Last Resort

***ABC HAS CANCELED LAST RESORT***

***COVERAGE HAS BEEN STOPPED ON THIS SITE

 

 

Episode 7 – “Nuke It Out”

Air Date: November 15th, 2012

written by: Scott Ottersen

I feel as if this episode was so chip-choppy.  It flipped from scene to scene like a fish flops around when out of water.  I’m not saying that’s necessarily a bad thing, but it kinda is for my viewing pleasure. 

The XO is in the middle of searching every member of the crew’s bag in search of the firing key, only he can’t let anyone know what he is searching for.  He tries to play it off as if he’s searching for the Epipens, which is semi-believable.  He tells the Captain that they can’t keep this up, because they’re going to lose their crew if they do.  The Captain tells XO that they don’t have much time, because as soon as “their Judas” reports their success to Langley, they will all be dead, so either they lose their crew by searching their bags, or they lose their crew to a missile attack.

“Booth” is the name of the Black Op member that the Captain and XO are keeping hostage, trying to gain information to help aid them catch their Judas.  Booth tells them that the CIA has sleeper agents on submarines for scenarios just like this, when Captains go rogue.  It is the mission of these sleeper agents to steal the firing key from the Captain in case something like this does happen.  Mission successful.

As a guy, I’m not buying into Tani’s belief that guys like girl bartenders with long hair better than they do ones with short hair or tied-up hair.  If the bartenders are smart, they’ll understand it has nothing to do with their hairstyle, it has everything to do with a) how much money that guy has, and b) how much attention that girl pays him.  If she makes him believe he can sleep with her at the end of the night, he’ll give her a better tip.  She could be bald for all we care.  If we believe we have the chance to bang it out, we’ll drop a few extra bucks on tip.  What’s an extra $5 when, at the end of the night, we’re not relieving ourselves to a porn.  You’re not pretty enough to make those assumptions, Tani.  The men on your island are just desperate.

The XO searches Sophie’s office, find the green vials and was about to find the makeout session on her computer, but Sophie walks in at just the right moment to prevent that from happening.  Something tells me, though, he’ll get a chance to see that tape again.

Booth is now working over the XO.  He’s telling him that Chaplin’s files make him out to be crazy like Stalin and Jim Jones (the rapper, I’m guessing) and that the US government doesn’t want the crew of the Colorado to come home.  They want them to stay where they are and become a symbol of the resistance, only they don’t want it to be under the leadership of Chaplin.  They want the XO to be the leader because he’s a reasonable man, willing to negotiate, and that with him taking over, the regime will change in the White House, and the new Presidency will grant them amnesty.  Yeah, sure, I’ll also take one of those magic beans you have in your crotch.

Oh, Kylie returns.  And, she’s buying some hi-tech car theft/call tracer device.  Although, if it only works when people take calls through their cars consoles, I’m not so sure it’s worth $10,000.  But, I guess those consoles are the wave of the future and people in DC may use it more than people I know do.

King and Hopper realize that one of the Black Op crew members survived.  They’re not pleased about this relevant piece of information.

And, if King and Hopper were upset about finding out one of the Black Op crew members were alive, what would you say the COB was with the drug dealer?  He beat that bastard senseless.  I have a sneaking suspicion he’s going to pay dearly for that one.  Smooth move, COB.  Sometimes being a hot head pays off.  Other times, you get burned.  As we are going to find out – sometimes, literally.

More Kylie.  This time she’s waiting for the Admiral, but instead she meets Forest, who tells Kylie that the Admiral is in prison.  And, also that Amanda Straw was murdered, not killed in a plane crash like the White House says. 

Oooh, XO finally gets to watch what he looks like making out with someone other than his wife!  He wanted to ask Sophie about the vials in her office, but I guess this kiss was more pressing of an issue.  Don’t worry, buddy, your wife is on the other side of the world, hugging old college friends of yours, so you’re even, right?  Besides, you were under the effects of some crazy top secret gas that makes you act all nuts.  I think she’ll let that slide.  Get back to the vials.

Girls Night!!  Eh, kind of a lame girls night, but what else are they going to do on an island with only a few drinks and no place to stay?  But, Cortez tells Lt. Shepard that she didn’t do what everyone thinks she did to get Sarat to let her go.  She tells the Lt. that she offered to be a traitor, but once Sarat killed her friend, the deal was off.  If I’m Lt, I at least offer this information to the Captain.  Seems a tad suspicious.  And, I’m sure she at least sucked him off.

Looks as if Kylie is going to use the information she got from Forest to her advantage.  She gives Christine the picture of Amanda Straw’s dead body, and then Christine showcases that picture in an interview she gives, blowing up the White House’s lies.  I’m guessing, in real life, if this happened, it might be a bigger deal than what they’re obviously not going to make into a big deal.  Although, in real life, the White House spins all kinds of lies our way, so what do we really know?

The XO decides it’s time to build the morale of the crew by cracking a few lame jokes, and then cracking open a few beers while they allow the crew to watch the Army-Navy game.  But, the XO doesn’t want to partake in the festivities, instead he wants to go hang out with Booth, and knock a few back with him.  Only, King and Hopper meet him where they have him stashed, and tell XO they’ll be taking over interrogations from here on out.  If I’m King and Hopper, and I know where they have him stashed, I’m thinking I go ahead and just walk in and start asking questions (or beating the answers out of him).  Why bother waiting around for XO to show up and question him about it all?  And, why act all upset about it, only to be persuaded off the case with just 2 quick lines from XO about building a relationship with Booth? 

Anyway, King and Hopper leave XO be, he goes in and talks to Booth, who all too easily tells XO that the CIA agent is going to reach Langley through a secure radio channel somewhere on the island.  Well, no shit genius.  What did you think we thought they were going to use, a fucking pigeon?!?  Of course it’s going to be by radio.  Where is the radio?  He also tells Sam that if he wants to go along with getting rid of Chaplin, they will do it by snatch and grab (and of course, they’ll treat him right while in custody), Sam will take over the boat, a new regime will head into office, and they’ll be given amnesty.  Again, I’m sure I’d believe him.

The party back at base camp gets broken up when one of their crew members gets thrown off a truck with a “cruise missile” attached to her chest!  Good thing King was in the neighborhood, otherwise they probably would have had to walk the girl over to the cliff and toss her off so that she was the only one who died in the explosion. 

“Times up.”

Paul fixes Christine’s faucet, but it’s all just a ruse so that Kylie can install the tracer into his car.  Well, I know I said that Sam and Christine were even before, but let’s go ahead and call it even now!  He kissed Sophie when he wasn’t in his right mind.  She kisses Paul when she’s really just trying to buy Kylie time so they can listen in on his phone calls.  I’d call it even.

And, sorry Tani, it turns out that King likes women who let their hair down every now and again!  He bangs one out with the Lt on the beach.  And, in return, she gives him two of the most dreaded things a man can hear after sex with a woman he likes – “One time thing” and “Thanks.”  Ouch.  That “thanks” would hurt more than anything.  Who the hell says “thanks” after sex.  Must not have laid the pipe right.

It sure didn’t take long for that phone tap to turn fruitful.  They listen in on a call that Paul receives just after he leaves her house, and it’s Secretary of Defense Curry, calling him and telling him that if he ever wants to see his son, Daniel, again, he better continue to play along.  Oh great, now Christine is going to feel sorry for him.  I’m guessing she’s going to start to grow feelings for him, and I’m guessing that kiss won’t be their last.

