'Designated Survivor' wraps up inaugural season

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The inaugural season of the ABC hit "Designated Survivor" comes to a close Wednesday night.

The show has been renewed and will be part of the fall primetime schedule that ABC announced Tuesday.

Kiefer Sutherland got a warm welcome at the Upfronts presentation, with fans pleased he will be returning next fall President Tom Kirkman, a formerly low-level cabinet official who was the "designated survivor" during the State of the Union and became the commander in chief after an attack.

Viewers have spent more than 20 episodes trying to figure out who is responsible for the fatal explosion, and the star promises answers during the season finale.

"The stories that started the beginning of the season will start to come to a conclusion," he said. "And that's going to allow us, next season, to really explore the family dynamic of the stresses of living in the White House."

The role of FBI agent Hannah Wells is crucial in rooting out the conspirators, and actress Maggie Q is an expert in martial arts who brought her talents from movies to TV.

"I've been trained by the best people in the business when it comes to the physicality," she said. "So I'm able to choreograph things myself, fix things that need fixing."

If Sutherland is the star of the show, then Maggie Q is the second lead, which was always the plan even though her role in the pilot was relatively small.

"And so when people first saw the show, they went, 'Oh, I'm not really sure why you took this show. Your name's not in lights and it's not the lead, lead,'" she said. "And I said, 'Wait, it's coming, what her role's going be.' And I knew that. I like the build, because I think people become more invested in you in that way."

Sutherland said Agent Wells will become President Kirkman's most trusted adviser as he begins another year in office.

The show's season finale airs 10 p.m. Wednesday on Channel 7.