. Meanwhile, Alex wrestles with whether or not to bring the kids back to Washington.
Director: Norberto Barba
Writer: Dana Ledoux Miller, Jenna Richman
The Best Episodes of Designated Survivor
Every episode of Designated Survivor ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Designated Survivor!
Tom Kirkman, a low-level cabinet member is suddenly appointed President of the United States after a catastrophic attack during the State of the Union kills...
Genres:DramaWar & Politics
Top Episode Ratings Summary
"The Oath" is the best rated episode of "Designated Survivor". It scored 8.5/10 based on 2322 votes. Directed by Fred Toye and written by David Guggenheim, it aired on 12/14/2016. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "The End of the Beginning".