Sophie tells XO that the island is worth a ton of money and that he needs to keep it secret from everyone.  I feel as if she’s already told him this before.  Also, if someone tells me something like that, I think I might be a little more inquisitive.  I might ask at least one question, like “Why?”  I don’t know, maybe that’s just me.

Sarat kidnaps the COB, burns his feet, and injects him with painkillers in order to get him addicted to drugs.  Not sure I get why that’s such a horrible thing.  I’m thinking cutting his foot off may have been a bigger punishment to put him through, but I guess being addicted to painkillers is a terrible thing.  But, he gave him a free supply to start off with, so that was nice.  See, he’s not so bad.

And, finally, OF COURSE it was Cortez.  She was getting much too much airtime this week for anyone NOT to think it was her who stole the firing key.  I am guessing that the Captain is suspicious of her from their interaction earlier where she broke rank to speak with him, alone, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see if he puts it all together in time, before she gets in contact with Langley to let them know she’s been successful in her mission.

MVP of the Episode

XO Sam Kendal.  I was going to not award an MVP this episode because nobody really stood out, but I figured I’d throw the XO a bone.  He worked over Booth and got the information they needed, and also built up the morale of the crew, even if it was with some lame jokes. 

 

 

 

 

 

Line of the Night

“Finding the key is not a priority, it’s THE priority.” – Captain Chaplin

tvonthedaily episode rating

B-minus

I’d say an average episode.  Not the best the show had to offer.  I feel as if the show is on a downhill spiral as of late.  It started out looking like a great show, with great possibilities, but as it’s going on, I can definitely see that there won’t be a season 2 of this show.  I just don’t even see how there can be.  Are they just going to stay on this island and continue to threaten the US that they’ll blow them up?  At some point, the US Army would just attack.  Sure, they want their sub, but they’d grow tired of it. 

Nielsen Ratings

Ratings are released after 11am est, so check back after then for an update.

**Ratings are in, and they’re not good.  At all.  I think this is about the end of the line for Last Resort.  If ABC doesn’t cancel the show right now, I don’t know what they’re waiting for.  I guess they don’t have a replacement show to take its place.  So, if it doesn’t get canceled over the Thanksgiving break, I think they’re going to let it run.  The total viewers were down to 5.82 Million, and the 18-49 rating was down to 1.3 (from 1.4).

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Episode 6 – “Another Fine Navy Day”

Air Date: November 8th, 2012

written by: Scott Ottersen

Reading the details of the show on my DVR, I got excited for some battle scenes in this episode.  Some gunfights or bomb explosions or anything warlike.  What I got was “3 hours after chemical attack.”  Eh.  The XO is all bloody, holding a syringe, and seemingly alone on the island.  He flashes back to being at home with his wife, telling her that he’ll be home soon.  He snaps back to reality, and walks up on what appears to be a bunch of dead people, but instead only a bunch of passed out lugs all hanging out by the creek for some odd reason.  He hears music playing, and runs into Julian, who tells the XO that they’ve all been drugged and that his friends were already dead when he got there.  The XO walks into the hospital to see two Navy SEALS dead from gunshot wounds and is tazed by Julian.  Don’t taze me, bro.

Four hours earlier, and 20 minutes before the chemical attack, Chaplin and XO meet with Hopper, who seems to be feeling better.  Chaplin tells Hopper and the other SEALS that the Secretary of Defense was extremely interested in having their team returned to the US, so Chaplin offers them a spot on his crew if they’d like one.  Hopper does NOT seem interested one bit.  He considers Chaplin a traitor for firing on his own country.  I’m guessing his SEAL buddies filled him in on what has been going on since he’s been out of it.

“It’s just a picture.”  I don’t know, XO, you see a picture of your wife hugging on some strange man (I guess he couldn’t tell it was his “old friend” from college) inside your home while you’re being considered a traitor to the nation, and I’d guess you’d think it was more than just a picture.  Yes, you don’t want to jump to any major conclusions like she’s cheating on you or anything, but you still don’t like the idea that some strange man is inside your house, hugging your wife in your kitchen for all the world to see and spread rumors about.  Oh, and Nigel is an asshole.  Not cool, bro.  That deserved a punch to the face, for sure.

King wakes up to a naked Tani, takes her on some lame walk by the cliffside, and she starts to walk off the edge of the cliff as she says she thinks she sees her mother.  He saves her life and notices a Special Forces team converging on the island in a boat.

The COB knows all about what is going on.  Of course he does.  Who wouldn’t guess that it was BZ, and that they’ve been dosed through the water?  They read up on the drug, which just happens to be in some manual they have handy, and learn that an epipen can be used to stop the effects of the BZ drug.  Luckily, they have some on board of the sub, and they’re going to use them on part of the crew to keep some of them awake, in order to keep the boat running smoothly.  And, to also be ready in case an attack comes their way.  But, little do they know that all of the epipens have been stolen.  Probably clue one that this is some sort of an inside job.

Now, we’re moving back (or forward I should say), again, to three hours after the chemical attack, where the XO wakes up in the hospital, runs into King out on the street and partners up with him since they’re both going after the same man; Julian.  They find him rather quickly in the NATO station, hanging out with the Special Forces crew, where they are questioning Hopper about the whereabouts of something.  Obviously, we’ve known all along that the SEALS were hiding something that happened on their mission, but apparently it’s something worth a risky invasion.

Another flashback?  He sees his wife sitting on the hospital bed before he hears a noise coming from the other room in the hospital.  He walks in on the Special Forces team leader, who is trying to get his arm in a sling, after Hopper had broken it.  He uses the drug as a crutch, telling the XO that he knows him.  He’s Jim McClure from Supplies.  The XO believes him, and just leaves the hospital, not caring about the wellbeing of his crewman, I guess.

Fire on the boat!!  The Captain heads off to put out the fire, but instead of seeing a fire, he sees his son.  He follows him into his quarters before he loses track of his son and remembers that he’s actually trying to put out a fire.

“McClure” is tagging along with the XO, trying to use him to help him awake Sophie so they can fix the radio.  But, before he can help “McClure,” he has to have a fight with his not-really-there wife, who in the end warns him not to trust “McClure.”  So, XO questions him about his boss, realizes he’s lying, and has a little bit of trouble taking on a one-armed man in a fight.  Now, I know I’m no Chuck Norris, but I’d like to think that with some military training, I’d be able to take out a one-armed man pretty quickly.  I guess he can use the drug as an excuse.  Maybe I’ll let him slide a little.  Just a little, though.

Oh God, now we’re moving ahead to four hours after the chemical attack.  They’re playing Hangman while Sophie fixes the radio.  Sophie gets it up and running, but tells “McClure” that she needs to go downstairs to fix a few more things.  This is when “McClure” tells Julian that his love interest, Sophie, is going to die.  Julian doesn’t appreciate this news, but he has no say in the matter as he gets bitch-slapped around for not playing along. 

But, don’t fret, Julian, King and XO are here to save the day.  They kill the guard that was going to kill Sophie, and then kill the rest of the crew when they get upstairs, freeing them from whatever tyranny they were planning.  Julian tells them that they wanted on the island to get Hopper and his team, but made it a little obvious that they were probably going to take out the Colorado crew, as well.  Or, do something with the sub, if they could.  But, the main target was Hopper and the SEALS.

Chaplin is still stumbling around on the sub, finds his son, and reads him The Peacock before he ends up passing out right in front of the controls that he was originally sent to fix.  Smooth.  But, he’s woken up with an epipen in his chest and the controls back to normal.  The epipen in his chest definitely should be clue 2 that someone on board is in on this entire thing.  Has to be.  Who else would have the capability to be on the sub at that time?

