The Last Ship - Discussion Thread (spoilers possible)

[The Wormhole]

Can they risk a helicopter extraction?

Hey, this got me thinking, where is the Nathan James's helicopter kept? Dr. Scott has taken over the helicopter bay as her lab, and we don't see it sitting on the pad all the time. Is it always in flight (what a waste of fuel) or does the Nathan James have another helicopter bay?

The Nathan James has 2 helicopter bays. One to port and one to starboard.

Ah, makes sense. I just remembered in the pilot episode they kept talking about the lab being in "the helicopter bay," making it sound like the only one.

Except for the scene where the Captain held the fuse in the first episode, I like that the Captain actually lets his specialists do their jobs. There were three instances in this last episode where if this were Star Trek, the captain would have jumped in and saved the day, but Chandler was seen standing back watching his crew work:
1. The seal leader was running the op. In Trek, Sisko would have done it.
2. When Dr. Whats-his-name was trying to kidnap Dr. Whats-her-name, and was in a standoff in the mess hall, the Captain let his security team take him down. In Trek Kirk would have punched him while Spock went in for the nerve pinch, and security would have shown up 6 seconds later.
3. When they were navigating through the canal, the bridge crew was working hard to keep on course while the Captain stood back and let them do their thing. In Star Trek, Picard once took the helm to get them out of a booby trap because he's the Captain.

Interesting observation. Though I'm sure before the season is done Chandler is going to end up getting his hands dirty in a manner more likely to have been done by a Trek captain than an actual US Navy captain.

Although, it is Chandler who's been leading the teams that leave the ship in each episode, leaving Slattery in command. In Trek, this would be like Riker staying behind while Picard leads the away team.

 

[Kirby]

Although, it is Chandler who's been leading the teams that leave the ship in each episode, leaving Slattery in command. In Trek, this would be like Riker staying behind while Picard leads the away team.

I thought about that, and I wonder if Slattery doesn't have the ground combat experience necessary to lead a strike team.
It would be interesting to learn a little backstory on these guys.

 

[Vendikarr]

Although, it is Chandler who's been leading the teams that leave the ship in each episode, leaving Slattery in command. In Trek, this would be like Riker staying behind while Picard leads the away team.

I thought about that, and I wonder if Slattery doesn't have the ground combat experience necessary to lead a strike team.
It would be interesting to learn a little backstory on these guys.

I wouldn't be surprised to learn Chandler has some SEAL training in his background, and later transitioned to a command track. I am not sure how often this happens in the real world, but we are talking about television here.

 

[The Wormhole]

Although, it is Chandler who's been leading the teams that leave the ship in each episode, leaving Slattery in command. In Trek, this would be like Riker staying behind while Picard leads the away team.

I thought about that, and I wonder if Slattery doesn't have the ground combat experience necessary to lead a strike team.
It would be interesting to learn a little backstory on these guys.

Good point. And yeah, I'd love to find out more about their pre-apocalypse life. Hell, I think a series about the Nathan James in the "normal" world would be just as good as this show is.

 

[sojourner]

I wouldn't be surprised to learn Chandler has some SEAL training in his background, and later transitioned to a command track.

Magnum P.I. did the same thing.

 

[J.T.B.]

Magnum P.I. did the same thing.

Well... Magnum did wear SWO water-wings on his uniform in an early episode, but in later appearances it was corrected so he wore the SEAL Budweiser and no SWO pin. What's seen of his navy past shows him firmly in the Special Warfare field, and the way his career timeline works out there's not much time for him for him to get in much ship driving between his Vietnam missions and his counter-intelligence work.

I tried to watch this series, but there was too much dumb stuff and I gave up. When I heard about it I didn't put it together with the William Brinkley book, which I read over 20 years ago. It did make me want to go back and re-read the book. It is much more Joseph Conrad than Tom Clancy, I never would have guessed it would be the (loose) basis for an action-heavy TV series. But for those to whom a fairly dense 500+ page novel might appeal, I would recommend it. Also his The Ninety and Nine, about a small amphibious ship in WW2. One of the great American sea writers.

 

[sojourner]

Magnum P.I. did the same thing.

Well... Magnum did wear SWO water-wings on his uniform in an early episode, but in later appearances it was corrected so he wore the SEAL Budweiser and no SWO pin. What's seen of his navy past shows him firmly in the Special Warfare field, and the way his career timeline works out there's not much time for him for him to get in much ship driving between his Vietnam missions and his counter-intelligence work.

Spoiler: the Magnum finale

In the series finally he returns to the Navy as a ship Captain.

