The Last Ship (TNT) (1 Viewer)

[Walter Kittel]

El Toro seeing through Chandler's deception was kind of comical; although I doubt that is what the show was attempting. Chandler needs to work on his ability to lie credibly if he is going to keep representing the mission when they go on shore.

Probably the weakest episode to date. I liked the theme of the episode - making sure there is a world still worth saving; but the execution in terms of the writing was weak. Still, I am happy to hear it has been renewed and hope it picks up after a bump in the road.

- Walter.

 

[todd s]

I am surprised they didn't take any fruits and maybe a chicken or two if the villagers could afford it.

 

[doug zdanivsky]

I would have booked it as soon as possible, too..

Was getting unbearably shmaltzy..

 

[Walter Kittel]

Not much activity in the thread...

Watched Sunday's episode and have a few observations.

It seemed like everyone was awfully trusting that Patrice was immune. Seems like you wouldn't expose yourself to potential contagion without verifying that she was in fact virus free.

I believe the Nathan James had a total of three RHIBs (rigid hull inflatable boat). Since they lost one in Sunday's episode they should be down to two. I just mention this in case the show pulls a Voyager and has a seemingly inexhaustible supply of 'away' vehicles. (Voyager lost 17 shuttles, despite being stranded in the Delta Quadrant. )

Despite those observations I am still enjoying this quite a bit. The combat sequences on the water were well done and I liked the 'twist' at the end of the episode setting up next week's episode.

- Walter.

 

[todd s]

I agree Walter. A few other things....

-Looks like the scientist aboard the Russian ship was the cause of the plague being so virulent.
-So the Captain is doing more to the scientists wife than just being a hostage.
-Hope they don't drag this whole Russian enemy business too long.
-Like someone mentioned here or on another thread. I would like season 1 to be about finding a cure. Season 2 about trying to help survivors...so on.
-I am surprised their are no other (that we have seen) American naval vessels. I know subs go on long cruises where they do not surface or come ashore. Would be nice to see some support or at least a resupply of new sailors.

 

[doug zdanivsky]

It seemed like everyone was awfully trusting that Patrice was immune.

True.. She might not be infected, but still a carrier, who knows?? Very Prometheus-eque, that bit..

But it would have been a whole can of worms getting her on the ship if they would have gone through the rigamorole of quarantine.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

It seemed like everyone was awfully trusting that Patrice was immune. Seems like you wouldn't expose yourself to potential contagion without verifying that she was in fact virus free.

I thought the same thing. Even if she is immune, she's been living on a vessel that was chock full of the virus. At the very least, she should have undergone a chemical shower and been kept in quarantine until the risk of her still carrying the virus had passed.

 

[Hanson]

I saw that Silence of the Lambs misdirect coming from a mile away.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Big episode last night. My biggest criticism of it was that it was too unqualified of a victory. The show made the Russian sailors look like Imperial Stormtroopers; all of that firing and only one bullet struck home.I'm glad that the British doctor's wife and daughter made it out. It'll be interesting to see what his attitude is like now that he has a vested interest in the survival of the human race again.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Big episode last night. My biggest criticism of it was that it was too unqualified of a victory. The show made the Russian sailors look like Imperial Stormtroopers; all of that firing and only one bullet struck home.

I would agree. They provided some cover for the wholly inadequate response with the commander of the Russian vessel not raising an alarm due to Chandler's language skills, and we have to assume that at 4:00 A.M. a number of the crew were asleep - but yes the escape was too easy. (Han Solo reference here) "You call that easy."

I kind of rolled my eyes at the Russians not finding the transponder in the vest. You'd think the crew of the Nathan James might be tracking the doctor to locate the Russian vessel.

We're not done with the Russians yet, or at least some of them. With patient zero out amongst the crew of the Russian craft we have to assume that they are in for a bad time. Curious to see where precisely they go with that. I have to assume that he is instrumental to the cure and consequently we will be seeing him again.

