The Last Ship - could've been worse

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
tnt-the-last-ship-poster.jpg


Okay, just watched the premiere of "The Last Ship". This was a a show I fully expected to stink. If you'll recall in an earlier thread I noted the source material and stated that there was no real way to make a show out of it.

Well, it wasn't the greatest thing ever but it also was surprisingly watchable.

On the bad side, some of the detail elements in the story were not that accurate (like refueling a ship that uses gas turbines from a ship that obviously uses oil fired boilers). Also the explanation of why they were up in the Arctic was a bit naff.

On the good side, it was actually well paced and the acting was good too. The story was enough to get the series launched and they even did a decent job of creating atmosphere. I also liked that they got a lot of "Navy" things right - I guess unlike SGU they not only have military advisors but listen to them.

All in all, kept my interest enough to see what happens next week.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Okay, just watched the premiere of "The Last Ship". This was a a show I fully expected to stink. If you'll recall in an earlier thread I noted the source material and stated that there was no real way to make a show out of it.

Well, it wasn't the greatest thing ever but it also was surprisingly watchable.

On the bad side, some of the detail elements in the story were not that accurate (like refueling a ship that uses gas turbines from a ship that obviously uses oil fired boilers). Also the explanation of why they were up in the Arctic was a bit naff.

On the good side, it was actually well paced and the acting was good too. The story was enough to get the series launched and they even did a decent job of creating atmosphere. I also liked that they got a lot of "Navy" things right - I guess unlike SGU they not only have military advisors but listen to them.

All in all, kept my interest enough to see what happens next week.

Is it like Battleship?
 

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
Actually it has more of the flavor of the movie "Outbreak". Kind of like a fusion of "Outbreak" and "J.A.G" (the old CBS show).
 

Rac80

The Belle of the Ball
thanks Joelist- i'm going to try an ep...see what I think. :)
 

YJ02

Well Known GateFan
Is it like Battleship?

No, not at all (at least not yet)

I agree with JOE, it was a pleasant surprise to watch something that was better than I expected and didn't seem to be overhyped (ala SGU) pre release

The only bits I had issue with was TPTB's "just had to" put in a quick kissing scene with 2 officers (male/female) and the little snip from the other female lt who put in, very coyly, that she is a lesbian ("I was hoping to get to france to see my girlfriend..."). It was like they just couldn't resist getting that stuff in there. But it was no way near over the top like the SGU broom closet thing...
 

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
Exactly. Both "shipping" scenes combined took up about 25 seconds.
 

YJ02

Well Known GateFan
Exactly. Both "shipping" scenes combined took up about 25 seconds.

But did you catch=in conversation. the african american female LT on the bridge, it was either after they get their orders to stay at sea or after the nuke hit france-that she told the captain that she was hoping to take her girlfriend to Paris?

It defi. could have referred to a platonic relationship but I am guessing that TPTB was taking advantage of the new DoD policy of open homosexuality in the military

But all that aside, I think it will turn out to be a good show--previews look good at least
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
Is it like Battleship?

I found it to be a hell of a lot like Battlestar Galactica. The whole "lone ship captained by conflicted officer" thing was straight out of BSG.

Also, it's not scifi and there are no aliens so it's kinda, sorta boring I think. I don't think the whole military motif is gonna resonate with viewers for long. There needs to be something more...like aliens. ;)
 

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
If it were like BSG then it would have been soapy and filed with angst - which it wasn't. There was 25 seconds of shipping and the Captain took a moment to make a pretty big choice - he then proceeded to make the choice. In fact the lack of angst was refreshing. It moved briskly and the acting was good - as was for once not seeing US military being depicted as either buffoons or psychos.

Longer term I do wonder how they keep the plot moving. They have some elements to keep action occurring (like the lab on board and that with governments gone they will have a target on their backs for anyone who thinks they have a cure) but this may be better for a miniseries as opposed to a longer run regular series.
 

YJ02

Well Known GateFan
I found it to be a hell of a lot like Battlestar Galactica. The whole "lone ship captained by conflicted officer" thing was straight out of BSG.

Also, it's not scifi and there are no aliens so it's kinda, sorta boring I think. I don't think the whole military motif is gonna resonate with viewers for long. There needs to be something more...like aliens. ;)

I saw that similarity too "lone ship, etc,etc". But there is no president, no alien race chasing them...

