Fall TV Preview: ABC’s Last Resort [VIDEO] 

[Warning: Spoilers for Last Resort series premiere]

Tonight on ABC, a new series premieres at 8/7c and it’s called Last Resort.

The ABC synopsis: Five hundred feet beneath the ocean’s surface, the crew of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine “Colorado” – the most powerful nuclear submarine ever built — receive their orders. Over a communications channel designed only to be used if the U.S. homeland has been wiped out, they’re told to fire nuclear weapons at a foreign country. This suspenseful, emotional, epic series with high stakes will evolve like a classic, action-packed drama.

Captain Marcus Chaplin (Andre Braugher) demands confirmation of the orders to fire, only to be unceremoniously relieved of duty. XO Sam Kendal (Scott Speedman) finds himself suddenly in charge of the submarine and facing the same difficult decision. When he also demands confirmation of the orders, the Colorado is fired upon and hit. The submarine and its crew, who are actually honorable patriots, now find themselves crippled on the ocean floor and declared rogue enemies of their own country. 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 but dangerous island. Here they will find refuge, romance and a chance at a new life, even as they try to clear their names and get back home.

Five reasons why you should tune in:

• Andre Braugher. Anytime this actor is part of a cast it makes the show instantly watchable. Fresh off of TNT’s Men of a Certain Age, it’s hard to take your eyes off him. He’s just a magnetic presence.
• It’s the return of Scott Speedman to primetime TV. We’ve missed this Felicity actor. While he’ll always be Ben to us, he makes this new role his own. We can’t wait to see what he does as the mystery continues to unfold.
• The scenes on the submarine are electric. Being in such a confined space doesn’t limit the actors or the action at all. In fact, the sub portions of the pilot are so much more interesting than anything else that happens.
• The unpredictability of this show is enticing. We have no idea where this show is going. We can’t wait to watch future episodes to find out. Yes, there’s a bit of a Lost vibe here, but we’re going with it.
• Shawn Ryan created the show (along with Karl Gajdusek). When you have the guy responsible for The Shield and The Chicago Code guiding the ship, we’re definitely going to be on board.

What’s working against this show:

• The timeslot. Last Resort doesn’t feel like a show that should be airing at 8pm. In this DVR society, TV viewers can choose not to watch it at this specified time, but networks still depend on people showing up to watch it live. This newbie series has tons of competition including: The X-Factor/American Idol (come mid-season), The Big Bang Theory/Two and a Half Men and The Vampire Diaries. ABC has had trouble achieving success in this timeslot before (Charlie’s Angels, My Generation, Flash Forward etc.) — will Last Resort be the one to buck that trend? We hope so.
• The island. The submarine scenes are epic. When the action hits the island, we’re less impressed. But we’re definitely willing to see where it all goes before making any judgments.

Last Resort clip

An Inside Look at Last Resort

Last Resort Stats:

Premiere: September 27, 2012

Day/Time: Thursdays @ 8/7c

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LastResortABC

Twitter: Twitter.com/LastResort_ABC

Hashtag: #LastResortABC