THE LAST SHIP Season 2 - discussion, spoilers and general mayhem

[Admiral2]

I vote "Free." Toothpick Boy needed to go and his death led to a major breakthrough. Win-win.

Dr. Scott did what she felt needed to be done both for her research

Yeah, as Scout101 pointed out, you're both wrong, as she clearly said (albeit in passing) that she didn't need to kill him to achieve her breakthrough.

You misunderstand. I didn't mean he needed to go to make the breakthrough work. I was listening when Dr. Scott said she didn't need his death. I'm saying he needed to go because he was a self centered prick who spread death everywhere he breathed, resulting in the deaths of billions of people. Justice is served. Screw whether it had a practical purpose. I'm sticking with "Free Rachel Scott!", just like I'm on Team Carol with the Walking Dead.

And the writing on this ep was terrific; it might be the series' best ep yet. I was hoping for a full Captain's Mast hearing and sentencing proceeding; it would have taken more time and been less intimate, but for an ep that stresses doing things by the book...

Agreed.

And that's a devastating point Chandler made about Toothpick's anti-propaganda value; Scott definitely messed up, bad.

Devastating point, yes. I care not. FREE RACHEL SCOTT!

Hurrah for Season 3!

Agreed again.

 

[FPAlpha]

I think you either missed the point or are ignoring it.. Rachel Scott committed murder, plain and simple.

The guy, when it comes to the result, is worse than any dictator before him but even Hitler and Stalin would have gotten a trial (if it would have been fair and unbiased is another thing).

They want to rebuild the society and part of that is a working justice system. It may feel good to give it to the bastard but that's exactly why it's the state who has the sole right to pass judgment and determine punishment because in theory it is believed to be the only party guaranteed to be unbiased.

If everyone went around using their own brand of justice it would be worse than the Wild West and certainly no foundation to build a modern society.

In that i was really surprised that the show went this way.. when i started it i was drawn by two things.. the military porn and the meta story about the virus.

Military Porn i get regularly on the show and it's very well done but what really surprised me is how well they handle the story and refuse to be only an ad show for the US military. They have a story to tell and they don't shy away from some Star Trek style moral issues and i find that very intriguing.

 

[Star Wolf]

I think you either missed the point or are ignoring it.. Rachel Scott committed murder, plain and simple.

The guy, when it comes to the result, is worse than any dictator before him but even Hitler and Stalin would have gotten a trial (if it would have been fair and unbiased is another thing).

They want to rebuild the society and part of that is a working justice system. It may feel good to give it to the bastard but that's exactly why it's the state who has the sole right to pass judgment and determine punishment because in theory it is believed to be the only party guaranteed to be unbiased.

If everyone went around using their own brand of justice it would be worse than the Wild West and certainly no foundation to build a modern society.

In that i was really surprised that the show went this way.. when i started it i was drawn by two things.. the military porn and the meta story about the virus.

Military Porn i get regularly on the show and it's very well done but what really surprised me is how well they handle the story and refuse to be only an ad show for the US military. They have a story to tell and they don't shy away from some Star Trek style moral issues and i find that very intriguing.

I agree and I am seeing it all over the internet when concerning this issue. Did we really forget or is everybody thinking of themselves as hard like Dexter or the Punisher?

 

[Admiral2]

I think you either missed the point or are ignoring it.. Rachel Scott committed murder, plain and simple.

Let's go with "ignoring it." In my eyes it's no more murder than the Death Penalty would be if Toothpick Boy had been tried and convicted of genocide. Dr. Scott just cut out the middleman and took direct action.

 

[Admiral2]

So, Cap'n Mal took his crew to Mr. Universe's station to send a wave to the 'verse but instead of finding Mr. U, they found Skye from Agents of SHIELD. And then the Reavers attacked.

Yes I know the referencing's getting old, but the writers are making it way too easy.

Still, a good episode, in spite of the Captain going on yet another combat mission he has no business going on. This time it almost killed him along with the other casualties.

 

[sojourner]

Didn't see that coming for Daveed.

 

[The Wormhole]

Pretty decent episode. I liked that instead of just showing Redshirts getting killed they included characters we care about as well, like Lt. Chung and Ravit. Of course, as realistic as this is, it of course creates the problem that since replacements aren't as plentiful, they risk running out of crewmembers for us to give a damn about if they keep killing them off. I know, they're nowhere near that happening yet, but it is something to keep in mind.

Although, Ravit's death didn't really surprise me too much. It isn't that I saw it coming, but I kind of figured after the scene last week where she tries to hook up with Burke and he resists one of them would be dead by end of season.

And now we got Chandler with a potentially lethal injury allowed to resume his duties? Shouldn't Doc Rios have the authority to order anyone of any rank in medical matters, and therefore keep Chandler off-duty? I know, with only a couple of episodes left in the season, it's not exciting if the lead rests up and lets everyone else do their thing instead. So we'll create drama with the shrapnel in his liver, or whatever it is likely going to give him problems until the dramatic moment in the finale when he passes out, thus fueling a cliffhanger of "will he make it?"

