What happens when your own nation fires on you and your submarine, after you refuse to fire on 4 million unsuspecting people in Pakistan?  That’s what ABC’s newest drama, the incredibly tense and well scripted LAST RESORT, intends to find out. The series comes from the mind of Shawn Ryan, creator of THE SHIELD, TERRIERS, THE CHICAGO CODE, and eventual showrunner of LIE TO ME, along with Karl Gajdusek (former writer for series like DEAD LIKE ME), and stars Andre Braugher and Scott Speedman as the Captain and XO of the sub, respectively.

Speedman’s Sam is just about to head home to his wife of a year, Christine (Jessy Schram), when the order to fire nukes at Pakistan comes to the USS Colorado, through the Antarctic network, a network that is supposed to be used only when DC is under attack or completely destroyed.  When Braugher’s Marcus requests clarification of the order, he is relieved of duty.  When new!Captain Sam takes control, and refuses the order again, the Colorado finds itself under attacked from the US government.  Rather than accept their fate, Marcus instructs the sub to the local island, where they establish themselves as a sovereign nation, now enemies of the very country they once stood for. On the homefront along with Christine, Autumn Reeser’s character is desperate to find out what happened to the Colorado and faces danger due to her connection to the equipment on board.

The show is taut and well-written – there is internal conflict, external conflict, and a bond between Captain and XO that cannot be broken.  Braugher and Speedman have a great chemistry, and Daisy Betts, who was wasted on last summer’s PERSONS UNKNOWN, gives a great performance as the Lieutenant struggling to stay strong and survive this test they’re all put through.  Not only is the pilot well written and performed, Episodes 2 and 3 expand the story, and provide as much action and adventure, with danger and conspiracy just bubbling on the surface.  LAST RESORT is without question the strongest drama pilot of the fall – definitely check this one out Thursdays at 8/7c on ABC, and let us know what you think!