Warning! Spoilers ahead for Countdown episode 1!
Countdownfeatured a surprise cameo fromThis Is Usstar Milo Ventimiglia. Venntimiglia was intentionally kept out of the marketing material for the show, so his appearance came as a complete surprise.Countdownfollows Jensen Ackles in the lead role as Mark Meachum, an LAPD detective who is pulled out of an undercover job to join an elite task force. A mission to find a murderer escalates when materials that could be used to create a mass destruction event in Los Angeles are discovered. Prime Video released the first three episodes on June 25.
Ventimiglia and Ackles are both well-established TV stars.Ventimiglia is best knownon television for his roles as Jess inGilmore Girls, Jack inThis is Us, and Peter inHeroes. Ackles also has an impressive TV history with playing Jason inSmallville, Soldier Boy inThe BoysandGen V, and most notably, as Dean inSupernaturalfor fifteen seasons. Despite their long history on TV, the pair have never appeared in the same show before.
Milo Ventimiglia Has A Surprising Cameo In Prime Video’s Countdown
He Appears In The First Scene Of The Series
Ventimiglia appears inCountdownas Homeland Security Agent Robert Darden. He is featured in the first scene of the series, helping establish its action-thriller tone. Darden was investigating merchandise that the Cartel was bringing into Los Angeles, and he quickly finds himself at the center of an action scene after being set up.
Darden’s role in the series is brief, but very significant. He is shot and killed, which is the inciting incident that leads to the creation of the task force Meachum is a part of. It’s a compelling action scene and helps immediately set the stakes for the show. As he is quickly killed off,Countdownlets viewers know that characters can die at any moment, even if they are played by a beloved actor. The scene has a similar vibe toJosh Holloway’s (Lost) cameo inMission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol.
Milo Ventimiglia Has An Odd Connection To Jensen Ackles Through 3 Other Shows (Despite Never Working Together)
Other Actors Connect The Two
AlthoughVentimiglia and Ackles do not share any screen time, they have finally appeared in the same show. However, they do have a surprising number of connections to other programs. As mentioned,Ackles was one of the leads ofSupernaturalwith Jared Padalecki, who played his brother, Sam. The pair became an iconic duo and will reunite inThe Boysseason 5. Before leading the genre show with Ackles, Padalecki had a dramatic pairing opposite Ventimiglia.
UnlikeSupernatural,Padalecki and Ventimiglia share a much more contentious relationship onGilmore Girls. Padalecki played Dean, Rory’s first boyfriend, but he breaks things off with her as she was clearly developing feelings for Ventimiglia’s Jess in season 3. The two are constant rivals for Rory’s affection, even getting into a fight. Both also returned for the revival seriesGilmore Girls: A Year In The Life.
His most recognizable role,Ventimiglia’s run onThis Is Usshares another connection with Ackles. In the series, Justin Hartley plays the adult version of one of Jack’s kids, Kevin Pearson. AfterThis Is Uswrapped, Hartley went on to lead his own action series that is similar in tone toCountdownwithTracker. Hartley has a different familial connection with Ackles than he did with Ventimiglia, as heguest-starred onTrackeras Hartley’s brother, Russell Shaw. Ackles has made appearances in both seasons ofTracker.
Given that both Ackles and Ventimiglia have had significant acting careers in television for over two decades, they, of course, have crossed paths with many of the same people. However, it is interesting to see how many of those share major connections. While it may be some time before they ever share a scene,Countdownhas finally brought two of television’s biggest stars together.
Countdown
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.
