Warning! This review contains SPOILERS for Countdown season 1, episode 7.Countdownreturns with another episode that sees its main villain in a tough spot. After last week’s episode had Volchek deal with the Belarussian Consul General getting the jump on him, I did not anticipate that the villain would be in danger again so soon. However, I liked how the show decided to put Volchek in a dangerous situation.
That led to a better understanding of just how prepared this guy is for whatever comes his way, and after leaving the situation unscathed,I’m starting to wonder if the task force will be able to fully stop Volchek’s plan. As for the good guys,Countdownepisode 6spotlighted Meachum’s death wish. Now, episode 7 finally had him open up.
Episode 6’s ending also set up a possible storyline about betrayal for Eliiot Knight’s Keyonte Bell. That was one of the elements I most wanted to see tackled in episode 7, as I need Bell, Shepherd, and Finau to get the same kind of development seen by Jensen Ackles' Meachum and Jessica Camacho’s Oliveras. Thankfully, the show went there.
Meachum Finally Tells Oliveras About His Tumor
Jensen Ackles & Jessica Camacho Deliver In The Awaited Scene
I wanted to start this episode’s deep dive with the moment that I have been waiting the whole season for. So far, Meachum and Oliveras are easily the best team in the show, with the duo getting the most interactions and development. I loved how they started to open up to one another in episode 6.
She knows he’s dying.
However, the fact that Meachum was not completely honest with Oliveras frustrated me. I did not expect anything to change in episode 7, but I was positively surprised when Oliveras went to visit Meachum in his own home and Ackles' character finally told her about his brain tumor. She now knows he’s dying.
That signals a major shift in their relationship, as Oliveras is the only one Meachum has opened up to. Now she can understand why he has been so reckless, always putting himself in harm’s way instead of letting others take some of the load. I felt Ackles and Camacho did a great job in episode 7’s most emotional scene.
I want to see how their relationship will continue to develop now that Meachum’s secret is out in the open. I don’t think he is ready to tell the others just yet, so Oliveras will have to keep it a secret for now. While the duo had the biggest moment inCountdownepisode 7, another task force member also shone.
No Betrayals Are Coming To The Task Force Family
Keyonte Bell Gets The Spotlight In Episode 7
Bell is one of the characters who is still trying to get established. I like howCountdownhas given him a strong motivation to grow in his line of business and how Knight plays it, making me feel just how much pressure Bell puts on himself to succeed after all his father accomplished. Episode 7 delved into that further.
At the end of episode 6, it became clear Bell was not fully on good terms with Blythe. Given his father’s history with District Attorney Grayson Valwell, and that character’s many issues with Blythe, I wondered whether a betrayal was in line.
I enjoyed howCountdownplayed with that notion, as the camera’s focus on Bell after a botched raid seemed to point at the character having spilled secrets to Valwell that led to the mission’s failure. However, that was not at all what happened, as Bell later told Valwell that he would never betray Blythe. I love the task force’s bond.
As the show has made clear, none of the team’s members are perfect. Some friction is to be expected, but it was nice to see Bell realize that they are truly a team and decide not to break that bond. Eric Dane also had a gripping moment in this episode as Blythe defended his team when talking to the SWAT leader.
Volchek Continues To Prove Himself A Worthy Villain
The Character Has A Contingency For Everything
Volchek had to think his way out of a tough spot. As we are only slightly over the halfway point ofCountdownseason 1, I never expected Volchek to get caught. It was always a matter of how he would be able to escape Daniil’s uncle, who knew about his nephew’s disappearance. The explanation the show used was fun.
Countdowncontinues to do a great job of making Volchek feel smart and worthy of a villain to warrant the task force’s creation.
Having Volchek’s contingency be a safe in his basement with claymores outside to take out his enemies was a masterful move that falls in line with how prepared he has been depicted so far.Countdowncontinues to do a great job of making Volchek feel smart and worthy of a villain to warrant the task force’s creation.
I also wanted to note how HBO’sThe Last of Usseries showrunner Craig Mazin has a cameo as an arms dealer in episode 7. I had no clue Mazin could act, but his brief appearance was important for Meachum and Oliveras' investigation, and he was fun in the role. After Milo Ventimiglia’s pilot cameo,Countdowncontinues to deliver in that area.
Countdown Season 1, Episode 7
Cast
Countdown, released in 2025, follows LAPD detective Mark Meachum as he joins a secret task force composed of undercover agents from various law enforcement branches. Following the murder of a Department of Homeland Security officer, they uncover a deep conspiracy, igniting a time-sensitive mission to protect millions.
