After watching a few episodes it became apparent to me that
the show draws inspiration from the 2012 movie Battleship; the sea warfare theme, the overall pace and setting,
and even the title text. The pilot introduces viewers to the plot, with every
episode after having individual plots, while still working towards the larger
long-term plot. Most of the individual episodes are set on land, and take away
from the full-on sea warfare, which perhaps makes sense from a budget
standpoint, though I’d have liked more war-games at sea with the destroyer.
Some episodes end with intense cliffhangers, while some others don’t; but the
overall pace of the show is calm for most part, though the plot conflicts are
purportedly grave. Some episodes are reminiscent of the cold war, which was an interesting
setting in today’s day and age, wherein cold war themes are considered quite
passé. With just 10 episodes in the first season, it’s a short season. The show
is interesting to watch, though not the most gripping. It’s hard to say if
it’ll get another successful season. If you’re into post-apocalyptic themes,
like battleships, and enjoy action TV shows, certainly give this one a watch.
But if those themes don’t sound fun to you, or if you’re looking for all out
sea battle, The Last Ship may not be
the best suited.
With an exception of Rhona Mitra, most other cast members are fairly unknown. The lead male role of Commanding Officer Tom Chandler is played by Eric Dane; though unfamiliar with his past work, he did a decent job, meshing the family element, while also taking on a strong commanding role, with vision and wisdom. Rhona Mitra plays Dr. Rachel Scott, who leads the scientific piece of the plot, and gives a performance in line with the rest of her work. It’s a strong character, with a lot resting on her shoulders, and some internal struggles at play; overall dealt by Rhona effectively. Marissa Neitling plays Lt. Kara Foster, who does a good job of seeming fairly junior, and overwhelmed by the turn of events. She is very expressive with her eyes, and it would be interesting to see her in other roles.
The content I was sampling was an 1080p HD rip of what I’m guessing is HDTV content. It could also be from a Bluray source though. Sound was presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround. I didn’t notice any post-production tones or hues, video looked natural, and sound in the action sequences was ample. Picture was mostly clear, and some of the outdoor scenes and visuals were quite nice. On a big screen I’d imagine it’d be quite picturesque.
My Recommendation: Watch It (A post-apocalyptic action serial set at sea)
With an exception of Rhona Mitra, most other cast members are fairly unknown. The lead male role of Commanding Officer Tom Chandler is played by Eric Dane; though unfamiliar with his past work, he did a decent job, meshing the family element, while also taking on a strong commanding role, with vision and wisdom. Rhona Mitra plays Dr. Rachel Scott, who leads the scientific piece of the plot, and gives a performance in line with the rest of her work. It’s a strong character, with a lot resting on her shoulders, and some internal struggles at play; overall dealt by Rhona effectively. Marissa Neitling plays Lt. Kara Foster, who does a good job of seeming fairly junior, and overwhelmed by the turn of events. She is very expressive with her eyes, and it would be interesting to see her in other roles.
The content I was sampling was an 1080p HD rip of what I’m guessing is HDTV content. It could also be from a Bluray source though. Sound was presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround. I didn’t notice any post-production tones or hues, video looked natural, and sound in the action sequences was ample. Picture was mostly clear, and some of the outdoor scenes and visuals were quite nice. On a big screen I’d imagine it’d be quite picturesque.
My Recommendation: Watch It (A post-apocalyptic action serial set at sea)
