From ‘The Night Agent’ to ‘Last Resort’: Shawn Ryan’s Thrilling Military Drama

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  • A Single Submarine Crew and a National Conspiracy in ‘Last Resort’
  • A Great Cast Elevates ‘Last Resort’

Shawn Ryan, a screenwriter who’s been crafting TV shows since the ’90s, eventually ventured into the realm of streaming services. His initial foray into digital platforms came with the production of “Mad Dogs” for Amazon Prime Video in 2016, followed by “The Get Down” on Netflix in 2017, and most recently, “The Night Agent” also for Netflix in 2023. This gripping series about a night operator exposing a White House conspiracy, featuring Gabriel Basso in the main role, appears to be Ryan’s most successful venture yet. The first season has not only been recognized by several prestigious award bodies (like the Critics’ Choice Super Awards and the People’s Choice Awards) but has also managed to secure a spot on Netflix’s all-time most-watched list.

The second installment of “The Night Agent” is currently available on Netflix, but interestingly enough, plans for a third season were already in motion before the second even debuted! However, let’s not forget about the other remarkable achievements by its screenwriter. If you’ve finished binge-watching the latest episodes and are yearning for similar suspense, consider giving “Last Resort,” a military drama from 2012 on ABC, a try. Despite being canceled after only one season, the creators of this series ensured it ended with an epic and conclusive finale.

A Single Submarine Crew and a National Conspiracy in ‘Last Resort’

Yahoo Entertainment labeled Last Resort as resembling a “major motion picture summer hit” in their Fall TV preview of that year. Remarkably, this high praise for the naval drama remains quite relevant 13 years on – the series boasts an exceptional fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

In the prime-time TV schedule on Thursdays, an extraordinary partnership between Ryan and the potential executive producer of “Stranger Things” was placed prominently. Shows like “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal” were also part of this lineup. The series, titled “Last Resort“, followed a U.S. Navy submarine named the U.S.S Colorado that retrieved a Navy SEAL team from the coast of Pakistan. However, the mission seemed ordinary at first glance. But wait…

After receiving a distressing command that could only be given if Washington D.C had been destroyed – to launch colossal nuclear missiles at the same nation where they’d recently rescued seals – Captain Marcus Chaplin (Andre Braugher) and Lieutenant Commander Sam Kendal (Scott Speedman) express their doubts and refuse the order. As a result, pandemonium ensues. Not only do they find themselves under attack from other submarines nearby, but the catastrophic mission to launch the missiles is carried out by other vessels. Stranded on the island of Sainte Marina, the crew starts to uncover evidence of a global conspiracy that questions who or what was behind the attack on Pakistan and why they attempted to implicate the crew of the Colorado.

A Great Cast Elevates ‘Last Resort’

As a passionate film enthusiast, it’s hard to find words to express the extraordinary performances delivered by every single actor on this show. From the leading talents like Daisy Betts, Robert Patrick, Sahr Ngaujah, and Dichen Lachman, to the smaller roles graced by Jessica Camacho, Chin Han, and Jessy Shram, the intrigue and tension from the conspiracy and the complex relationships never wane. Braugher (as Chaplin) delivers an unyielding performance as a leader who maintains his resolve in the face of adversity until he makes a selfless sacrifice at the end. Interestingly, many of the faces you’ll see here are not unfamiliar if you’ve watched shows such as Severance, Peacemaker, The Expanse, Blacklist, and even Chicago Fire. It seems that there’s a shared history or connection for almost every character in Last Resort.

Apart from the main enigma, conflicts arise from numerous directions too. The island’s drug lord is determined to maintain his power amidst everything that’s happening, while some members of Chaplin’s team are becoming discontented. Furthermore, multiple nations are competing to rescue the Colorado. Simultaneously, there’s corruption within the U.S. government involving the president, and this complex web of events unfolds from Kylie Sinclair’s perspective, who is associated with the family developing Colorado’s cutting-edge cloaking technology. As the season progresses, her subplot proves to be as captivating as our group stranded on the island.

‘Last Resort,’ ‘The Night Agent,’ and ‘Lost’?

The TV series Last Resort was shot amidst the stunning landscapes of Oahu, Hawaii. As I continued watching, it started to remind me a bit of both The Night Agent and 2004’s Lost. While they are different stories, after some time, there’s an eerie sense of familiarity, as if the characters in this show might stumble upon the same mysterious hatch in the ground. Just to clarify, I’m not implying that the shows are identical; it’s more about the shared feeling of mystery and intrigue they evoke. Unfortunately, this Shawn Ryan production ended all too soon.

A single glance at the ratings reveals the probable reason behind ABC’s decision to terminate the show: by its tenth episode, it had shed over half of its initial audience. However, it’s worth noting that The New York Times labeled it as “an action-adventure mystery shrouded in suspense,” and E! Online praised the series for embodying what we often desire from network TV. Despite being a one-season phenomenon, Last Resort can still be found streaming on Fubo TV.

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2025-02-01 19:32