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As phenomenal as a submarine setting is for a television program, the premise suffers the same limitations as any science fiction show such as Star Trek. Other than the Navy SEAL, the crew has not left the boat enough for meaningful action to occur. Instead, the cutaway scenes involve Washington, D.C. and the proceedings on Sainte Marina.

All of the people mentioned above plus Mrs. XO, Christine Kendal, provide the opportunity to tell stories beyond the scope of the USS Colorado. In the case of Kendal, her character was previously dealing with the ramifications of an absentee husband. Now, he is a traitor as well. The US government expends a great deal of energy attempting to use her as leverage to negotiate for her husband’s allegiance.

In theory, all of this should work well. In execution, these stories in combination are a mess. I quickly realized that I would prefer a single story focus each week rather than all of them explored each and every episode. Cutting from Washington to the submarine to the bar to the NATO facility to the sub to Washington is not only befuddling but also exhausting. None of the character arcs fail individually (well, maybe Grace’s) but the totality of them is dissatisfactory.

I choose to think of the situation in these terms. Imagine sticking tacos, pizza and ice cream in a blender. All three items are comfort foods with tremendous flavors. The combination of them blended together, however, is an idea that even Ben and Jerry would dismiss out of hand. Last Resort’s attempts to alleviate ship-exclusive storytelling create an unfocused series of events. These off-ship developments are tethered together forcibly in a haphazard manner.

What I hope the show’s producers learn is that a single off-ship storyline each week would be much more effective. A smattering of details here and there is agitating more than entertaining. A cohesive examination of political ramifications in Washington one episode followed by island fallout due to the new normal the following episode would create a stronger storytelling environment. I would rather have tacos one night, pizza the next and ice cream on Sunday than all three in a single sitting. A meal featuring all three at once is why the world needs Alka Seltzer.

Lastly, there is a fascinating antithetical between another new series, Revolution, and Last Resort. In the former show, nation states rule the land but some hopefuls want to restore the United States. A militia tyrant stands in their way. In Last Resort, the crew of a submarine effectively secedes from America in order to form a new nation on this island. Whether Chaplin becomes another George Washington or a despot remains to be seen.

By the end of the pilot, the premise of Last Resort is laid bare for the viewer: One submarine and its crew versus the world. I am confident that this idea can become a fulfilling experience, even if the impeccable quality of the pilot is unsustainable for an extended period. The primary problems with Last Resort thus far are fixable. All that needs to happen is for Last Resort to become its own entity rather than trying to be the latest mythology-based Lost wannabe.

I maintain that it is much closer in spirit to Battlestar Galactica with elements of The Hunt for the Red October sprinkled in for good measure. What I am describing is a perfect guy show. Last Resort should try to enhance its profile in this regard rather than attempting to appeal to women so much with awkward female characters. Twilight makes no effort to cater to heterosexual men yet it’s a juggernaut. The reverse can be true as well. Last Resort’s producers need to accept what the show is and who will watch it and embrace that decision. As soon as it does, the show can become as great as the pilot promises it will be. If it does not, a single season followed by an emphatic cancellation seems likely.

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