I guess most of my posts contain some criticisms of the show, but I'm still enjoying the energy and pacing of the show quite a bit. Usually the first show from the Sunday DVR'ing that I view. I think the editing is pretty solid and it does a good job of visual storytelling. I like the chemistry between the principal cast members and how Scott has gained the trust and respect of the crew. Tex makes a good foil for Chandler and I've enjoyed the moments with those two characters in recent episodes.

Two more episodes to go this season. Assuming there will be a big cliffhanger; but we'll see.

- Walter.

 

[Elizabeth S]

I've been really enjoying this show -- I almost didn't start watching it since I have so much on my viewing plate. I told my friend at work to watch but it wasn't her type, though her husband likes it. There's things I could nitpik at, but I like the characters and their interactions. I also find the patriotism of the show very moving.

 

[Walter Kittel]

I also find the patriotism of the show very moving.

It has been an effective emotional hook for the series. The group of sailors whose terms of service had expired renewing their oaths on the flight deck was one of the more emotionally resonant scenes this year; at least for me.

- Walter.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

So now they have the cure. I'm really glad they didn't drag this storyline out over the course of seasons. The interesting thing will be seeing how they roll it out to the world.Clearly, Chandler's going to want to save his family first. The question becomes: why is his family more worth saving than the families of his crew?

 

[doug zdanivsky]

'Just aching to do my part'..

Ay caramba..

 

[Stan]

So now they have the cure. I'm really glad they didn't drag this storyline out over the course of seasons. The interesting thing will be seeing how they roll it out to the world.Clearly, Chandler's going to want to save his family first. The question becomes: why is his family more worth saving than the families of his crew?

I'm three episodes behind, (thanks for the spoiler Adam), just kidding

I'm enjoying it, very well done. Thought the US/Russian enemy thing was a bit dated, but actually turning out to be rather accurate with current affairs in the world.

Is this truly coming back for a second season? I thought it was written as a one-time mini-series type of show.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Brutal cliffhanger to end the season on, but an absolutely brilliant finale. Far and away the best episode the show has done yet, and the first to genuinely surprise me.

"Olympia" was a little too much like "Terminus", so I figured that was bad news. But I had no idea the scale of the operation underway. The show did a terrific job of utilizing perception to mislead the audience without outright deceiving the audience. You see Academy Award winner Alfre Woodard, whose character had enough pull in the United States government to get her daughter on the Nathan James, and you see Titus Welliver all grungy and with backwoods militia types, and you consider that the show has had pretty conventional definitions of good and evil thus far, and you draw the obvious conclusions.

At the same time, there were hints; the militia didn't kill the captain's family when they could have. Welliver's character was calm and strategic minded. The government compound was just a little too utopian.

It all sets the stage for a drastically more complex and nuanced second season.

 

[David Weicker]

Thoroughly enjoyable show. I just wonder how long TNT will make us wait for Season 2. If they follow their other dramas (Rizzoli, Major Crimes, Perception), it will be in several months. If they follow the Falling Skies, then it will be a year, and frankly, I find myself enjoying shows when they come back more often than when they make me forget completely what I might have liked in the first place. Tonight's episode was good. And Woodard was downright creepy at the end (something she hinted at during Desperate Housewives).

Spoiler

and I liked that they weren't able to save the Captain's wife.

That would have been too convenient

 

[TonyD]

They said right at the end of the show it comes back summer of 2015.

 

[todd s]

A friend of mine called that Titus Welliver was not the bad guy when he wouldn't take the shot to kill Granderson AND the captain.

 

[joshEH]

Yup, great finale. Was very pleasantly surprised to behold the whole switchoff between Welliver's character and Woodard's, and the destroyer-crew is fucked rather hard, right at the moment.

Knew something was screwy/off with the militia, but couldn't quite put my finger on it until near the very end -- nice to have expectations turned upside down.

Several of the show's executive producers/main writers were on Jericho several years back (another post-apocalyptic series that really knew how to ratchet up the tension), and if Season 2 is more like this, count me fucking in.