Last Resort

Television, Movies Games and Books Non Science Fiction
#1

http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/last-resort
First I have heard about this show. Sounds pretty interesting, and might fill the Battlestar sized hole in my TV habit.

500 feet beneath the ocean’s surface, the U.S. ballistic missile submarine Colorado receives their orders. Over a radio channel, designed only to be used if their homeland has been wiped out, they’re told to fire nuclear weapons at Pakistan.

Captain Marcus Chaplin (Andre Braugher) demands confirmation of the orders only to be unceremoniously relieved of duty by the White House. XO Sam Kendal (Scott Speedman) finds himself suddenly in charge of the submarine and facing the same difficult decision. When he also refuses to fire without confirmation of the orders, the Colorado is targeted, fired upon, and hit. The submarine and its crew find themselves crippled on the ocean floor, declared rogue enemies of their own country. Now, with nowhere left to turn, Chaplin and Kendal take the sub on the run and bring the men and women of the Colorado to an exotic island. Here they will find refuge, romance and a chance at a new life, even as they try to clear their names and get home.

#2

The pilot was far from perfect but when a show recklessly cannonballs into such an unpredictable premise any outcome other than a belly flop is awesome.

I feel like Last Resort has come to save us from the current rash of nearly identical fantasy shows, tired procedurals, and a slew of failed copy-cat mythos shows that quickly ran out of ideas for advancing their own secrets. In comparison to the last several seasons of the overly familiar, Last Resort is exhilarating.

Too soon to tell for sure, but yes, Last Resort charts a course into uncomfortable shades of gray not visited since Battlestar Galactica. For example, Captain Chaplin, the lead character, is an opaque mix of protagonist and antagonist. His radical decisions might prove to be mistakes. Are we witnessing desperate inspiration or high functioning insanity?

Andre Braugher and Scott Speedman enjoy a half scripted, half acted, easy natural chemistry much like Paul Hogan and Edward James Olmos once had. And like Edward James Olmos in 2003, Andre Braugher deserving the lead of his own show is years overdue.

Just a jam packed first hour with good pacing. We haven’t even been introduced to the Cylons yet. Who are the bad guys anyway - as yet, still unknown.

#3

I didn’t like it. The sets do not look like a sub. The acting is bad to say the least. The captain has dead eyes, no emotion in them. But what really shows me they don’t care is they literally think you can see Washington DC from the statue if liberty. Not just the nuke but you can see the silhouette of the capital building and the Washington monument.

Also chain of command is a huuuuge issue.

#4

I enjoyed it …need to find some time to re-watch the pilot…maybe tonight before my hockey game…but the guys who made the Shield (a show only 2nd to BSG in my “amazing” list)…can do no wrong to me!!!
I did like the whole high ranking military conspiracy angle too…

#5

I was pretty disappointed. It felt like an hour long trailer for the show. Plot points were skipped over, things left unexplained. I will check it out for at least one more episode because this might be a case of executive melding in the pilot, where the rest of the show was left in the hands of the actual show runners. Did anyone else feel like this should have been a two hour episode that got chopped down to an hour?

#6

I agree! I liked watching the pilot. But maybe Revolution and Terra Nova prepped me for a show to jump the shark and still be interesting to me. We’ll see where this goes and if I continue to watch or not. Until this show gets well into the season I will reserve my final judgement on this one. Glad I watched the pilot though!

#7

I found myself saying UGGGHHHH a lot last night and really NOT liking episode 2…then I kept thinking “how could these guys go from the most amazing show ever (pre-BSG)…to THIS!!!”

It’s a bad sign but the show is in danger of being cut from my DVR list unless it steps it up soon…maybe the trouble with the natives will get me back around…

#8

The ratings are strong 3 year high / eight month high for ABC in that time slot, actually beating FOX’s X-Factor in Live+3, post-honeymoon retention down A18-49 0.3 from the debut. Reviews are strong as well. So well above crush depth going into episode three. ABC is happy - you might a see a full season order soon.

There is a peculiar vocal contingent roaming around the comment sections - I served on a Boomer… - I am the wife of a submariner… - that has plausibility issues but thems the internets.

