Chosen
Chosen is an American action-thriller web series created by Ben Ketai and Ryan Lewis for the streaming service Crackle, in which a lawyer is forced into a lethal assassination game run by a mysterious organization. It premiered on January 17, 2013, ran for three seasons and 18 episodes, and ended on April 15, 2014.1 • 2 It should not be confused with The Chosen (2017), the crowdfunded drama series about the life of Jesus.3
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Network and dates | Crackle; premiered January 17, 2013; final episode April 15, 20141 • 2 |
| Format | 3 seasons of 6 half-hour episodes, 18 episodes total2 |
| Creators | Ben Ketai and Ryan Lewis; Ketai also wrote and directed the first season1 • 4 |
| Lead | Milo Ventimiglia as Ian Mitchell, a lawyer and father; he also executive produced4 |
| Premise | A box containing a loaded gun and a photo of a stranger arrives on Mitchell's doorstep, with instructions to kill the pictured person within three days4 |
| Season 1 performance | 2.4 million streams in under 10 weeks; 48% online, 36% on connected TV, 16% on mobile and tablet4 |
| Onscreen title | Stylized as CH:OS:EN accompanied by a ticking sound5 |
Spoilers
Premise
Ian Mitchell (Milo Ventimiglia) is a husband, father, and lawyer who awakens one morning to find a mysterious box on his doorstep containing a loaded gun and a photograph of a stranger he has never met, along with instructions to kill the pictured person within the next three days.4 After being attacked by another stranger, he discovers he has been chosen by a shadowy organization known as The Watchers to take part in a lethal contest, and he must outwit the group to survive and return to his normal life with his family.1 The first season's target is Daniel Easton, played by Diedrich Bader.6
Cast
Milo Ventimiglia leads the cast as Ian Mitchell, appearing in the first two seasons.2 Nicky Whelan plays his wife Laura Mitchell and Caitlin Carmichael his daughter Ellie Mitchell.7 Chad Michael Murray joined as Jacob Orr, another player in the game, from season 2 onward.2 • 5 Later seasons added Sarah Roemer as Avery Sharp and Brandon Routh as Max Gregory, and Rose McGowan boarded the third season as the hunter Josie Acosta.2 • 8
Production and seasons
Season 1. The six half-hour episodes launched at once on Crackle and across its applications on January 17, 2013.4 Ventimiglia described the setup as an ordinary man hunted as part of a game put on by wealthy, bored people.9 Crackle greenlit a second season on March 25, 2013, with production set for summer 2013.4
Season 2. The second season premiered on December 11, 2013, with Ventimiglia, Whelan, and Carmichael returning.10 Before that premiere, Crackle ordered a third season, with production beginning December 17 in Los Angeles.11
Season 3. In February 2014, Crackle signed a first-look deal with the creators' production company, Dissident Pictures, under which Ketai and Lewis would develop additional scripted projects for the network.8 The six-episode third season premiered on April 15, 2014, and the series concluded there.2 • 12
Reception and performance
Crackle reported that the first season registered 2.4 million streams in less than 10 weeks, ahead of projections, spread across devices: 48% online, 36% on connected TV devices, and 16% on mobile and tablet. Half of the viewers who watched the first episode watched all six, and average viewing time per user was 45 minutes, reaching as high as 75 minutes per session on Xbox. Crackle also recorded a 98.6 percent completion rate on the pre-roll advertising.4
The series earned industry recognition. At the 2014 IAWTV Awards it won Best Male Performance in a Drama and was nominated for Best Directing (Drama), and it won Young Artist Awards for both Best Web Performance by a Young Actor and by a Young Actress.13 On IMDb it holds a rating of 7.3 from about 4,000 users.14
Adaptation
Screen Australia's screen guide lists a Mandarin-language three-part series titled Chosen, adapted from the US drama of the same name and running 3 x 70 minute episodes.15
References
- Chosen, Rotten Tomatoes
- Chosen (2013), a Titles & Seasons Guide, epguides.com
- The Chosen, LLC offering circular, SEC
- Crackle's Chosen is a web series worthy of your time, CliqueClack
- Chosen (TV Series), Chosen Wikia
- Chosen TV Show Air Dates & Track Episodes, Next Episode
- Chosen - Cast, TVmaze
- Crackle Inks First-Look Deal With 'Chosen' Creators Ben Ketai & Ryan Lewis, Deadline via Yahoo
- Keck's Exclusives First Look: Milo Ventimiglia Is the Chosen One, TV Guide
- Crackle's second season of Chosen brings it again, CliqueClack
- Crackle Orders a Third Season of Original Series 'Chosen' Before the Premiere of Season Two, IMDb news
- Is Chosen coming back? Concluded April 15, 2014, isitback
- Chosen - Where to Watch and Stream, TV Guide
- Chosen - watch tv series streaming online, JustWatch
- Chosen, Screen Australia screen guide
Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Unscripted, reality, and web-native series › Web-native and streaming-original series › Genre web series: horror, thriller, science fiction, and mystery
Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026
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