This episode opens with Quincy speaking Russian, continuing his talk on a sat phone that began at the end of the pilot episode. What is he is up to and why? We know that the Nathan James is headed for Guantanamo Bay, as Chandler previously decided and announced to the crew that their duty is not just to the U.S. anymore, but to the entire world, and that they will do whatever it takes to stay alive at sea until they find the cure. Sounds like a setup for some really great action, and it seems that mostly, the crew is all in, especially after Chandler's infectious announcement showing his courage, loyalty, and hopefulness.
At this time, the crew has no contact with the government, knowing most leaders did not survive, there's no infrastructure, they're low on food, fuel, other supplies, and they possess what they need for the cure, so Chandler knows that it's all up to him to make the best decisions. He is handling it like a leader should, is confident and decisive, but it's evident that he really doesn't have a choice unless he just completely gives up, it's like he is telling himself, "We have to do this, no matter what the obstacles are, we will get it done."
Rachael takes stock of what supplies she needs to create a lab that is capable for producing the cure on the way to Gitmo, and the tactical teams practice for possible conflict. Chandler's idea to work on the cure at sea seems like the best option, and getting supplies for the lab and the ship at Gitmo seems like a good idea since it's an unmanned food and fuel station. I agree with Chandler about not going inland due to the chaos they seen on the news footage, because if they find the food, fuel, and lab supplies they need all in one place, it would save a lot of time and resources.
I like how the narrative moves quickly, they spend just the right amount of time in each scene. It's good to know that this series isn't only just action, drama, war, or science fiction, it's a mixture of all of these genres which appeals to many different viewers. There's scenes in this episode that deal with the crew's personal emotions and reactions to the apocalyptic virus and scenes with the science explained by Dr. Scott, yet this is far from a soap opera or medical drama. In saying that, there is one scene that I think they could have spent more time on the science, where Dr. Scott explains the basics of how to avoid exposure to the virus to the teams that will go ashore at Gitmo. Other than explaining how the crew must protect themselves from the virus, it seems that the scene was mostly concerned with how the crew does not completely trust Dr. Scott since she kept the virus a secret from them while their families were dying.
At Gitmo we see some interesting navy procedures, lots of action, the effects of the virus, and a new character teams up with the crew. This show has so many types of believable characters that viewers will find at least several to identify with. You can take this show seriously as the universe of The Last Ship is very close to real life. It's evident that a lot of time has been spent on details and even though thermobaricmanic Michael Bay executive produces, it's not all about flashy explosions and shots of the awesome maneuvers of an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. I had to come up with a very special word for Michael Bay's work, I think I found a good one.
The episode cleverly ends with a cliffhanger that's a mix between a discovery and a surprise twist.
2 out of 3 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink