Created by Jon Bokenkamp and Richard D’Ovidio, ‘The Last Frontier’ follows the aftermath of a prison transport plane filled with violent criminals crashing near a rugged town in snowy Alaska. Among the inmates who escape is criminal mastermind Levi Taylor ‘Havlock’ Hartman (Dominic Cooper), a CIA asset. As US Marshal Frank Remnick (Jason Clarke) leads the charge in rounding up all the escapees, the agency sends Sidney Scofield (Haley Bennett), who appears to be focused only on Havlock. Frank criticizes Sidney for the approach, but she warns him that Havlock has set a sinister plan in motion and is keeping tabs on him to bend him to his will. The warning soon becomes a reality as Havlock targets Frank’s family. The Apple TV+ thriller drama keeps tension alive by juxtaposing the fast-paced storytelling with the serene locale. If you’re looking for shows similar to ‘The Last Frontier,’ the following list has been curated for you.
12. Trapped (2015-)
Originally titled ‘Ófærð,’ Baltasar Kormákur’s ‘Trapped’ takes place in a small town in Iceland. During a stormy blizzard, a ferry carrying 300 passengers from Denmark is trapped in a nearby fjord. While the townspeople accommodate the travellers, things take a turn when a mutilated and dismembered body washes up on the shore. When the local police department realizes that the murder has taken place hours earlier, everyone becomes a potential suspect. Like the crashed aircraft that lets the criminals loose in ‘The Last Frontier,’ the trapped ship forces newcomers to stay in the Icelandic town in the series, as the sinister crime unfolds.
11. Hinterland (2013-2016)
From the minds of Ed Talfan and Ed Thomas, ‘Hinterland,’ also known as ‘Hinterland — Y Gwyll,’ is set in the serene old town of Aberystwyth in Wales. Detective Chief Inspector Tom Mathias (Richard Harrington) is a troubled man who is in search of personal redemption. He spends his days solving confounding murder cases in the quaint place alongside his partner, Detective Inspector Mared Rhys (Mali Harries). As with US Marshal Frank Remnick in ‘The Last Frontier,’ Tom finds himself in the midst of crimes that send chills through the town.
10. Twin Peaks (1990-2017)
Helmed by Mark Frost and David Lynch, ‘Twin Peaks’ follows FBI special agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan), who works with Sheriff Harry S. Truman (Michael Ontkean) and his deputies in investigating the murder of teenager Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee). The narrative unfolds in the fictional town of Twin Peaks in Washington, where the ambience is serene and surrealistic. The occurrence of horrific crimes in the regions puts law enforcement on edge, much like it does in ‘The Last Frontier.’
9. Cardinal (2017-2020)
Adapted from Giles Blunt’s novel series of the same name, ‘Cardinal’ revolves around the titular Detective John Cardinal (Billy Campbell) and his partner, Detective Lise Delorme (Karine Vanasse), who solve crimes in the fictional city of Algonquin Bay. When a Native Canadian girl who was missing for days turns up dead, and another goes missing, they suspect the presence of a serial killer in the sparsely populated place. John and Lisa are thus forced to race against time to save probable future victims, as the cases grow progressively complicated, similar to what takes place in ‘The Last Frontier.’
8. Fortitude (2015-2018)
Set in the fictional eponymous Norwegian Arctic island, ‘Fortitude’ by Simon Donald depicts the aftermath of a violent crime that shakes the local community to its core. The gruesome death of a research scientist is the most horrific thing that the community has ever witnessed. The psychological impact of the incident on the people is immense, with even police officers suspecting and mistrusting one another. Every person appears to be hiding some secret, and the frozen landscape quickly loses its reputation as one of the safest places on Earth. Similar to ‘The Last Frontier,’ the sudden rise of crime on the frozen ground sends law enforcement scrambling.
7. True Detective (2014-)
Developed by Nic Pizzolatto and Issa López, ‘True Detective’ is an anthology series that is built around the investigations into crime that highlight the darkness hidden inside human souls. The first story stars Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson as Louisiana State Police Detectives Rust Cohle and Martin Hart, respectively, who revisit a homicide case involving ritualistic murders that they worked back in 1995 in 2012. As they look back upon their previous learning to further the current investigation, they become aware of the dangers hiding in plain sight. Much like ‘The Last Frontier,’ the series focuses on the hunt for a killer in a rustic locale.
