Apple TV continues to put out great content and another show that you should check out is The Last Frontier. Starring Jason Clark and Haley Bennett, the first season and maybe the only season just dropped. It’s a story set in Alaska that seems to be a simple prison break that ends up turning into a spy thriller. A plane full of federal inmates crashes in the Alaskan Frontier which sets off the story of escaped convicts, but one of them will turn out to be a spy. When the first trailer dropped it looked like the show Justified with US Marshals hunting down escaped prisoners. That idea in itself is interesting because there’s so many individual stories that can happen because of the different kinds of prisoners, but having this story be more of a spy thriller just made the show 10 times better. While it is not my favorite show on Apple Plus, it’s absolutely one that you should check out. It’s 10 episodes and a perfect binge watch over a weekend.
Jason Clark is the true star of this series who acts as a Raylan Givens type of US Marshall on the Alaskan Frontier. He’s an action star that can hold his own and in some ways, reminiscent of Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive. He’s great and his character has a dark past which makes the story even better. Haley Bennett was a bit of a surprise because she hasn’t done action roles before except for the remake of The Magnificent Seven which came out about 8 years ago. She doesn’t seem like somebody who would be a spy and be able to kick butt, but she completely surprises you and knocks it out of the park. The best part of this show is the individual stories with the prisoners. While some stories are not fleshed as much compared to the overall story within the show… the side stories are entertaining and make each episode worth watching. But it is the spy thriller and the cat and mouse games like a John Le Carre novel that’s the true genius of this show int the playground of Alaska. Anytime you shoot a show in Alaska, it’s its own character within the story. I don’t know if this story would have been as good set anywhere else because when you’re in Alaska you deal with lack of power, daylight all day long depending on the time of year and snow so thick that you can’t drive on the roads. When you introduce having to hastily get to a location and the fastest way to travel a sled dogs then you’ve got a good show.
However, The Last Frontier has its problems. It has a great cast, but can be tedious to watch at times. My biggest complaint, the series could have been told in 8 episodes to make it a more concise story, but what really makes the show longer are all the flashback scenes to set up the overall story. Dominic Cooper plays the other spy and main villain of the show. It’s his flashback scenes with Haley Bennett’s character that are the most intriguing because you don’t know what’s real or what’s a cover story. But Dominic Cooper is the other great casting choice. While he has played good guys before and I especially love him as a young Ian Fleming In the BBC miniseries about Fleming: The Man Who Would Become Bond, he always makes a better villain. But he’s a sympathetic villain, which is also another reason that makes the show worth watching.
Overall, I think it’s a pretty good show and certainly leaves you on a bit of a cliffhanger to where there’s room for a season 2. Even though the story lines can get chaotic at times, the spy thriller aspect set in Alaska is the best part of the show. There are aspects of the show that make you feel like you’re watching Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, one of John Le Carre’s best spy novels. And, if I can add one more minor drive, it’s hard to watch this show from week to week, it is better to binge watch. But all 10 episodes are now streaming and you won’t be disappointed. The Last Frontier may not be the best show on Apple TV, but it’s one of the best shows on a streaming network right now and another example of why Apple TV knows how to put out great content.
