Designated Survivor: 60 days

Comparisons with the American version are inevitable. The answer: This Korean version exceeds expectations and is so much better in many respects.

The protagonist is really an inexperienced - but smart and principled - outsider, not a Superman unconvincingly masquerading as a Clark Kent. The NIS agent is believable in her capabilities and conduct, not some supermodel-like super-cop. And the plot, while equally fanciful, is a bit less fantastical and thus more plausible.

That plot, combined with good acting and writing, is what makes this series a strong one. The political intrigues here are much more interesting, given the backdrop of the Korean Peninsula. With so much at stake and only 60 days, there is a tighter focus in storytelling that makes this "Designated Survivor" quite engrossing.

As a fan of political dramas, I enjoyed this aspect of the series. If you do not, then there is still the conspiracy angle to sink your teeth into. Unfortunately, the latter is not as well developed as the former, and takes much longer to get going. Fortunately, when it does pick up, this part of the series is still engaging enough to hold your attention.

My other minor complaint is that some of the characters are a bit of a caricature and disappointingly takes away from the realism. And that is the main downside of the series. Given the generally smart storytelling, I'm not sure why this happened. Still, a very good drama.

Every consecutive episode this series getting much better.

With episode 3, Korea made this story their own. At this level of emotional and creative complexity, the Korean version easily surpasses the original version, and the closure is a nice touch.

The plot is thick and full of twists and turns. The actor who plays president is so good. This show exhibits extremely clever writing, loads of action, and tear-jerking moments. My favorite character in the U.S. version is Kimble Hookstraten. The Korean equivalent of her is the leader of the opposition party (Korea has a different government structure) and she is a main character with so many layers. What a treat! It was tough having to read subtitles while trying to appreciate the acting but you eventually get used it.

I am watching both Korean version and the original American version just for comparison. I have to say I like the Korean version much better. American version is fast paced with tight plot, however, the Korean version is doing a much better job in developing character and connecting with audience emotionally. The performance of whole crew is excellent! Can't wait for the next episode!