6. Longmire (2012-2017)
Based on the Walt Longmire mystery novels by Craig Johnson, ‘Longmire’ by John Coveny and Hunt Baldwin is set in the Absaroka County of Wyoming. Recently widowed Sheriff Walt Longmire (Robert Taylor) tries to focus on his work, with the support of his daughter, Cady (Cassidy Freeman), and his new deputy, Victoria Moretti (Katee Sackhoff). He is also supported by his longtime friend Henry Standing Bear (Lou Diamond Phillips), a Cheyenne who, at times, helps Walt to see things from a different perspective and to interact with the tribal police. However, the local crimes and cover-ups usher in a significant change in Walt’s life, as they do for US Marshal Frank Remnick in ‘The Last Frontier.’
5. The Killing (2011-2014)
Inspired by the Danish television series ‘Forbrydelsen,’ Veena Sud’s ‘The Killing’ centers around Sarah Linden (Mireille Enos) and Stephen Holder (Joel Kinnaman), homicide detectives with the Seattle Police Department. The latter transfers into the department from narcotics and has to be mentored by the former. While their approach to an investigation differs, the two manage to work together following the murder of local teenager Rosie Larsen (Katie Findlay). As the mystery deepens, the detectives are seen to have secrets of their own. Like ‘The Last Frontier,’ the crimes are part of a sinister plan with far-reaching consequences.
4. Task (2025)
From the mind of Brad Ingelsby, ‘Task’ stars Mark Ruffalo as Philadelphia-based FBI agent Tom Brandis. When a series of violent robberies targeting stash houses of outlaw motorcycle gangs threatens the peace of the region, Tom is assigned to lead a task force to bring in the perpetrators. The person responsible happens to be Robbie Prendergrast (Tom Pelphrey), a garbage collector whose wife has left him and who simply wants a better life for his children. The crimes and the ensuing investigation sit heavy on Tom’s shoulders, who pushes himself to do his job, like US Marshal Frank Remnick in ‘The Last Frontier.’
3. Countdown (2025)
Helmed by Derek Haas, ‘Countdown’ follows Detective Mark Meachum (Jensen Ackles) of the Los Angeles Police Department. A former US Army Ranger, Mark is assigned to lead a task force with members from various law enforcement agencies after an officer from the Department of Homeland Security is killed in public. As the task force gets to work, they realize that they are the only ones to stop a major disaster from taking place in the heart of LA. Much like ‘The Last Frontier,’ the true extent of the threat is gradually uncovered as powerful hidden forces remain at play.
2. Justified (2010-2015)
Based on ‘Fire in the Hole’ and other literary works by Elmore Leonard, ‘Justified’ by Graham Yost is set around Deputy U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant), a modern man who remains fixated with the old ways of the wild, wild west. After an incident involving the shooting of mob hitman Tommy Bucks in Miami creates a stir, Raylan is reassigned to the Eastern District of Kentucky Marshal’s Office in Lexington. This brings him back to his roots in Harlan County, a place that he wishes to escape. The lawman ensuring that justice is served in the desolate region is reminiscent of US Marshal Frank Remnick’s work in ‘The Last Frontier.’
1. Fargo (2014-)
Based on the eponymous 1996 film directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, ‘Fargo’ by Noah Hawley is an anthology series depicting stories from the same continuity that take place in and around Minnesota. The series opens with Lorne Malvo’s (Billy Bob Thornton) appearance in the small town of Bemidji, where he goes on a crime spree while tricking other people, like insurance salesman Lester Nygaard (Martin Freeman), into becoming actors in his nefarious plot. The sudden crime spree in the peaceful region jolts Deputy Molly Solverson (Allison Tolman) into action, who teams up with Duluth police officer Gus Grimly (Colin Hanks) to get to the bottom of the situation. Many parallels can be drawn between ‘Fargo’ and ‘The Last Frontier.’ Both narratives are set in a snow-covered small town where the arrival of a criminal mastermind wreaks havoc. As people start turning up dead, the local law enforcement officer steps up to pursue the case to the end.
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