Why He Was Chosen For The Task Force

Jensen Ackles’ Detective Mark Meachum is the lead in Amazon Prime Video’s Countdown, and he has a life-threatening medical condition that complicates his arc. Supernatural star Jensen Ackles is doing what he does best in the new, action-packed crime thriller series, playing a rough-rider cowboy protagonist whose abrasive exterior hides a heart of gold. Though Countdown’s cast and plot are centered around an ensemble, Meachum has been the star of the show so far, with much of the plot centered around him.

Jensen Ackles has played difficult men on television before, with Supernatural’sDean Winchester being known for his tough exterior but ultimately having asoft inner personality. On The Boys, Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy was rather irredeemable, but beneath his hostile persona, the actor was able to establish a degree of humanity. Now, in Countdown’s first three episodes, the 47-year-old star has done it again, creating a character who’s willing to bend the rules to do the right thing and defy his long-term reputation for being selfish and dangerous.

Mark Meachum Was Diagnosed With Glioblastoma Multiform

Meachum Has A Life-Threatening Brain Tumor

Audiences of Countdown might have noticed that Mark Meachum’s tone will often change with a brief expression of pain, causing him to clutch at his forehead. While his character makes all sorts of excuses for why he’s in pain, be it taking a punch in a prison brawl or having a headache, the cause is far more dangerous. A scene with Meachum’s doctor in episode 1 reveals that he’s been diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiform; he has a massive brain tumor, he can’t do anything about it, and it’s only going to get worse before it kills him.

The clock is ticking on Mark Meachum’s life, just like how Amber’s drug addiction was described as a “ticking time bomb.”

Aside from the countdown to Borys Volchek’s destructive plan in Los Angeles, the double meaning of the show’s title also refers to the countdown to various characters’ personal problems. The clock is ticking on Mark Meachum’s life, just like how Amber’s drug addiction was described as a “ticking time bomb.” These are the moments for these characters to prove what they’re worth, and time is of the essence. Meachum’s personal arc is just as crucial to the series as the broader stakes of the terrorist threat.

Meachum Was Brought Into The Task Force Because Of His Diagnosis

Meachum Can Take Risks Because He Has Nothing To Lose

Jensen Ackles' Meachum walking with his gun drawn and Uli Latukefu's Finau carrying the breacher behind him in Countdown season 1

In a sense, Mark Meachum’s tragic diagnosis is what makes him perfect for the job. He evidently has a guilty conscience, and his feelings are buried deep within him, which fuels his dedication to undercover work for months at a time, forsaking any hope for a life. Had he remained on the course we saw him at the start of Countdown episode 1, it would have led to his death either from the tumor or from him risking it all for the job. As we’ve seen, Meachum is willing to take drastic risks and has little regard for his own life.

Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester in Supernatural

I Completely Forgot This Was Jensen Ackles’ First Major TV Role, But Supernatural Didn’t

Jensen Ackles’ first major role was wildly different than the characters he’s become known for, and it later became an Easter Egg in his biggest show.

When Nathan Blythe (Eric Dane) assembled the task force to investigate HSI Agent Robert Darden’s murder, he picked his agents for two reasons. Meachum accuses Blythe of choosing people whose respective departments wouldn’t miss them; outcasts, liabilities, etc. Blythe denies this, but it’s also partially true. He wants people he can trust to keep the information about this case tight, due to his conspiracy regarding corruption in various law enforcement agencies. Taking the agents who no one values is an excellent way to keep his actions tight-knit.

The other reason, which Blythe rebuttals with, is also likely true. Nathan Blythe has been around the game long enough to understand how everything works, knowing that politics and money have equal value, if not more, in how law enforcement is conducted, than doing the right thing. To avoid Chernobyl in Los Angeles, he needs agents who will do the right thing and who won’t be held back by the same limitations as others. It’s hard to think of a better candidate than Mark Meachum. With no career to worry about, he can be the maverick of Countdown’s task force.