Eric Dane: My Countdown Task Force Leader Is 'Unapologetic, Determined' — And Wears The Hell Out Of A Suit
In Prime Video's upcoming Countdown thriller, Special Agent in Charge Nathan Blythe proves to be a "formidable foe" for any ne'er-do-wells — and he looks damn good while doing it!
Created by Derek Haas (EP of the #OneChicago franchise and co-creator of FBI: International), Countdown is set in motion when an officer with the Department of Homeland Security is murdered in broad daylight. SAC Blythe (played by Euphoria's Eric Dane) is tapped to head up task force "Hurricane," comprised of LAPD detective Mark Meachum (Supernatural's Jensen Ackles), DEA badass Amber Oliveras (All Rise's Jessica Camacho), LAPD gangs unit officer Lucas Finau (Young Rock's Uli Latukefu), and FBI agents Keyonte Bell (The Boys' Elliot Knight) and Evan Shepherd (The Flash's Violett Beane).
Though positioned as an "all-star" team of LEOs, it soon becomes evident that the task force Blythe hand-picked is more a collection of broken toys. "They don't understand why they work well together...," Dane told TVLine on Tuesday afternoon, "but I do."
Blythe himself isn't one to sit behind the desk in his makeshift task force office and simply receive updates. Rather, he involves himself in field work while also doing his damndest to keep District Attorney Grayson Valwell (Merrick McCartha) — an ambitious politico and would-be valor thief — from getting in the team's way.
"I like playing characters that are unapologetic, and determined, and won't back down. And there's a lot of that in Nathan Blythe," Dane said. "He's also a very earnest and focused character — I like that about him — but what I really dig about him is the 'stillness' which he sets an example" for the task force's more impulsive members.
HE'S LIKE 'THE COACH OF THE BAD NEWS BEARS'
Ackles, who plays Team Hurricane's most reckless member, described Dane's character as "a formidable foe for anybody out there trying to make a move," and a boss who doesn't so much lead by example but "lead by strength.
"And I love how much he believes in his team," Ackles added. "I love that he believes in these people even though they are not the obvious choice." Describing Meachum et al as "a ragtag group," Ackles likened SAC Blythe to "the coach of the Bad News Bears."
This coach, though, dresses a helluva lot better than Walter Matthau's Morris Buttermaker. When he strides across a tarmac or office plaza, damn, it's like an Armani ad come to life.
"[Eric] wears the hell out of a suit!" Ackles declared of his co-star. "Every time he showed up on the set, I'm like, 'Who makes this? What are you working with here?'"
Accepting the compliments from both Ackles and myself, Dane simply said with a smile, "We have a great wardrobe department."
Prime Video's Countdown premieres Wednesday, June 25, with its first three episodes, followed by weekly drops through Sept. 3.
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