New Fall Season: Pay attention to 'The Last Resort'

The Last Resort
Thursdays at 8 on ABC

"The Last Resort," debuting tonight at 8 on ABC, is one of those "no distractions while you watch" shows. There shall be no reading through emails or leafing through magazines during this fast-paced drama.

But if you watch this and you pay attention, the payoff is high.

Andre Braugher ("Homicide: Life On the Streets," "Men of a Certain Age") plays the captain of a U.S. nuclear submarine, which receives a mysterious order out of the blue to fire nuclear weapons on Pakistan. When Braugher, as Capt. Marcus Chaplin, asks for clarification of the order from a higher authority, he is relieved of his command, and the sub turned over to his second, played by Scott Speedman ("Felicity"). When Speedman, as XO Sam Kendal, repeats Chaplin's request, the submarine is fired upon and hit by a U.S. warship.

The USS Colorado crew escapes and commandeers a NATO early warning station on a nearby island, digging in there until they can figure out what the heck is going on. Meanwhile, back home, they are painted as traitors and enemies of the state, and their family members pressured to help bring them down.

And while being hunted by their own country, Chaplin and Kendal must deal with hostile forces on the island and insubordination in the crew.

Braugher, as always, is an acting force. Speedman ain't too shabby, either.

"The Last Resort" is a smart, tense drama packed with tons of action, moral dilemmas and mind-blowing conspiracies. But you might have to pull your eyes away from your iPhones for 45 minutes, or you'll be lost.

(Speaking of lost. Yes, there are some obvious comparisons to make between "The Last Resort" and ABC's mega-hit "Lost," starting with the dangerous island and ending with the shows' posters. Not exactly subtle, ABC!