Last year, The Last Ship was my breakout summer addiction. The show’s debut season was an exhilarating post-apocalyptic adventure with terrific action and first-rate production values. But can the show sustain that momentum in its sophomore year?
Judging by the two-hour season premiere, the answer is a surefire hell yes! In fact, never has an opener felt so much like a season finale. Packed with a genuine sense of blockbuster spectacle, The Last Ship‘s return wasted no time and dropped us right into the thick of things. It effectively juggled the ship’s team (a pretty large cast) as they fought to take control against Granderson’s forces across a number of locales. It’s a testament to the show’s editing and pacing that everything felt so smooth and effortless.
One thing struck me as terribly odd though: why kill off two pivotal characters when they still have so much to give? Andrew’s dynamic with Chandler had a lot of potential, and I would have liked to see the two butt heads in the future. Moreover, Amy Granderson was the show’s strongest villain yet – ruthless, yet incredibly nuanced. I’ll try not to judge before I see what the show does next, but I find it extremely strange that both characters were killed off so soon.
Although it didn’t take away from the rest of the hour, the ending was a bit of a letdown. The premiere tied off a lot of loose ends, and it needed a blood-pumping ending to kick off the rest of the season. Chandler’s “this is home” line fell a bit flat in retrospect. Perhaps they should have given us a glimpse of the season’s big bad?
Tex Mix
– Love the new credit sequence – all of the show’s themes are prevalent within a few gorgeously constructed frames.
– If I hear the word “primordial” ONE.MORE.TIME!
– Utterly heartbreaking scene: Scott only finding one remaining antidote, and the mother sacrificing herself so her sick child could live. That just gutted me.
– I can’t say that Quincy’s death affected me in the slightest. I do feel bad for his wife though who simply can’t catch a break.
– Kickass moment: Text saving Scott in the elevator. I never know if I’m rooting for these two or for Scott and Chandler. Also, I still find Rhona Mitra absolutely gorgeous.
– The whole trying-to-take-the-stem-cells-from-Kara’s-unborn-baby fizzled out too quickly. I did like the nurse helping her out in a poignant moment of humanity. Will we be seeing her again?
– Why did all the soldiers untie themselves in the cafeteria only to be saved by the night-vision sequence? What was the point? Feels like there was no payoff there.
– Slattery’s commentary as he watched the his “boys” on the security camera was very bizarre. His close-quarter fight with the cop however was awesome. That final axe slice was badass!
– Very thrilling moment with the helicopter getting blown to pieces.
– Loved the final face-off between Tom and Amy. Great performances by Eric Dane and Alfre Woodard. With his commanding presence, the former has really morphed into one of my most favorite leads on television.
– What happened to Chandler’s son? He was terribly sick in the first episode, and then they just sort of forget about him in the second. He simply showed up miraculously cured.
– I honestly wasn’t too fond of the final song choice – far too country-ish and slow.
Quotes & Cures
Amy: Doctor, I watched a grown man beat a 12-year-old boy to death over a gas mask. I saw a woman stab her sister in the back for a can of beans. The apocalypse is here. It’s been here for a long time.
Alisha: As a lieutenant in the United States Navy, I am qualified to accept your surrender.
Amy: My surrender? No. You stay with me, little girl. You watch who surrenders to whom.
Tex: (to Dr. Scott) Difficult woman!
Conclusion
An action-packed and riveting return. Here’s to a fantastic sophomore season.
Nad Rating
A-
I loved this so much Nadim! I think it might be my favorite episode of the show so far, but I couldn't believe how fast the 2-hours went by and it really felt like a season finale. The final confrontation was kinda chilling, especially when Chandler talks about his wife and kids. Really shook me there.
I, too, was surprised about how it ended though. I expected we'd see more of Amy till at least a few more eps. Ah well, let's just hope this means they've got better plans for us instead! So excited about this season..