The Last Frontier - Episodes 1 & 2

Have you watched the new series “The Last Frontier”? It looks like it will be something not to miss. The first two episodes dropped on Apple TV+ Friday, October 10th; new episodes will be available every Friday through December 5.

You will be warned, there might be little spoilers ahead.

Recap

The series opens with a night prisoner flight in Alaska. The cabin is full of chained federal inmates, among them a heavily hooded and restrained man, later identified with the code name Havlock. Mid-flight, Havlock attempts and succeeds to free himself just as an explosion rips through the back of the plane. Chaos erupts, and a struggle between Havlock and the Marshal escorting him unfolds as the transport crashes into the frozen wilderness.

The next morning, we meet veteran US Marshall Frank Remnick, who is preparing for a quiet life with his family—his wife Sarah and their son Luke. He tells his wife about the upcoming purchase of a cabin before they all head out for work.

In the Fairbanks US Marshall offices, word of the crash arrives; Frank and his team (officers Hutch and Donnie) fly out to the crash site by helicopter. At first, everything seems quiet, but they are ambushed by survivors. A firefight ensues, and Donnie is seriously injured. Frank, his team, and a wounded Marshall, identified as Granger, barely escape in their chopper.

The word of the crashed transport makes its way to the CIA. It’s revealed that Havlock has ties to a secret agency program called the Atwater Protocol. Agent Sidney Scofield is dispatched to Alaska to assist—and quietly contain the fallout. She informs Frank that Havlock was once a government operative who went rogue with highly classified data.

Back in Fairbanks, a full-scale manhunt begins for the 18 escaped inmates.

In a twist, US Marshall Granger, presumed to be a survivor of the crash and hospitalized, is actually Havlock himself. He escapes from the hospital and kidnaps Sarah. He cuts off all communications across the region and hijacks local radio frequencies to make his demands, promising that what he holds “will change the world.”

Havlock tells the CIA that he set up a 72-hour dead man’s switch; if he dies and doesn’t enter the proper password, the encrypted “Archive 6” would be automatically released, exposing CIA secrets tied to the Atwater Protocol.

Under the lure of an exchange with an escaped convict who previously surrendered himself, Havlock steals part of the black box from a NTSB transport.

Meanwhile, Luke and his girlfriend— who left their school right before the lockdown and got stranded at the cabin— discover an injured man as they try to go back to the city. They decide to bring him back to the cabin without knowing the danger the man will most likely bring them.

Highlights / Strengths

A strong aspect of The Last Frontier is how quickly it establishes tension and isolation. The Alaskan setting works beautifully - vast, cold and hostile. The cinematography and set design really captures and makes the most out of the setting.

The dynamic between US Marshal Frank Remnick and CIA agent Scofield shows lot of potential. They both want to contain Havlock but they both have their separate reason for it. His duty to bring all convicts under lock and keys, versus her need to vindicate herself from a mess.

Critique

I’m absolutely not a fan of the crash sequence - it feels clumsy and unrealistic the way it happens. The ambush at the crash site isn’t that much better for me - the action seems messy and again unrealistic - even after they realize it was a transport plane, they didn’t get their guard up, even when they make use of their firearm, they don’t seem to be very effective.

These moments are important as they set the stage for the series and it makes for a shaky start. That said, once the story transitions from the spectacle of the crash to the actual suspense of the manhunt, the series shows what it can be.

Final Thoughts

Despite the missteps in how the crash and ambush are handled, The Last Frontier still manages to pull viewers in with the mystery that still surrounds Havlock and what he knows. It’s a more-than-meets-the-eye manhunt thriller. The foundation for a hit series is clearly there, and it was certainly enough to keep me watching.

What was in the cooler box at the end of episode 2? Will Luke and his girlfriend be rescued by the marshal, or will they get pulled even deeper into trouble? The answer will have to wait until Friday.

What are your thoughts?