King and Hopper have a quick chat about why that crew wanted them, and we learn that the SEALS killed a man in Pakistan that they were originally sent to save.  Hopper tells King that he was given an order to change the mission from extraction to execution, and didn’t even bother telling his men before it went down.  I’m seeing a heated exchange coming their way in the future!  Maybe a few blows thrown, as well.

Well, if the first two clues weren’t enough evidence, perhaps the fact that the Captain realizes he’s missing his firing key is now telling him that it’s an inside job.  Kudos for the deduction, Captain.  You should have went for an MP position.

When we were cut back to the “3 hours after…” scene at the end, I was expecting a little something more than the XO telling his wife he’ll be back home soon.  We’ve already heard him say that a dozen other times throughout the episode, so why do we care to hear it again?  I really thought we were going to learn more about what the plan was, or maybe that the XO was the one running the “inside job,” or something along those lines.  But, to have the big reveal be that he was kissing Sophie when he thought he was kissing his wife?  Eh, not impressed.  They were all high on drugs, nobody would care that he kissed her.  Nigel blew out the radio and told Sam his wife is cheating on him and nobody cares.  The Captain lost his firing key.  I think they have bigger fish to fry than the XO kissing Sophie.  I guess this is just supposed to be the introduction of us seeing Sophie falling in love with Sam.  BORING!

MVP of the Episode

I’m actually not going to pick one today.  I didn’t much like this episode and don’t really think anyone stood out.  This episode was all about XO and I didn’t like what we saw, so I can’t even really pick him as the MVP.  Sorry.

Line of the Night

“There is a line with morals. When you cross this line, you never have peace.” – Sophie

Could that have been a flash-forward (or flashback) to him kissing her?  I’m guessing so.  Either way, I like the saying, although I don’t agree.  You can ALWAYS have peace in your life if you so choose to.  Crossing over a morality line doesn’t necessarily mean you have to remain on that side of said line.  You can always find your way back with hard work and determination.

tvonthedaily episode rating

C+

Didn’t like the episode.  I wanted to give it a B-minus because of how harshly I consider an episode to end up giving it a C grade.  But, I just really didn’t like this episode.  Not anything about it.  I think I was just expecting something completely different and what I was given instead did not even come close to making up for the fact that I didn’t get what I wanted.  Oh well.  You swing and miss sometimes.  I expect next week we’ll get back to the good stuff.

Nielsen Ratings

Ratings are released after 11am est, so check back after then for an update.

**Ratings are in, and they’re good in one sense, but bad in another.  Down in total viewers to 5.96 Million, but up in 18-49 (just a tenth of a point, though).  I am not sure how the execs at ABC are seeing this, but I happen to believe they’re going to let Last Resort finish out this season.  They just won’t renew it for a season two.  I’ve been wrong before, though.

 

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Episode 5 – “Skeleton Crew”

Air Date: October 25th, 2012

written by: Scott Ottersen

Still no news about the cancellation of this show, but I will take that as promising.  However, shows aren’t typically canceled this early in the run unless they are doing atrociously, which I don’t think Last Resort is doing.  They did grow in viewership last week, so that is something to hang their hat on.  I guarantee that stopped the cancellation talk for at least a few hours at ABC offices.  I’m guessing they let this show run the full run of episodes they ordered.  I don’t think they’ll renew it for a full season, but you take what you can get, right?

Captain and XO are having a mock debate because in just a few hours they are going to be in front of the Secretary of Defense to discuss what it is their plan is from here on out, and what they can possibly negotiate between themselves.  The XO gives it to the Captain hard, and you have to imagine the US government is going to be even worse.

Apparently the sonar equipment (aka “array line”) that keeps the notification system alive that is keeping the USS Colorado safe, is on the fritz, and the only people that are equipped to repair the equipment are the US Navy, whom the Colorado are currently not allowing across that line.  Dilemma time.  Do they allow a US Navy submarine within the 200 mile radius so that they can fix the sonar equipment and possibly sneak some sort of an attack on them, or do they just let the sonar fail on its own and most likely die because of it.  Ok, maybe that’s not much of a dilemma.

The Lt. is being asked to captain the boat while the actual Captain and XO sit down with Secretary of Defense Curry.  As acting captain, she is being asked to take the submarine out to go and fix the array line.  Since they don’t have the quality repairmen on board, she heads on over to James to ask which one of his Seal comrades would be best to take along since they are certified scuba divers.  Instead of allowing one of his men to do the task, King volunteers himself.

The Secretary of Defense jumps off his boat and tells the men and women of the Colorado that they have this one opportunity to jump ship, per se, and step forward and go home with him, and not be tried for treason.  Since nobody steps forward, he tells them they’re all going to hang for this.  And, I guess someone needs to tell the Secretary of Defense that we don’t actually hang people anymore in this country.  But, hell, maybe we do and I just don’t know about it.

“Grace, you can stand on that CON until the rapture comes, it still don’t make you my captain.”  Man’s got women issues like a mug.  I feel a day of reckoning coming between these two.  I actually believe these two are going to grow to love each other.

Secretary Curry meets with Marcus and XO, and tells them that he has no offer for them except: Treason.  All of those in charge get tried for treason, but the men and women of the crew will all get 7 years in prison.  The death penalty will be taken off the table.  But, my guess is the death penalty may be back on the board for Marcus after his outburst against the Secretary after he brought up the death of his son.  God, the intensity of Andre Braugher’s acting is just brilliant.  The grit in his teeth in that scene was magnificent.  So real.  If I ever made a movie, I’d want him in it.  Playing anything.  Even my father.

XO and the Captain argue about the Captain’s outburst and the XO wants him to negotiate more and argue less, so that they can get themselves back to the US, even if it meant having to do a few years in prison.  Captain Chaplin makes his plea to Curry, and his terms are that they get a public trial and amnesty for all of his crew.  Curry isn’t playing ball.  As they “break for lunch,” we’re told that the Illinois is within range of the Colorado and that as soon as they find them, they’re going to get the fire order to sink the sub.

The Illinois and two other subs have the Colorado cornered.  Ruh-roh.

Apparently Kylie is losing her standing in the DC power society.  If you’d like, Kylie, you can come eat dinner at my place.  Every night.  My wife won’t mind one bit.  And neither will I.

Paul makes his move on Christine, showing her encrypted emails between him and Captain Chaplin, discussing defecting to China and selling the Colorado to our enemies.  Ok, just like that?  For a government agent, he’s not exactly slick.  You hand the lady some coffee and next thing you hand her papers showing how her husband is a traitor.  No, you plant them somewhere in the house and let her find them on her own.  Dummy.

Curry and Chaplin talk on the beach, while the Secretary of Defense skips rocks into the ocean.  I wonder if the actual Secretary of Defense acts like this guy.  He comes off as a bit of a douche.  I don’t believe for one second he’s the Secretary of Defense, in charge of the military actions of the United States of America. 

Curry throws an offer on the table – and just as he’s about to give it to them, Captain Chaplin and XO stand up and walk away.  But, it’s not a designed walk-out, it’s so that the Captain can tell XO about the grave danger Grace and the Colorado are in, with the three subs surrounding their last location on the radar. 

“If they found her, we’d already be dead.”

“On this ship, I am.”  You tell them, Grace.  Lt. Shepard orders they ready the torpedo tubes to fight it out with the attack subs, which COB informs Frenchie that it will be the last thing they do on this earth, and to get her affairs in order.  Perhaps the show is getting canceled and everyone will die in this episode.  Wouldn’t that be an epic way to end the show?  I’d see the bravery in that.

