The Last Ship (TNT series)

And just to update this thread: the most recent episode of this show over the weekend really knocked me out. Tense from the very start, very well-acted, and it totally kept me guessing to the very end. This was hands-down the best 1-hour show I've seen all summer long (admittedly not saying much), it was dramatic as hell, had numerous twists and turns, and a completely satisfying and believable conclusion. Terrific show -- and believe me, I generally expect zero with anything that has Michael Bay's name attached to it.

 

Wow, sounds like you really liked that one. Me, I thought it was pretty good too, though I wouldn't put it on as high a pedestal as you. Overall, I do like the show quite a bit, but it certainly isn't what I would call a top tier show, but a notch or so below.

 

I've stuck with this one for all the episodes so far and will continue to do so until it "jumps the shark." I read the book a couple of decades ago.

The past few years, television has turned into crap aimed at juveniles (IMO), and I watch it very little, so this is one of maybe 5 shows that don't induce sleep or projectile vomiting for me.

 

The episode with the three parachutes pulling the ship through the ocean was enough for me. No way would I come back to this show.

 

This may have been because I watched Under the Dumb right before it. Next to that, everything else is like Citizen Kane.

But seriously: I did enjoy Last Ship and thought they had a fairly complicated plot with a lot going on, and everything was all taken care of -- the antidote, the mad Russian admiral, the great escape, the nutty guy who started the virus, the brave female scientist, the noble American captain... it all made sense and moved the plot forward in a way that was at least believable, plus it had lots of action. And the production values have been outstanding on this show, though I noticed some dodgy composites at the very end when the bad guy's ship was blowing up.

 

It was one episode. Every series has a fair amount of unbelievable stuff in an episode at some point.

 

I agree. I was on the fence with a couple of episodes but if they keep up the quality, I'll stick around for season two.

 

True enough. If I had to pick nits, it would be the portrayal of the Russian captain. He seems to teetter-totter between being a cartoony Bond villain and a serious adversary. And the other thing is, while he seems to speak Russian very well (I'm guessing), when he speaks English, he seems to do it with a slight British accent, which kind of plays with my mind, man!

 

I have met foreign people from Turkey, Israel, Egypt, and the Ukraine where they all spoke very good English with English accents, since that's how they were taught in school (or in language labs). No crime to speak The King's English.

At least the Russian admiral character was a step up from Boris Badenov. "Vee must keel Moose and Squirrel!"

 

Fair cop, guv'nor!

 

Interesting because I think that television is now better than ever. High quality well written, acted and directed shows and more than a few. Only a couple on the networks but a plethora of quality.

 

Different strokes for different strokes, Mazzy. If it grabs you, enjoy the hell out of it!

 

I caught the Apocalypse Now! inspired episode. I wasn't impressed by the acting, the writing and the look of the show.

 

I'm not talking about the Last Ship. This show is a bit of an escape. It's ok but not great. But there are others I think are wonderful.

 

+1. I can't possibly imagine how a second season of this would go.

 

True. But it was the one episode that did the show in for me.

If I were to watch it now, I would be "hate watching" it - just like Under The Dome.

 

Yeah I gave up on Under The Dome. Read the novel and thought it had an Interesting premise but the conclusion was a rehash of Stephen King tripe I've read before. He's written better. In his sleep. Or on drugs.

 

I think it's one of those round and round go nowhere shows like Revolution. Cool concept but better if you create as a story in 2-4 hours tops and that's it.

 

The virus mutates to a new, even more dangerous strain that has the crew scrambling to find more monkeys!

The new strain lay dormant for most of season 1 until it's revealed in the last cliffhanger ep that many of the crew are infected, as is the Russian ship (due to previous contact).

For season 2, the Americans and the Russians will have to set aside their differences and work together to develop a new treatment, but not without mutual distrust and subterfuge along the way. Mayhem ensues.

 

Oh I disagree. They are giving us a sense of where season two is headed in last night's episode. Shades of ....well I'm not going to spoil it for everyone else. It was a darn good final episode of the season but to make viewers wait eight months may be a bit too long and it may lose some of its attraction as there will be plenty of other shows to distract. I would bring it back January through Feb and then have a break...move forward to June for the final five or six episodes.

 

Nope.

 

Yes, it was. But OMG did someone seriously say that they were

Spoiler

killing the sick in order to use the as fuel to power the precinct??! That's got to be the stupidest thing I've heard in a long time. Using them for food would have been more believable! Seriously, they should just have had them euthanized & burned (which takes energy, not produce it) to stop the spread of the virus.

I agree, but if I like a show, I'll come back to it. Distractions are irrelevant.

Well, I like my scenario better!

 

Spoiler

I quite agree about the use for fuel being kind of dumb but I think they didn't want to go down the "Soylent Green" route and there was always the possibility that the infected, if undercooked would be...contagious. I thought it was kind of interesting though to see it go down that path (and sad but not unexpected to a certain degree).

It appears that the show will be focusing more on the issues between the various warlords and the crew getting the ship back AND the cure back as well. I'm sure they will be trying to replicate the experiments that produced the cure but, unfortunately, I have a feeling that people will be sacrificed.

There is certainly stupid stuff but, on the whole, I agree that it has worked well. Entertaining if not perfect and some compelling episodes. It exceeded my expectations particularly considering that Michael Bay is attached to it. Good, compelling drama.

 

Well-said, Wayne. And I'm also glad to see Bill Smitrovich in the show in a recurring role as the Captain's father. He's a fantastic actor. I really enjoyed the last show and thought they definitely went in some unexpected directions. Although...

Spoiler

The moment they went into the modern buildings with the new acting lady President (or whatever her title is), I said, "this is too good to be true. These guys are e-vil." And of course I was right.

Love the way they left things hanging with a lot of stuff to reconcile and solve next year.

 

It's probably the best new show I've watched this past TV season, so I reckon I'll have a second helping when it returns in 8 or 10 months.