Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Countdown Episode 6.The stakes are higher than ever onCountdown, as the Belarusian operator, Anton Volchek (Bogdan Yasinski), is plotting to detonatea nuclear weapon in the middle of Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Mark Meachum (Jensen Ackles), a Los Angeles Police Department Detective working in the task force to uncover and stop Volcheck, is sliding into a downward spiral. Earlier in the season,Countdownrevealed that Meachum is suffering from an inoperable and terminal brain tumor, but over the last two episodes, Meachum’s symptoms have grown worse as he struggles to function in the field.
Because of this, Meachum’s behavior during the big desert action sequence inthe latest episode, “A Needle or a Bullet,” shows that he is becoming even more reckless and a danger tohis other teammates in the elite task forceassembled by Special Agent Nathan Blythe (Eric Dane). So what does it really mean for his character?
Mark Meachum Is a Man With Nothing To Lose on ‘Countdown’
Meachum’s reckless behaviorderives from his Glioblastoma Multiform diagnosis in the first episode, “Teeth in the Bone.” Meachum realizes his mortal clock is ticking, and his doctor is already recommending that the detective live out the rest of his life as comfortably as he can. Unfortunately, such an idea is not an option for Meachum. Throughout the first six episodes ofCountdown, Meachum looks downright possessed to go out in a blaze of glory to stop Volchek’s terrifying plan. Meachum doesn’t care if he dies to stop Volchek because he believes he’s a man with nothing left to lose.
In “A Needle or a Bullet,” the task force tracks down their latest lead, an anti-government suspect named Shawn Gallagher (Duke Davis Roberts), who used to be friends with Timur Novikov (Mark Puchinski). The task force runs down Gallagher, who attempts to escape in his truck with his mobile home in tow. Meachum makes a daring jump from the mobile trailer to attack Gallagher in his truck before Amber Oliveras (Jessica Camacho), Keyonte Bell (Elliot Knight), and Luke Finau (Uli Latukefu) ram their cars into Gallagher’s vehicle. Additionally,Meachum’s worsening symptomsare causing him significant pain, headaches, blurred vision, and dizziness, affecting his reaction time and readiness for the task force’s missions.
‘Countdown’ Episode 4 Recap: The Task Force Loses One of Their Own as the Situation Heats Up
Our heroes have a lot more work to do.
Meachum’s illness causes him to act more wild and erratic, endangering the lives of everyone around him. It’s one thing for Meachum to devalue his own life, but he frequently acts unconcerned about the consequences of his actions. Meachum’s cavalier and wild behavior makes him a potential liability, and that could cause problems for Blythe’s task force in the foreseeable future. The task force has already lost one member, Damon Drew (Jonathan Togo), inthe fourth episode, “Bite ‘Em Down.” If Meachum isn’t more careful,more of the task force’s lives could be at risk.
Oliveras Appears Close To Discovering Meachum’s Secret
It’s clear that Agent Oliveras suspects something is up with Meachum, and she confronts him about his issues while they are en route to apprehend Gallagher. Oliveras also reveals her struggle with heroin addiction. Previously, Oliveras injected herself with black tar while undercover in Matamaros to keep her cover intact. Now, she’s struggling to stay sober and resisting the urge to use drugs, which explains why she stole the kilo of heroin fromthe task force’s drug bust earlier in the season.
Meachum lies to Oliveras, passing offhis recent problems in the fieldas migraines. Oliveras buys the story — at least for now, but at some point,his lies will backfire on him. The severe headaches already hinder him from walking down a short flight of stairs, so what happens if his symptoms manifest in the middle of a shootout? Bynot revealing his illness, Meachum putsthe entire task forceand their mission to stop Volcheck at risk.
After the task force catches Gallagher in “A Needle or a Bullet,” Agent Oliveras points out that Meachum is out of his mind,rightfully calling him out for his behavior. Meachum thinks he’s a cowboy in the wild west and acts like one to boost. On the one hand, his willingness to dive head-first into danger to find and stop Volcheck is brave and noble, but in the latest episode, he pointlessly risks his life for a dead end. The Gallagher whom the task force took into custody was not even connected to Volcheck’s operation.
Although Meachum was correct about seeing the name “Gallagher” in Volcheck’s documents, the name refers to the freight trucks Volchek and his collaborators are using, probably to carry the nuclear weapons they intended to detonate in LA. In other words, he, very selfishly, nearly got himself killed and endangered his teammates to catch the wrong man. Catching Gallagher brought the task force no closer to discovering Volcheck while putting everyone back at square one.
Meachum Needs to Come Clean About His Illness on ‘Countdown’
Meachum will need to reveal his illness to the rest of the team sooner or later.Otherwise, his eagerness to throw his life away in the pursuit of stopping Volcheck could exacerbatehis team’s operation, which is already facing heavy scrutiny from the overbearing District Attorney Grayson Valwell (Merrick McCartha). Special Agent Blythe trusts Meachum more than his superiors, but he shouldn’t betray Blythe’s confidence by continuing to hide such a debilitating illness, especially if symptoms continue to get worse. Blythe is a man of honor and integrity, and he would certainly work with Meachum to help him through the process. Rather than setting his mind on going down fighting, Meachum would be wise to seek out another oncologist or specialist regarding potential treatment for his tumor. Meachum’s doctor in the series premiere comes off as somewhat sketchy. It won’t hurt Meachum to get a secondary opinion, especially on something as serious as a brain tumor.
At the very least, Meachum should tell his partner, Oliveras, the truth. She revealsa career-threatening secretto Meachum regarding her heroin use in the latest episode, and she already senses that something is off with him. It’s only a matter of time before she figures out that Meachum is gravely ill. He owes it to her to tell the truth, especially after she dropped that bombshell regarding her drug use while undercover. That way, Oliveras at least knows what she is dealing with when they are running down suspects and facing life-or-death scenarios.Otherwise, Meachum’s death wish could bring her down with him.