Marcus tells Curry that he wants his trial and when he does get it, he will release every bit of secrets he’s learned from the Navy SEAL team that he picked up in the middle of the ocean.  Obviously, we know he doesn’t know anything except the fact that something went haywire with that SEAL team that the US government did not appreciate and he knows that he’s best negotiating tool.  And, just like that, the Secretary of Defense wilts down to a shrunken penis and offers him amnesty for his entire crew and junior officers, return the submarine, and him and XO plead guilty to some article of clothing and get 2 years of protective custody.  His answer: No.  Because he wants a public trial.  One of those things having to do with honor.  The XO is pissed at Marcus, and tells Secretary Curry that he’s got a deal for the submarine if he does in fact get no prison time, along with Lt. Shepard, and he gets to live the rest of his life, free, in any country of his choice.  Uh, I choose the USofA, in a land they call Hawaii.

Damn, this fool is still under water at this stupid battery station?!?  Lt. Shepard makes a speech to her crew, telling them that she is planning on fighting this battle with the attack ships and that they may all end up dead, like COB said, but she has faith in her crew and her boat.  I listened to what that guy said before they cut back to Marcus and XO, and I still don’t know what he said.  I should have turned on the SAP button.

Amanda Straw rips up the offer they had written out to XO (where did they get the printer to print up these offers), and we all know it’s because they have found the Colorado.  Secretary Curry tells her to approve the fire order with a “Kill her,” and as he says this, Admiral Shepard stands behind him.  Bad timing.  I mean REAL bad timing for Amanda Straw, because the Admiral grabs a gun and shoots both Amanda and Secretary Curry.  Bad ass, sir.  But, I guarantee they would have killed him right there and then.

Tricky bitch, we all thought she was firing torpedos at the submarines nearby, but she was firing at Ariel’s home, blowing it to pieces so that enough debris would scatter throughout the water, therefore hiding her from the other submarines.  Juding by how slow submarines move, and how close that one submarine was to her, I find it hard to believe how blowing up a little smoke would hide a big sub like that, but what do I know?  She radios the rest of the fleet ready to attack her, telling them all that they have the nuclear missile doors open and are ready to fire them at Washington D.C. if they don’t kindly take their asses back across the 200 mile radius.

And, as she ends the speech, James’ air runs out.  I wonder if he’s dead?

“I have a gun.”  And no pants on!!  And, yes, I’d LOVE some coffee.  Now, let’s have Kylie take off her clothes and have ourselves a girly get-together!!  A little lesbian action never hurt a show’s ratings with the 18-49 year old men.

Of course King is alive.  He’s sending some profane message through morse code, as well.  Hallelujah.

Oh, hey, Christine knows that Paul is a government agent trying to turn her on Sam.  I’m liking this play.  I’m seeing a fight brewing between those two (Christine and Paul).  Although, at the same time, I would hope she knows, because it’s inherently obvious that the government would do something like this.  I mean, for heaven’s sake, they bring her in for questioning and all that and then just leave her alone?!?  I don’t think so.  Kudos for her for not being an idiot.  Now, take off your pants again and slip into bed with Kylie…

MVP of the Episode

Lt. Grace Shepard.  She had control of the boat, lead them through a battle of sorts and kept everyone alive.  And, she earned the respect of the COB and the rest of the crew.  And, probably some members of the crews on the submarines sent to attack and kill her.  I was glad to see her get extra air time this episode.  I like her character, and think there is a lot of depth to attack with her.  I really do hope this show continues because I think they have so many characters to continue to build, and to continue the storyline.  There are so many battles they can fight.  The idealistic approach to this show would be an all-out war at some point, and I’m hoping to see that happen.  Plus, they can pull a Lost and have the crew come back to the United States, and show us the issues they have coming back and evolving themselves back into society.

Line of the Night

“You let your ego drive the boat, people will get dead.” – COB

There were quite a few good one-liner type lines this episode.  But, this one stuck with me throughout the entire episode, and by the end I felt myself writing this one down for Line of the Night.  Even with how much I enjoy Andre Braugher’s performance, I think the COB may be the best performance on the show.

tvonthedaily episode rating

A-minus

Action.  Action.  Action.  That always gets me.  And, this episode delivered.  I liked the negotiations between Curry and Chaplin/XO.  I liked the battle scenes with Grace/COB and the three attack subs.  And, they didn’t even bring up the big secret of the island, with the minerals in the soil.  I’m thinking they may never come back to that.

Nielsen Ratings

Ratings are released after 11am est, so check back after then for an update.

**Ratings are in, and they are down, proving that last week’s raise in viewers had mostly to do with the late play of the football game.  The numbers dropped to 6.4 Million, and a terrible 1.3 in the 18-49 viewer category.  And, with next week not having a new episode, I can see them swinging the axe at this show’s head if they so desired.  I guess we will have to wait and see.  I still think they’re going to stick it out, but this would be the ideal time to pull the plug if ABC felt so warranted.

 

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Episode 4 – “Voluntold”

Air Date: October 18th, 2012

written by: Scott Ottersen

I read an article earlier today that told it was without a doubt that this show was going to be canceled, it was only a matter of when.  Reading that depleted me, and almost made me feel as if writing a recap about the upcoming episodes would be pointless.  But, I decided to stick with it, because you just never know what is going to happen.  Perhaps, ratings will see a spike and they will keep the show on air, or they won’t have any decent prospective shows to replace it.  I’ve always been the quick-to-quit type, so I’m going to try and change that by continuing my recaps on this show.  You have to start somewhere, right?

The episode begins with the XO out for a swim in the ocean, which is something I would never in my life do.  I’ve been in an ocean before, but chose not to go anywhere that my feet couldn’t touch the ground.  Even though I was promised sharks could come nowhere near where I was, I didn’t care.  I am deathly afraid of sharks, and I’ve never even seen one.  Therefore, I would not be caught dead out in the middle of the ocean, as far off land as he was. 

Quick transition to inside the submarine, where the crew is manning their stations for battle.  Either this is some sort of drill or some scene from their past,  before they committed treason.  And, it turns out to be a drill.  After the drill is done, some of the crew voices their displeasure for the captain, but the COB is there to restore order by telling them that they may be losing faith in their captain, but they are NOT going to lose faith in him.

The crew finds Officer Redman’s body washed up on the shore.  And, we get more of the crew wanting off the boat.  Cheif Anders, who is the engineer on the boat and main cog in the nuclear weapon aspect of the boat didn’t sign up for what they are doing, and the XO tells the Captain that he is not alone in that thought process.  The Captain tells XO that if some of the crew wants to go home, they should give them that option.  So, he sends out a memo and places a “Stay” or “Go” sheet on the wall for everyone to sign.  I don’t know about you, but I’d be going home on the first boat I saw.  I wouldn’t give up my mates or anything like that, but I most definitely would not be staying behind on that island, with no money, no home, no life, no anything.  Has anybody asked where these crew are all living?  Do they stay on the boat the entire day and night?  Do they have to go back and forth every few hours to get some food and some sleep.  Semantics, people. 

Lt. Shepard questions King and why the Colorado was shot at 30 minutes after picking them up.  Probably a good question to ask, because I’m not one to believe in coincidence, so I’d like to think the Seals have something to do with all of this.  After that encounter, the Lt., XO, and Captain are shot at while walking down the “street.”  Honestly, do they call them streets in countries like that?  Are they just roads?  Dirtpaths?  This is all interesting nonsensical stuff I like to know.  Anyway, the XO gives chase, catches up to the shooter and finds it was one of their own crew, Officer Wallace, who tells them that he was acting on orders given to him by the Secretary of Defense.  The Captain learns that five other officers received the same message, and that his life is in danger any time he takes a step on the island.