 

[J.T.B.]

Spoiler: the Magnum finale

In the series finally he returns to the Navy as a ship Captain.

I don't think so, he appears in uniform and says the he re-upped, but what his job will be is not mentioned.

 

[Star Wolf]

I wouldn't be surprised to learn Chandler has some SEAL training in his background, and later transitioned to a command track.

Magnum P.I. did the same thing.

Just this one time can we have a sailor character who was not a SEAL, ,,,please it has been going on since Magnum P.I. premiered

Actually I don't think that the Naval Mountain Warfare team sent on the mission are actual SEALs either

 

[sojourner]

Spoiler: the Magnum finale

In the series finally he returns to the Navy as a ship Captain.

I don't think so, he appears in uniform and says the he re-upped, but what his job will be is not mentioned.

Watch the episode again. When he's talking to the Navy Officer the officer tells him he could have a command if he re-upped.

 

[J.T.B.]

Watch the episode again. When he's talking to the Navy Officer the officer tells him he could have a command if he re-upped.

What he said was, "you could have your own ship by now." He can't have meant Magnum would literally go back into the Navy that way, no Special Warfare officer who's been out of the service for ten years is going to be dropped in ahead of black shoes who have been at sea working their way up as div-o's, department heads and XOs all that time. That would be absurd. The guy who was making the pitch was a SEAL, too, so it's much more likely that he was trying to get Magnum back into the Special Ops community, which would certainly benefit more from Magnum's skills and experience.

 

[sojourner]

Ah, is that the line? It's been nearly 30 years since I saw the episode.

 

[Star Wolf]

Ah, is that the line? It's been nearly 30 years since I saw the episode.

I was assuming by getting a "command" he was getting a SEAL Team or Intelligence unit. Lehman and Reagan were building up the Navy but it wasn't 1942 with the need to put a recalled Ready Reservist in command of a ship. but being the Navy a visual besides the white suit would be Magnum standing on a ship

 

[The Wormhole]

I didn't enjoy this week's as much as the previous three. I guess they can't always be kick ass action adventures, and I am okay with the occasional character piece. But this sure got dreary. Interestingly enough, the story of this episode kind of parallels the book, in that they have a rough journey across the sea which nearly sees the end of the crew, but they are saved by arriving at a miraculous island. Although they accomplished in forty minutes what the book dwells on for two to three hundred pages.

I'm starting to wonder if the romantic subplot between the SEAL and the bridge officer is something that was forced onto the show, because it is the one part of the show the writers don't seem to be trying with. After awkwardly trying to avoid each other, the SEAL gets pissed at guys who look at his ex-girlfriend only to find out in the end she's moved on is with another guy. Uggh.

 

[Admiral2]

Frankly, the SEAL needs to get over himself. It was his idea for them to not be together in the first place, so he has no right to be upset that she moved on.

Actually, I kinda liked this episode, even without all the action. I was thinking that Star Trek should be written like this.

 

[The Wormhole]

I was thinking that Star Trek should be written like this.

I've actually been thinking that all along. Transplant the Nathan James into space and you'd have the perfect Star Trek series. Well, without the plague stuff, obviously.

Actually, do a Star Trek series that really is about a ship beyond the Federation's boarders on a mission of exploration would be the perfect parallel. They have limited contact with home and their families, and when the ship breaks down they have to deal with it themselves rather than limping to the nearest starbase.

 

[Admiral2]

I was thinking that Star Trek should be written like this.

I've actually been thinking that all along. Transplant the Nathan James into space and you'd have the perfect Star Trek series. Well, without the plague stuff, obviously.

Actually, do a Star Trek series that really is about a ship beyond the Federation's boarders on a mission of exploration would be the perfect parallel. They have limited contact with home and their families, and when the ship breaks down they have to deal with it themselves rather than limping to the nearest starbase.

Trek's creators were closest to that with the original series, then the idea got totally crapped on with TNG and the instant tea-time chats between captains and admirals in different star systems.

What I really meant was little things like using jargon (Ship) versus technobabble (Trek) and how much more authoritative a captain with some gray hair can seem when compared to a snot just out of the Academy. (Are you hearing me, JJ?)

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Ugh, not really in the mood for one of these spinning our wheels episodes.

 

[sojourner]

I loved the little look the contractor guy gave when he realized the Seal and the female Lt. had a thing for each other. Very subtle.

 

[Admiral2]

^^^What surprised me was it took the contractor guy that long. He completely missed the daggers the SEAL was staring at him when he first spied the lieutenant and started panting over her.