Countdown has had its fair share of onscreen deaths but did the Prime Video show just kill off Eric Dane‘s character after that shocking stabbing?
During the Wednesday, July 30, episode, Blythe (Dane) got a call from Piskun (Zack Sayenko) about them meeting up to discuss Volchek (Bogdan Yasinski). When Blythe arrived, Piskun was dead and Volchek was there. Blythe and Volchek had a fight, which ended with Volchek stabbing Blythe in the side.
The final scene showed Blythe bleeding out in an alley, which left Dane’s future on the show unclear. This isn’t the first time Countdown harmed an officer in the line of duty with Damon Drew (Jonathan Togo) getting shot in episode 3. Meanwhile Jensen Ackles‘ character, Meachum, was diagnosed with a fatal brain tumor that he has been keeping a secret from the rest of the team.
Countdown, which premiered in June, follows an LAPD detective (Ackles) who is recruited onto a covert task force of undercover agents from various law enforcement agencies after a Department of Homeland Security officer is killed in plain sight. The group must track down the murderer — but there is a larger conspiracy at work that they need to uncover while racing to protect Los Angeles.
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Earlier this month, Ackles, 47, teased whether he would reprise his role in a possible season 2.
“I’m absolutely pushing for it,” Ackles told Men’s Health in an interview published on July 22. “I had one of the best times I’ve ever had working on a set while we were on this show.”
Ackles specifically praised Dane’s work on the show, adding, “Eric’s a total pro. He’s a TV icon. In our first meeting, I stuck out my hand and he gave me a hug instead. From that moment, I thought, ‘This has a chance to be good.’”
He continued: “I wanted to earn his respect. He was the big dog on the set, and I wasn’t trying to out-alpha-dog him. There was room for both of us.”
In addition to Ackles and Dane, 52, Countdown also stars Jessica Camacho, Violett Beane, Uli Latukefu and Elliot Knight. It is one of Dane’s new projects in the wake of his ALS diagnosis.
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“I have been diagnosed with ALS,” Dane said in a statement in April. “I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter. I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of Euphoria next week. I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”
Ackles showed support for Dane amid his health struggle.
“Obviously, he’s dealing with what he’s dealing with. I’m checking in on him quite frequently, letting him know that if there’s anything he needs from me, I’ll be there,” he added to Men’s Health. “He’s very appreciative, but he’s already surrounded himself with the right people, and that’s important when you’re going through something like that.”
New episodes of Countdown air Wednesdays on Prime Video.