I might as well get some more use out of this picture, right?  Kylie finds out that her father is the one who set up her boyfriend to steal Perseus from her safe, and that he did it because the President told him to.  And, that he did it for the betterment of the family, and that there were some battles that were best not to take part in.  I agree with the old man, but you can tell from her gusto that she’s not going to let this go.

King meets with Hopper and asks them why they killed “that guy,” and Hopper tells him it was because orders changed.  So, something is up with the Seals team and something they did obviously has something to do with this entire ordeal.

Paul, Sam’s college friend (who is also working with the government) comes to see Christine, gives her some cash, learns she has noone to come and be by her side (I find that hard to believe – my sister has kids and if I were in some trouble like this, I’d like to think she’d bring the kids over and stay with me for a while to help out), and tells her that he’s going to stay with her and help her as long as he can.  She doesn’t appreciate the news reporters gathering outside of her house, so she pulls a Britney Spears with a bat, taking out one window, and telling the world that she wants the truth, and so should they.

Here comes a new twist for the show.  Sophie is running some sort of soil tests for Julian, trying to find a certain mineral on the island.  She finds the mineral, but lies to Julian about finding it, which doesn’t please him all that much.

Petty Officer Brannan pulls a grenade on the CON, tells the Captain he is taking over control of the boat and is going to drive it to the blockade to end this entire ordeal.  The Captain gives a fantastic speech about how the Navy is all he ever wanted in his life, how he feels like he betrayed his brother, and that he didn’t want to make the choice he made but felt he had no other choice because nothing about the order felt right.  Brannan tells the Captain he is the reason that Red is dead as he pulls the pin on the grenade, asks to speak with the Secretary of Defense, and is told to sink the boat.  But, he has a change of heart after hearing what the Captain has to say, and hands over the grenade and control of the boat back to the Captain.

Kylie (yes, I almost posted her picture again) meets with the Admiral in another sketchy parking garage, tells him that the Colorado is transmitting information detailing every action it has taken since Perseus was activated.  She basically tells him that he needs to find that information, and that the most important piece that the Military does not want to get out is where the Colorado was before the attack took place.

“You deserve Arlington.”  All soldiers that die deserve that burial ground.  I like the King character, I just wish he had more to do with the boat and also wasn’t involved with the bartender chick.  She’s bad news for this show.  She’s just a terrible actress, in my opinion.  They could have found someone prettier and more talented.  I just don’t like any scene shared between them.  If the show does get canceled, I’m blaming her.

As the episode comes to an end, Sophie tells XO Kendal that there are things here worth more than you could ever imagine and that it is now his job to keep the island safe, and to keep those riches there.  Like I said in the premiere episode recap, this show is a lot like Lost, and I think a lot of the qualities of Lost would shine through if they polished the show up a little and made it slightly more (or, I guess, less) believable.  I really do want to know what happens with the island and the crew of the Colorado (and Kylie), so let’s keep this show going.

MVP of the Episode

 

 

Captain Chaplin.  Again.  He is the hero every episode it seems.  The speech he gave that changed the minds of some of the crew, and made them want to stay won him this award.  If he hadn’t given that speech, I’m not sure who I would have chosen.  Maybe Sophie.

Line of the Night

“Besides, I’m going to paddle you, Kendal, and Captain Chaplin right to your treason trials, count on it.” – The COB

I actually like the COB character.  I think he’s a great addition to this show and would provide a great antithesis character to the goodness that is Captain Chaplin.  It’s almost like an inner good vs. evil wrapped around the bigger good vs. evil battle.

tvonthedaily episode rating

B

It wasn’t a great episode.  I feel as if this episode was laying some foundation for later plot twists and storylines.  I do, however, like the foundation that was laid out, but foundation episodes are never too action-packed, and on a show like this, I look for the action.  And, Sam’s wife taking a bat to a van window is not what I consider action.  Had she shaved her head, and beat the window with an umbrella, now then I may have upped the ante.

Nielsen Ratings

Ratings aren’t released until after 11am est, so check back after that time for an update.

**Ratings are in, and they are up for this show, at 7.32 Million viewers, beating out NBC and CW shows, although the numbers aren’t realistic because the NFL football game ran on the ABC affiliate in the San Francisco area, most likely hightening the ratings.  I think this is still a good sign for the show, but I still have a feeling it will be canceled soon.

 

 

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Episode 3 – “Eight Bells”

Air Date: October 11th, 2012

Written by: Scott Ottersen

I’m guessing with the return of The Vampire Diaries, the numbers for Last Resort are going to drop even more, so I’m feeling as if I have another 3 or 4 episodes to recap and then I’ll have done this for nothing because ABC is going to cancel it.  And, it will be a rotten shame if they do, because I think this show has the chance to be something great.  But, that’s why they get paid the big bucks and I get paid nothing to stay up until 1 in the morning to write blogs that 500 or so people read!  The life we choose, right?  Maybe I should have stayed in the Business program in college.

Anyway, we open the episode with XO Kendal running into the town, firing his weapon to break up a fight.  Some townie is crying about Petty Officer Parker stealing a banana from him.  Parker tells XO that if he wants a banana, he’s going to take a banana.  Seriously?  It’s that dire that you have fallen to theft of bananas?  Take a walk into the jungle and I’m sure you’ll find one somewhere.  Or, maybe a coconut or something.  If you’re going to steal food, steal a chicken you can cook or something of substance, not a fricken banana.  Who in the world has ever been starving, had a banana, and then said “Wow, that sure hit the spot.  I’m full now.”  Parker denounces the XO, strips off his uniform, and then is thrown in the Brig for his troubles.  All for the enjoyment of the COB.

Captain Chaplin is introduced to White House Senior Advisor Amanda Straw, who is now going to be their negotiator.  She tells Captain that if he doesn’t surrender immediately, they will be cut off (aren’t they already, m’am?) and his son will not receive a proper burial.  The Captain promptly hangs up on her.

Chaplin approaches COB (it’s so much more fun calling him that) about leading a search team to find the missing crew members.  In exchange, he will be released from the Brig and will be a few steps closer to getting the Captain in front of a Court Marshal where COB can be the star witness to having him thrown in jail for treason.  But, XO is a bit skeptical, and tells COB he’ll be on a short leash with him.

King wins a watch in a poker game and returns it to Lt. Shepard, knowing it was Navy issue.  It was Cortez’s watch, one of the missing crew.  King tells Lt. Shepard that the man he won it from was an associate of Julian’s.  XO finds Sophie, who is packing up to leave the island before the warships come to blow them to pieces, and asks her for help with Julian since she knows the island, and the people on it better than they do, obviously.

We head on over to Julian’s place of establishment, where he is a tad bit ticked that the Captain hasn’t come to see him already.  He is going to take it out on the crew until Cortez steps in and offers to take him in a back room for some private time.

Um, I will wait up for you, Kylie.  Don’t worry about it.  If it means I get to see you in this outfit again, I will wait up for you!  Go meet with the Admiral and give him the order number, I will be right here waiting for you.  Just like the song says.

The Captain heads on over to meet with Julian, just as Cortez is finishing up with his private parts in the back room.  Make sure you zip up, Julian.  You don’t want to be caught with your pants down, do you?  The Captain threatens Julian that he does not want to test him and his crew, because he will lose.  Then, he agrees to do a job for Julian in exchange for his crew.  They have 9 hours to get the job done and need to head out in their submarine to pick up some cargo Julian has in a boat waiting for him outside of the 200 mile radius.

