The premiere episode of "Whiskey on the Rocks" unfolds in 1981, amidst the tense backdrop of the Cold War, as a Soviet Whiskey-class submarine glides silently through the waves on its return voyage. Coinciding with this somber journey is the joyous occasion of a naval officer's daughter's birthday, casting a glimmer of warmth among the steel and seawater. As camaraderie fills the air, the captain, his mind wandering to his own cherished daughters, grants his crew a rare reprieve, permitting them to indulge in celebratory libations. He declares a temporary ceasefire in the icy standoff of the Cold War, extending it merely until the dawn's first light at 6 am, at which point the officers embrace their moment of respite with abandon.
Among them, one officer, utterly ensnared by the spirits, takes it upon himself to plot the submarine's course—a decision that sets the stage for an unexpected drama. The submarine, now under the influence of inebriated navigation, groundings itself in Swedish territorial waters, an incident as unforeseen as it is astonishing.
Meanwhile, a vigilant fisherman casts his eyes upon this unusual visitor beneath the waves. Rushing back to alert his brother, they seize the opportunity to test their newly installed telephone connection by deciding to inform "someone" of the peculiar sight. Contemplating a call to the Home Guard, they harbor a grudge against the commander for never returning a hammer borrowed two decades prior, prompting them to dial a government office in Stockholm instead.
To their amusement and exasperation, the receptionist informs them that the prime minister is otherwise engaged, reassuring them with a dismissive nonchalance that all will be well once the winds shift. Frustrated by the labyrinthine layers of bureaucracy, one brother bemoans the very acquisition of a telephone. In a moment of clarity, they opt to contact the newspapers, hoping that by bringing the submarine's plight to the prime minister's attention through public scrutiny, they can resume their fishing duties unimpeded by the stranded vessel.
Concurrently, aboard the stranded submarine, the captain issues orders for a message to be dispatched to Moscow, conveying the dire news that their navigation system lies in ruins and they find themselves stranded in Swedish territory. This dire communication swiftly ascends the ranks, reaching the ears of the Russian General Secretary and, subsequently, the U.S. president, who harbors a grim conviction that the Soviet vessel harbors nuclear weapons, heightening the stakes in this unusual saga.
In the meantime, the Swedish prime minister, immersed in a soothing bath, is unexpectedly interrupted by a ringing phone. However, as soon as his fingers grasp the receiver, the connection abruptly terminates, leaving him with a sense of unfinished business. The scene concludes with the prime minister informing his wife of his occupied state, asserting that if the call held any significance, the caller would undoubtedly attempt to reach him once more.