One criticism I have is while the COB (Robert Patrick, Chief of the Boat, Master Chief) is developing into a serious veins-a-popping adversary within the ranks, his followers thus far are; would be face shooting raging fatalists (premiere), would be back shooting sneering cowardly weasels (ep#2). He’s a paper tiger unless his grievances start ringing true and attracts followers of consequence.

This episode’s threat was also predictably overcome but, again, I loved this second unpredictable plot twist. That’s two for two now. That’s not Delta Force making that HALO jump from an American 747, that’s Spetsnaz off a Taiwanese 747 in VLF contact with an obligatory Russian trawler. Tom Clancy stuff well covered. Managing to combine the plot twist with a subtext is good writing. The XO was ready to take a bullet before willingly ambushing “his own.” Contrast this to the COB, who wanted the LT dead because she killed “one of our own.” Yeah, so, thematically Blue on Blue tied the subtexts together well as any good drama must do; fathers and sons and fathers and masters and commanders.

The finale’s end where Captain Chaplin easily renews his men’s loyalty, leaving them embarrassed for forgetting their duty, is straight up Robert E. Lee, one gray fox to another. Total screen ownage for his scenes.

#9

Just watched ep 3…it was better…I like the addition of the local problems…and the Crime Lord is certainly going to be a headache, letting the COB out for the sake of boat unity was good…and it seems like all hope is crumbling around the crew…nice touches this week and you can feel a slow build to a mass explosion (not to mention the stuff back in DC with daddy stealing the specs from his daughter)…I can’t see this show being a long-term running show (two seasons at most)…but hopefully the ride along the way gets better…

#10

Watched episode 2, still seems disjointed, abrupt, and not really making a lot of sense. Pretty much everything when they cut back to the States has been kind of a snooze. Andre Braugher’s sheer force of will can only take it so far.

#11

I had it DVR’d, but we can barely keep up with Homeland and Boardwalk Empire, so I bailed on it. Tell me there’s some kind of good reason why the United States Navy can’t track an entire sub, though, please?

#12

They know where it is…but it still has 17 nukes on board, and has threatened to launch them if anyone violates the 200 mile no-fly zone, the show has a bunch of holes and doesn’t feel like it will be around long…but at least they answered that question

(it also has a sorta short-term cloaking device on board but it doesn’t last too long)

#13

Still a week behind, just watched Episode 3. Liked this one a lot better than the others, because we finally got some Submarine action. I also liked the justification of Chaplin not going after Julian, because if I was me I would have turned around and shot him as soon as I found out what happened, but that probably wouldn’t have been smart in the long run. Looks like this might start going somewhere.

#14

Finally watched last Thursday’s episode…by far the best of the series…the drugging truly brought the worst out of the crew and the best of the actors…loved the direction of the series…and the XO’s “Head Six” moments :slight_smile:

#15

Have not seen the latest episode yet, but I can say I am glad I stuck with this show. It’s getting pretty good.

#16

It does seem to be catching a stride now…I agree

I still don’t see this thing going past two seasons…how can they?? At least while still being on the island…

#17

“We pass the Bechtel Test with these Grace/Cortez/Snyder scenes.” - Shawn Ryan

Which is:

  1. It has to have at least two [named] women in it
  2. Who talk to each other
  3. About something besides a man - bechdeltest.com or Wikipedia: Bechdel test

So, of course… :shifty:

THR: ABC Cancels ‘Last Resort,’ ‘666 Park Avenue’

Cheer if you must, the bear is hungry and will eat many more shows - at least ten - before heading to its den for the winter.

"For the record ABC was always fantastic with us in every regard. Don’t get mad at them. If you’d like to curse out Nielsen viewers though… " - Shawn Ryan

“We won’t be adding to the season, but there are 6 eps left that will BLOW YOUR MIND :slight_smile: -” Jessy Schram

I really dug this show. It had so much to say as a drama, perhaps the most to say since former Bechdel test winner Battlestar, while still tagging the bases as an action show each week.

#18

Of course it was cancelled. I’m 0/4 on the last shows I started watching.

#19

SON OF A BEATCH!!!

The networks really HAVE to do something about the idiotic ratings system…goddammit

I hope this show GETS A FRAKING ENDING AT LEAST!!!

#20

Haha no way. Definitely gonna be a cliff hanger