Tani may be the reason this show gets canceled.  Ugh, does anybody even care for them to build up a storyline about her and her family, and some ritual about jumping off a waterfall?  No?  Me neither.  I’d rather have sex with a man than watch this portion of the episode again.

Perseus (what happened to Prometheus?) is draining power from the sub, meaning they have to shut it off and try and run silent in order to not be seen (or heard, I guess) by the two destroyers who are bearing down on them.

“Don’t let the COB sabotage the sub.”  Ooh, burn.  He got you, COB.

The Colorado reaches its G-spot (seriously, I’m not the only one making sexual references here?  Smooth, ABC.  I like the dirtiness), but the Captain has to take the sub deeper in order to escape the depth charges the destroyers released.  Why wouldn’t they just send other submarines out after them?  Just as they’re about to make it out of dangers way, some idiot drops a flashlight and all hell is about to break loose again!!

Robert (who I’d want to play if I was on this show – Kylie’s boytoy) is approached by a mysterious man.  And, right after this man approaches Robert, Kylie’s safe is broken into and all of the Perseus codes and schematics are gone.  Maybe you should lock your door a little more, sweetheart.  Something that is that valuable, I’m thinking I’d find a MUCH more safer place to hide it.  Like up my vagina or something.  If that chick from 50 Shades of Grey can walk around with beads up her vagina all day, you can wrap some paper in some plastic and do the same, right?  Now, I didn’t read the books, but I did hear that she did stuff like that, so don’t kill me if I don’t have my facts straight on this one!!

Sophie shows up to save the day as the Colorado is swimming blind in the ocean.  She leads them to safety, even as she sees her boyfriend leave the island on a boat (well, she saw it over sonar).  But, even with her help getting back to the island, they still don’t make it in the alloted 9 hours, so Julian takes Redman out back and shoots him like Lassie behind the shed.

The Captain meets with Julian, gives him the cargo they went to pick up, but only receives two of his crew in return.  He said there was a third and Julian said, “Not anymore.”  Game on, bitch.  Oh no you didn’t.  Andre Braugher was about to go all Homicide on him for that one!  I’m hoping this show sticks around just for the episode where Captain Chaplin puts a bullet right between his eyes.

XO wants his revenge, but the Captain talks him down.  The XO brings up some good points about how the men have nothing while on this island except their loyalty to each other, and they need to strike back for the sake of the crew.  But, the Captain tells XO that they will wait until the time and place of his choosing to strike back.  I’m guessing somewhere around episode 8 or 9.  Which may be the season (and series) finale at this rate.

In walks the mysterious man, again.  It’s Kylie’s dad.  My guess is that he had something to do with the robbery of her safe, but I’m sure that wasn’t going to be revealed until episode 12 or 13, so I’m not so sure we’ll ever find that out.

“21 guns in Arlington.  We’ll do it right.” 

Great ending.  I really like the rapport between Captain and XO.  Makes the show watchable for me, amongst other things as well.

MVP of the Episode

Captain Chaplin.  I know they made out this episode to be XO’s, but I still feel as if the Captain stole the show with every scene he was in.  The way he shows his teeth just emotes so much anger and hostility, as well as sadness, and I eat it up.  I’m liking the way he’s taking ownership of the island, and trying everything he can to keep his crew safe and together.  They have to stick together if they’re going to make it home safe. 

Line of the Night

“Do you want a war?” – Captain Chaplin

Just the delivery alone won the award for him.  And, yes, I want a war.

tvonthedaily episode rating

B

It was an average episode.  I’m not sure a show that is only three episodes into its tenure can have an “average” episode, but if it could, I’d imagine this would be it.  Nothing tremendous happened, a few boring moments, and an overall “eh” feeling to the episode led it to its rating.  I’m still very much sold on this show, and what it has to offer, so I like where it’s going and feel as if they have something huge in store for us.  But, if they keep up at this pace, I think I’m going to be proven wrong.  Too many more episodes like this one, and I may start to jump ship.

Nielsen Ratings

Ratings aren’t released until after 11am est, so check back after then for an update.

**Ratings are in, and they’re NOT good! 6.93 Million, which is down another 1 Million-plus from last week.  So, the axe is most definitely coming soon from The Alphabet.  Oh well.  They tried, right?  I guess I’ll have to find a show to replace Last Resort.  Burn Notice comes back November 8th, so best bet is that Burn Notice will be replacing Last Resort.

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Episode 2 – “Blue on Blue”

Air Date: October 4th, 2012

written by: Scott Ottersen

Apparently, the network is not pleased, whatsoever, with the ratings this show has received its first two weeks, and is already threatening cancellation.  I wish that networks would stop caring so much about ratings, but from a business standpoint I truly understand why it matters.  I just think that they give up on shows too easily, and I think this may be a show they will give up on too early that could end up being a wonderful show for ABC, or any network.  Perhaps, if it gets the axe, USA or TNT will pick it up, much like they did with Southland, which has turned out to be one of my favorite shows on television.  But, I guess we will just have to wait and see what The Alphabet (ABC) chooses to do with Last Resort.  Andre Braugher is one of my favorite television actors, so I’d hate to see him go after missing him for quite so long.

The second episode starts off with the crew seeing twenty warships heading towards their 200 mile radius line.  The Captain is preparing their Prototype, but XO Kendal wants to speak with DC before they go and do anything drastic without first having a chance at redemption.  The Captain tells him that now is not the time to talk, and that they will hae plenty of time for talking after all of this is done.  The Prototype they were speaking about turns out to make them invisible to sonar detection, practically making them invisible to other ships and other radars anywhere.

The USS Illinois, the ship that shot at them in the opening episode, is testing their 200 mile border by crossing and turning back, taunting them in a way to see how serious they are about firing on their own countrymen.  The Captain sends a missile at the Illinois warship, but we soon find out the missile was a dud, in an effort to only get them to realize that they are serious about firing on them, and to make sure that they understand that the next one won’t be a dud, so it would be in their best interest to turn the hell back around.

We learn that one-fourth of the crew is not reporting for duty, “COB” (Cheif Prosser) denounces Chaplin as his Captain, and pretty much cements himself as the villain of this series, other than, of course, the entire US Military outside of the crew on the Colorado.

Lt. Shepard asks XO to relieve her of her duties as an aircraft is passing over the island, clearly within the 200 mile radius they set forth.  The Captain and XO realize that it is most likely a Special Forces plane and that a Delta Forces Team probably jumped from the plane, and into the water nearby, in a plan to reach the island and take over the crew and sub.  The XO tells the Captain that he will be the one to lead a team to find the Delta Forces team and take them out before they get their chance to take the crew out. 

“Show strength, then talk.”

XO Kendal approaches King (drunk Navy SEAL bastard) about helping them, but he tells them that the team that jumped from the plane is coming to this island to kill them, and as he strips down naked for a shower, he tells Lt. Shepard that if he had to choose sides, he’d choose theirs.  Kudos to Lt. Shepard for keeping eye contact that entire time.

Christine calls Sam (XO) and tells him that the US Government is offering him, and his entire crew, full amnesty if they give them the sub…and Captain Chaplin.  But, she walks over to a corner furthest away from her “handlers,” and tells Sam not to trust them or anything that they say and that she loves him, all before the phone is ripped away from her.

Kylie (who needs to hop back in that slutty red dress of hers from the first episode – or in her underwear – either way) learns that Prometheus (the Prototype on board the Colorado) works, but her informant Linus tells her that they are going to take it away from her.  She tells him that she needs to find out who gave the order to the Illinois to shoot at the Colorado, and that would be her get out of jail free card, per se.  A way to keep Prometheus for herself, and reap all the monetary rewards a device like that would bring from the US Government.

