Character mistake: The chessboard on the desk part way into the episode is set up wrong. Any chess player knows the "white on right" mantra for the white square being in the right corner of the board. In the show the entire board is off and black is in the lower right corner. (00:11:20)
Designated Survivor (2016)
1 mistake in Kirkman Agonistes - chronological order
Starring: Kiefer Sutherland, Natascha McElhone, Kal Penn, Adan Canto, Italia Ricci
Tom Kirkman: What do you want me to do, General, declare war? Why not. 40 minutes ago, they showed me the nuclear football. I guess I've had it long enough to try it out.
Question: If there were two designated survivors (Kirkman and Hookstraten) then why was it decided so quickly that Kirkman would be president instead of Hookstraten?
Answer: While both parties picked a designated survivor, only Kirkman was a cabinet member and in line for succession. Hookstraten was the Majority Whip leader for the House of Representatives and not in line for succession. She would only have become president if something happened to Kirkman.
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Answer: The line of succession is VP, Speaker, President Pro Tempore, then the Cabinet Secretaries in the order the department was created. If none is qualified, then the Chief Justice or senior member if no Chief or Chief is ineligible or declines, acts as POTUS until either the House chooses a new Speaker or the Senate chooses a new Pro Tempore, whichever is first.