The Last Ship

I was expecting a run of the mill drama with a portrayal of the Navy similar to what we saw on JAG or NCIS and that's basically what it is. My main reason for watching it in the first place was Mitra and Baldwin and overall I was positively surprised. It's not edgy, extraordinary or comes up with it's own new ideas but it's a very well executed and produced TV show with a cohesive plot and character depiction and some nuances of development. Baldwin, Dane and Mitra carry this show and they do it well. Some of the scenes can be quite cheesy with all the patriotism and military tradition going on, but overall they found a good balance between the cheesy stuff, action, drama and progress in the story. Also the quality is very steady, so if you watch the pilot you get the gist of the show.

Bottom line: if you've limited time and you only watch the best of the best on TV then this show isn't for you. If you looking for some lighter drama and you don't get easily annoyed by a few stereotypes then it's definitely worth checking out.

The Last Ship was, from the start, a bit of a mixed bag. The premise is interesting but the characters are rather generic. Some episodes have shown a thoughtful approach to life in an apocalyptic world, others have been rather dumb action affairs, others have been smart, exciting action affairs.

A few things, though, are very consistent. First off, the show has a very simplistic good guy/bad guy setup. The good guys are noble and self-sacrificing and brave and better than the rest of us. The bad guys are straight-out evil. They do terrible things, often without any convincing rationale for doing them. The series certainly can't be accused of subtlety; one episode had the bad guys burning bodies in ovens.

The show is also very American. This is a very old-school military action series where you see the flag a lot and Americans are portrayed as the most noble people in the world, battling against bad guys who are Muslims or, for a blast from the past, evil Russians.

For all it's flaws, The Last Ship can be pretty darn entertaining. There have been some very impressive action-oriented episodes, like a season two opener in which our heroes take down the evil people with machine- like precision. And there are moments when the show is even kind of smart, particular in its approach to the vaccine the series centers around; it's pretty effective as a medical research drama.

I still find the characters generic and the rah-rah U.S.A. bits silly, but what can I say? I'm entertained.

(Review updated after Season 3).

A deadly virus has destroyed much of life on earth. A US Navy destroyer, USS Nathan James, is sent on a secret mission to try to develop a vaccine. On board is Doctor Rachel Scott, a top microbiologist / immunologist. It is her job to create the vaccine. In order to complete the mission, the ship has to sail to many different parts of the world, with many hindrances to her mission's progress along the way...

First two seasons were entertaining. A rollicking naval adventure with a bit of plague, post-apocalypse scenarios and survival-of-mankind thrown in. Fairly accurate in its portrayal of the military.

Not perfect though. Could be a bit gung ho sometimes, and the plot a bit clumsy or contrived. However, it was never dull and there are many worse ways to spend your time.

Season 2 was a good follow-up to Season 1, and even slightly better than S1. Tighter plot and some good naval action too.

Unfortunately, two seasons was pretty much the natural life of the series, yet the producers made Seasons 3 and 4, and intend to make Season 5. Once the cure had been distributed, that was pretty much it, end of story. What follows is not interesting or engaging and often feels clumsy and contrived. I gave up after seven episodes of Season 3.

I found this while searching for a series with more than 1-2 season because I hate when you're just getting into a show and there's nothing left to watch.

I wanted a binge-worthy series but didn't have high hopes, as they are rare.

This show has me addicted and hitting "next" faster than the automatic play through. Every episode leaves me stunned and needing to know what happens next.

The action, the character development and their individual stories are top-notch.

The twists and turns come out of nowhere. You know you've found a show that's captivating when you don't even check your phone for hours because you're so emotionally invested in the story.

The Last Ship follows a destroyer named the USS Nathan James, led by Capt. Tom Chandler (Eric Dane), as they try to save humanity. They search for a cure to a virus that has already wiped out more than half the population. Against orders they stay at sea to develop the vaccine. They also have to fight off enemies who will do anything to get that vaccine or try to stop them from finishing it. I really enjoyed this show a lot more than I thought I would. It has the perfect blend of action, drama, comedy, mystery, twists, etc. Eric Dane and Travis Van Winkle lead a fantastic cast that all are at the top of their game. Bottom line is it's a pretty good action thriller that will keep you entertained throughout the entire series. It's definitely worth watching. If you're looking for a fun show that has plenty of action which will keep you at the edge of your seat then give this a try. You won't be disappointed.