Before the crew of the Colorado head off into the island to find the Delta Forces team, COB Prosser talks to two guards and practically tells them to kill Lt. Shepard, and make it look like an accident, since she is a traitor and killed one of their own.

As the Colorado team is waiting in ambush positions for the Delta team to pass their location, Lt. Shepard and XO Kendal speak out in the middle of a field, which has to be the brightest idea I’ve ever seen in my life in tactical warfare.  Hell, the only war I’ve ever seen is on the board of Risk and even I know not to talk out in the wide open when you’re planning an ambush!!!  Come on now, guys!  They see the Delta team approaching and the XO loses his will to open fire on his own countrymen and tells them he is coming out unarmed to talk.  Because talking will solve all their issues, I’m sure.  But, as he’s telling them they are all Americans, Captain Chaplin figures out they’re Russians and all hell breaks loose.

Chaplin talks to an old Cold War Russian buddy of his, Victor, and threatens his sons lives if he doesn’t back off from his attack.  Then, he sneak attacks the Russian by allowing Secretary of Defense Curry hear the Russian talk about how he’s trying to steal an American submarine and World War III is threatened upon Victor and all of Russian unless he pulls his men back and leaves the Americans to work through their own problems.

The Lt. is almost killed when we catch a glimpse of King sniping the Russians dead just as XO Kendal is about to make his move.  Smooth.  Nice piece of shooting, though, by King.  I’m going to imagine he wasn’t lying about how he was going to kill all of Julian’s men before they could even blink twice, back at the bar.

Paul Wells, who my wife would love to see since she’s had a crush on Jay Hernandez (the actor who plays Paul), who is apparently Sam’s friend from college is recruited by the US Government to pretend to befriend Christine in a way to get her to crack, and come to their side and work alongside with them to get their submarine back.  Any wise person knows that the best way to get at a man is to go through his wife.  I can’t make two decisions in my own life without consulting/asking/begging my wife eighteen times, so I would have to believe this approach may end up working for the US.

As Lt. Shepard throws their two prisoners into the jail cell with COB Prosser, COB yells out that Marcus should tell everyone what it is they are fighting for, and how his son was killed by friendly fire two weeks prior, and that he is just pissed off at the country that took his son from him.  Laying into a storyline pretty thick here, but I like this little twist.  The Captain has nothing to go back to in the States, so this is showing that he is willing to put his hand on that button and push down, if necessary.  I like it.

Lt. Shepard visits King once again, but not to thank him, but to basically tell him that at some point soon, he’s going to need to choose a side.  After his efforts during the day, I’m imagining he is going to straddle the fence, but always keep his one foot supplanted indefinitely on the “good” side (which in this form of the word would be with the crew of the Colorado).

“You think I made the peace Tani, I just ran out of people to kill.”  We all want to believe you’re the tough guy, but we all know you’re a little softie and you will always be coming to their rescue.

Kylie (who once again is NOT in a cleavage-showing dress) gets a call, rushes to a hospital and finds Linus fighting for his life, and his wife right nearby, telling her that she hopes Kylie dies a slow, lonely death.  Before she leaves, she finds a folded-up slip of paper, reading “Order 998” in his pockets.  I’m quite sure the people who went through the steps to kill him didn’t check all of his pockets and take all of his belongings before they left.  Also, I have a feeling this isn’t the last we’ll see of Linus’ wife, Carol.  She may come back into play at some point.

The Captain cries to his XO, who tells the Captain that he trusts him and gives him a sturdy little pep talk to remind him that they’re in this together and they are going to get through it, trying to rally him into believing he still has children on board his ship and that he does have something to fight for, and go back to once this is all over.

And, I loved the end scene with the American flag being risen over the island.  And……cut!

MVP of the Episode

James King.  This one was a tough decision.  I don’t think I could have given it to XO or Lt. Shepard, just based alone on their stupid middle-of-the-field conversation.  I wanted to give it to the Captain, again, but I just felt that King played a heavier role in the story in this episode.  He saved Lt. Shepard’s life, and most likely Kendal’s, as well, so he’s kind of the hero of the episode, which only makes it right that he would be honored with an MVP.  Let’s hope this show is around long enough for me to hand out a few more.

Line of the Night

“Sometimes the enemy is just the man keeping you from getting home.” – Captain Marcus Chaplin

This is, probably, a good way for anybody in the military to think during war times, but in every day life, I’d advise against it.  If this were the case, I’d be killing everybody on the highway, on the way to work, and on the way home.  Hell, I’d be killing everyone on the way home from Wal-Mart.  Can people learn to drive at some point during my life?  Please?

tvonthedaily episode rating

A-minus

I was on the verge of giving it a B+, but I let it simmer in my heart a little longer, and I came out with an A-minus grade.  I just think I have a soft spot for this show.  Maybe it’s Andre Braugher, maybe it has some potential with the storylines they are building, maybe they have an attractive female who has already been in her underwear, I don’t know.  I just have a feeling about this show.  I feel as if they’re going to take some risks with plots that are going to be worth sticking around.  So, if you know people that like great television, tell them about Last Resort and lets get these ratings bumped up a little.  I have a sister-in-law who said she’ll give the show a go because of Scott Speedman.  If that’s what it takes, make it happen.  Thank you.  And, to the showrunners and executives of The Alphabet, if the show does kick off and get better ratings, I’ll accept 1% of those profits. 

Nielsen Ratings

8.00 Million, which is down over 1 million from the premiere.  So, now you see why they’re worried, right?  If a brand new show is already dropping in the ratings, it won’t be long before they give up on it, so get everyone you know to watch.  It didn’t have a great 18-49 rating, either, so this is the true test of whether or not they’ll be sticking around.  Sure, if they can get up to 10 Million that would be nice, but really they just need some younger viewers to start watching.  So watch, dammit.

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Series Premiere Episode – “Captain”

Air Date: September 27th, 2012

written by: Scott Ottersen

I did not plan on recapping this show until I actually watched the first episode.  I thought it was worthy of a recap on this site by the sheer spectacularness (probably a word, right?) of the first episode.  Sure, the acting wasn’t as crisp as it could have been, and I’m sure they got all kinds of military protocol wrong, but that is just nitpicking.  I am hoping that the season keeps up the way it started, and I don’t end up wasting my time by recapping this show.

I will start by saying thank you to the producers, directors, and other showrunners of Last Resort for not naming this first episode, “Pilot” like some other series premiere episodes that shall go unnamed did.  So, thank you!  And, you’re welcome.

The show opens with a boat on the ocean, carrying a Navy SEAL team, with one of their men injured, looking for an extraction team.  They say they’ve reached the extraction location as a submarine emerges from under the water, picking up the boat ever so nicely.  I’m positive that is exactly how it would have happened and the submarine plopping up right from under them wouldn’t have sent them flying out of the boat.  Details, I guess.  Nitpicking again, aren’t I?

We meet Captain Marcus Chaplin and XO Sam Kendal, who speak to the SEAL team, trying to find out what happened to them, but the SEAL team wouldn’t give up any information.

Some typical machoism going on with two men talking about Lt. Grace Shepard is only in the position she is in because she is the Admiral’s daughter.  I’m guessing this is going to be the baseline for her entire run on this series, always trying to prove herself as one of the boys, always trying to outdo them, possibly to a fault.

The Captain and the XO watch a newscast about how DC politics is crumbling, with an impending impeachment of the President.  Captain Chaplin gives a speech about Reagan being a nutjob, and how he had to show he was a little crazy so that our enemies wouldn’t think he was weak with his finger on the “button.”