What I don't think hollywood gets with using the military as a setting is that they just need to cool it with the always tense always spit and polish "yes sir, yes sir" atmosphere. The real military is not like that on a day to day "lets get to work and get it done" basis. The way they show the military is the way the military is on special occasion, or maybe for about 30 minutes a day at formations or promotion/award ceremonies.

As for being sci fi, well, they are dealing with medical research which is a science so...
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
Maybe it will, maybe it won't. BSG had the soap and angst even in the miniseries premiere while this did not. Then again those two items do seem like a siren song calling writers to wreck shows on the dramatic rocks with them. So a sharp eye must be kept for them.
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
Maybe it will, maybe it won't. BSG had the soap and angst even in the miniseries premiere while this did not. Then again those two items do seem like a siren song calling writers to wreck shows on the dramatic rocks with them. So a sharp eye must be kept for them.

Perhaps I've been so jaded by the soapfi crap that the last few years has given us that I now look at new shows with a jaundiced eye. But can you blame me? This show, for instance, has elements that could easily be exploited for melodramatic effect.
 

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
That's the thing Shaved - any science fiction or action show has those elements. I could find elements in TOS Star Trek that could be exploited for melodramatic effect. The key will be "do they do it"? I hope they don't. Really, the best bet for this show is to just keep it a clean, straightforward actioner with maybe some intrigue going on inside the research team (the guy with his own sat phone). If it starts diving too deep into the interpersonal relationships of the crew the show will lose steam.
 

YJ02

Well Known GateFan
That's the thing Shaved - any science fiction or action show has those elements. I could find elements in TOS Star Trek that could be exploited for melodramatic effect. The key will be "do they do it"? I hope they don't. Really, the best bet for this show is to just keep it a clean, straightforward actioner with maybe some intrigue going on inside the research team (the guy with his own sat phone). If it starts diving too deep into the interpersonal relationships of the crew the show will lose steam.

I am guessing that the guy (shown in previews being 'cornered' by the crew sometime this season) a russian agent-is going to get whacked or set ashore, and that the 'bookworm' sailor we saw in the mess hall will be trained as his replacement to help the Doctor make a vaccine.

they usually don't plant these seeds for nothing--usually
 

Rac80

The Belle of the Ball
Finally had the time to watch the premiere (I love on-demand :P ) and mr rac and I enjoyed the show. There were parts we heckled (naturally :D) but over all it kept our interest. I will watch about anything with Adam Baldwin in it! ;) overall the military aspects seem acceptable - you can't expect it to be 100% accurate.

I am guessing that the guy (shown in previews being 'cornered' by the crew sometime this season) a russian agent-is going to get whacked or set ashore, and that the 'bookworm' sailor we saw in the mess hall will be trained as his replacement to help the Doctor make a vaccine.

they usually don't plant these seeds for nothing--usually

yeah something is going to happen to the ruskie since they revealed it so fast! ;) I agree - the geek will get the job. :D
 

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
Okay, just caught episode 2. Not bad.

So far they have resisted the temptation to get too much into personal relationships. Much like the premiere we get a hint of some but it takes up about 30 seconds. We also had some emotional moments in a memorial service, but in all honesty you have to have some such material or the characters stop being human beings. The trick is not to let the show devolve into a focus on that stuff.

This particular episode focused on getting supplies and did manage to work in combat and explosions. But it seems more restrained than typical Michael Bay fare in that it is (at least so far) focusing more on pacing, atmosphere and moving the general story along than on mind numbing pyrotechnics. It is still depicting servicemen and women very positively (yay!). Next week it looks like they get into an actual sea combat situation with another surviving warship.

So, two episodes in and still a pleasant surprise. I still wonder how they can maintain this in story terms over the longer term but for now it is decent popcorn entertainment.
 
Last edited:

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
Meh. The show needs aliens or zombies, or both. ;)
 

Joelist

What ship is this?
Staff member
Meh. The show needs aliens or zombies, or both. ;)

No, it doesn't. It isn't that type of story. They're trying to keep their pandemic a bit more real and zeds blow that away immediately. Likewise aliens would put the focus in the wrong place. Really this isn't science fiction per se except in the post apocalyptic setting. Within that setting it is (at least at this point) a solid action-drama with good pacing, atmosphere and acting.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
No, it doesn't. It isn't that type of story. They're trying to keep their pandemic a bit more real and zeds blow that away immediately. Likewise aliens would put the focus in the wrong place. Really this isn't science fiction per se except in the post apocalyptic setting. Within that setting it is (at least at this point) a solid action-drama with good pacing, atmosphere and acting.

So this is a good show? I could use a new good show. :)
 
Top