La Bamba dance moment is broken up with a decoded missile fire order from the Antarctic Network, and we learn that the Antarctic Network is only used if DC Command has been taking out by a strike/attack.  The XO questions the orders, sending the Captain into a tizzy, ordering the satellite to be turned on so they can catch up on how Miley Cyrus looks in the new season of Hannah Montana (I’m guessing this season she gets pregnant – teen pregnancy is all the craze these days).  With seeing that the world seems to be carrying on as it was, with no imminent danger or engagement of war taking place, Captain Chaplin calls for confirmation, which seems to send Master Chief Prosser into disbelief since they have a fire order that has already been confirmed.  I think we now know who the “bad good guy” is going to be this season now, don’t we?

Cut to some sexy mama in hot, red dress with plenty of cleavage to show talking about the USS Colorado and all the nuclear weapons it has on board.  Let’s see where this goes.  And, yep, she’s in her underwear now.  She could talk to me about nuclear weapons she has in her closet for all I care, I’m still ready to go.  She blabs on about “his” Senator and how she needs money or a contract or something along those lines, when right as he’s about to stick it in, she gets a text message that reads “472 Chaplin” and she gets up and leaves even though it’s her apartment.  Must be important.  I guess he’s just going to have to use the lotion next to the bed to finish the job while staring at a picture of a submarine.

Captain Chaplin is relieved of his duties under Code 472 of the Naval Code, and XO Sam Kendal is now the acting Captain of the boat.  Lt. Shepard is ordered to take the key from the Captain, and turn it with the XO to complete their fire order.  XO Kendal asks for orders to be sent through regular channel when the Deputy Secretary of Defense hangs up on him, and seconds later a missile is seen on radar heading right in the USS Colorado’s direction.  The boat is hit, indirectly, but enough damage is done to the boat to sink it to the bottom of the ocean. 

We cut to some remote island, where a NATO office is stationed, as what seems like the only two employees inside watch as an American Tomahawk missile was fired near the Pakistan border, which could lead to an attack back towards the United States.  They are interrupted by Julian, seemingly a man of power on the island, who presents Sophie with a gift of Nutella, which we learn later is better than sex.  I concur with her coworker in saying she’s just been having the wrong kind of sex, because no food is ever better than sex.  Well, maybe on occasions, but for the most part, Nutella is NOT better than sex!

The Captain re-emerges on the CON and tells everyone that he has found their oasis.  Him being back in charge seems to draw a line that splits the crew, seeing as how some won’t acknowledge his authority and others are willing to back him and his command.

Back in the United States, we meet Sam Kendal’s wife, Christine (hubba hubba, indeed), who is greeted at her door by Naval officers, which we can only assume are there to tell her that her husband has died.  Then, we see a news report on the television blaming the Pakistanis for sinking the USS Colorado, and that everyone on board is now dead.

Kylie Sinclair (the hotty with the cleavage and the red dress) approaches Admiral Shepard, blaming him for sinking his own daughters submarine, knowing full well it wasn’t the Pakistani’s that did it.  We are sent to commercial with a concerned look on his face, because apparently he had no idea what had just happened, and that the US had been involved in sinking its own warship.

The NATO officers watch the news about how Pakistan sunk the submarine, but they also know otherwise (you would think a whole slew of countries would know otherwise, with today’s technologies), but before they can even move a finger, they see two nuclear missiles heading in the direction of Pakistan, directly hitting the country and, most likely blowing it to pieces, killing thousands of people.  War has definitely been declared.

The submarine surfaces near the remote islane where the NATO station is located, as well as Julian, and the waitress, who I guess is the second most important person on the island (I’d imagine we will be learning more about her after that hug she gave the Navy SEAL).  The crew of the Colorado take over the station, so that they can have eyes and ears without being seen, or heard, on their sub.

Julian makes his pitch to James King (the Navy SEAL), who basically tells him that he will kill all of them unless he is left in peace.  My guess is we are going to have ourselves an old-fashioned, third-world country showdown at some point this season between Julian and King.  I’m guessing King is going to win that showdown and take over the island as the new bad guy.  Just a guess.

Power is cut off at the NATO station by Officer Lawrence, who is on the phone with DC Command, giving away their location and saying that the crew is going to be in the dark, so they won’t know about the impending attack heading their way.  Lt. Shepard kills another officer, who was working with Lawrence, which gets the power turned back on just in time for Captain Chaplin to see the bombers heading their way.  Captain Chaplin then decides he needs to release a missile in the direction of Washington DC in order to stop the attack on them.

The bombers don’t turn around, at first, so the crew says their goodbyes to each other (even though we all know they aren’t going to die in the very first episode), but right as they are about to disengage the nuclear missile, the bombers turn around.  But, Captain decides not to initiate desctruct sequence on the nuclear missile heading towards DC as a show of him keeping his word that he is not afraid to attack back against his own country, who is also trying to kill him.  He believes that if he doesn’t let the missile strike, they will be dead in a week, because they will just keep sending more bombers or even other armed forces, killing them and everyone on the island.

We get to watch Captain Marcus Chaplin give a speech to the world about their story and what exactly happened, and what is going to happen if anyone comes near them on the island.  During his speech, we watch as Master Chief Prosser is arrested, we see the Navy SEAL say “the intel is wrong.  We killed the wrong people” before another SEAL closes the screen around him (as if that slim sheet would prevent anyone from hearing the words he was saying – speak on, brother, speak on).  We see that Julian has kidnapped two of the officers from the boat (the two “rack” chicks), and we end with the Captain telling his Country that he has 17 more nuclear missiles on board his ship, and he’s not afraid to use them.

“Test us and we will all burn…together.  You’ve been warned.”

The show ends with Captain, XO, and Lt. Shepard discussing their plan.  XO believed they were doing all of this as a way to clear their name so they can go back home, but Captain Chaplin tells them that they may be starting over, building a new government/country of their own, seeing as how they can do better. 

“This might be home now.”

Last Resort may have found a new home on ABC, as well.  I liken this show to Lost, and think it can ABC’s new Lost, where it starts out extremely well, but ends up kind of in the dumps, depending on the direction they take it.  I just hope we don’t see any polar bears running around, eating up Julian anytime soon.

MVP of the Episode

Captain Marcus Chaplin.  I thought about putting Kylie Shepard in this slot, but I’ll take it a bit more seriously to begin with.  I think he played the role perfectly, set the tempo for the future of Last Resort, and is probably going to be the key character in the storyline.  I’m guessing he’ll eventually be killed off prematurely and XO Sam Kendal will become the new key character (maybe at the end of Season 2 – or even to make a splash ending for Season 1).  I’m hardly ever right, so don’t be alarmed and stop watching because I said this.

Line of the Night

“Just crazy enough, sir.” – XO Sam Kendal

Perfect way to end the show.  The delivery of the line and everything was just perfect.  Set up nicely with the Reagan story from earlier in the episode.  Well played, Last Resort.  Well played.

tvonthedaily episode rating

A

A solid A at that.  It would take a lot to acheive an A-plus rating from tvonthedaily.  Not many broadcast channel tv shows could earn a perfect rating from me, but you may see some for some Cable channel shows.  Stay tuned for that.

Nielsen Ratings

9.08 Million viewers, losing the hour to The Big Bang Theory and X-Factor (although they only had 9.19 Million).  Thursday is an extremely competitive night of television, with shows like Big Bang, X-Factor, Grey’s Anatomy (11.55 Million), Person of Interest (14.27 Million), and the new shows Elementary and Scandal.  But, I’d say it was a very solid opening for this show.