 

[Admiral2]

And now we got Chandler with a potentially lethal injury allowed to resume his duties? Shouldn't Doc Rios have the authority to order anyone of any rank in medical matters, and therefore keep Chandler off-duty?

I'm pretty sure it's not that simple. First, I don't think the Medical Officer aboard ship in the US Navy has anywhere near the command authority of CMOs depicted on TV. Second, even if I'm wrong about that, Doc Rios is not an officer. I don't see him making the order stick without the rest of the command staff backing him up.

'Course, they could all just get the President to make it an order. Either Chandler respects the President's authority or doesn't. That's the perfect test.

 

[sojourner]

And hey, we got a pretty concrete statement on the number of crew from the president's speech. 200

 

[The Wormhole]

Speaking of Michener, I noticed this week he was wearing a jacket with the Nathan James seal on it. Is this jacket new, or did I just miss it in previous episodes? I like it anyway, looks cool.

I'm pretty sure it's not that simple. First, I don't think the Medical Officer aboard ship in the US Navy has anywhere near the command authority of CMOs depicted on TV. Second, even if I'm wrong about that, Doc Rios is not an officer. I don't see him making the order stick without the rest of the command staff backing him up.

Good point. Under normal circumstances assuming Doc Rios had the authority to begin with, if Chandler refused Rios could always report the matter up the chain of command and either the Navy's medical higher ups or whoever Chandler's immediate superior would have been could have caused trouble for him. But since Chandler pretty much is the highest Navy authority now he really doesn't have to do anything he doesn't want to.

Though at the same time, he does have to be careful about the image he sets for his crew. Sure, everyone loves the inspiring sight of an invincible captain who walks off a burning oil rig and doesn't take more than a few hours off to rest up. But, now whenever someone else gets a similar injury they likely won't be inclined to seek proper recuperation. If the captain can continue on, so can I. Then they end up making their injury worse and die of something which could have been treated. Chandler really should show his crew it's okay to take time off to deal with injuries.

Damn, that was a pessimistic observation.

 

[Admiral2]

Speaking of Michener, I noticed this week he was wearing a jacket with the Nathan James seal on it. Is this jacket new, or did I just miss it in previous episodes? I like it anyway, looks cool.

It's probably one of those things set aside for visiting dignitaries to wear, and we haven't seen it because they haven't had anyone aboard who qualifies as a dignitary. But now they have the president, who gets his own special windbreaker when he's on Air Force One, so why not now when he's aboard Navy One?

I'm pretty sure it's not that simple. First, I don't think the Medical Officer aboard ship in the US Navy has anywhere near the command authority of CMOs depicted on TV. Second, even if I'm wrong about that, Doc Rios is not an officer. I don't see him making the order stick without the rest of the command staff backing him up.

Good point. Under normal circumstances assuming Doc Rios had the authority to begin with, if Chandler refused Rios could always report the matter up the chain of command and either the Navy's medical higher ups or whoever Chandler's immediate superior would have been could have caused trouble for him. But since Chandler pretty much is the highest Navy authority now he really doesn't have to do anything he doesn't want to.

Though at the same time, he does have to be careful about the image he sets for his crew. Sure, everyone loves the inspiring sight of an invincible captain who walks off a burning oil rig and doesn't take more than a few hours off to rest up. But, now whenever someone else gets a similar injury they likely won't be inclined to seek proper recuperation. If the captain can continue on, so can I. Then they end up making their injury worse and die of something which could have been treated. Chandler really should show his crew it's okay to take time off to deal with injuries.

Damn, that was a pessimistic observation.

Pessimistic, maybe, but still true. The Captain's actions are important because the crew always follows his lead, by instinct and design. You've laid out a worst-case-scenario, but not an impossible one. Right now Chandler's saying the dangers at hand need to be addressed before he deals with a personal injury that might or might not get worse. If the rest of the crew takes that stance, then we just have to hope that the Ramseys can be dealt with before Chandler and the other walking wounded drop dead.

 

[Kirby]

I can see an upcomming storyline dealing with Chandler and a pain killer addiction which compromises his ability to effectively lead the crew.

 

[Admiral2]

NA-VAL KOMBAAAAAT!

If only the whole series could be that satisfying. Still, I'll take what I can get and every now and again the writers offer a feast for the senses. Nicely done combat scenes and an ending full of luck.

 

[propita]

I'm willing to go along with far-fetched story lines, etc--though I'm so happy Falling Skies is finally over, I think Noah Wyle won't mind going back to The Librarian as long as he's not a goofball.

But that face-off had me! Loved the retargeting, loved the sinking, loved the rest.

Nice that the cure can spread, but it actually has to spread, as in get beyond just this one little family.

 

[sojourner]

God I hope this show doesn't pick up any out of work Falling Skies writers.

Please CBS, hire this entire production crew to do a new Star Trek show.

 

[The Wormhole]

Oh, yes, this was awesome. At first I almost thought with the way the beginning seemed to be setting up an epic showdown between the Nathan James and the sub with getting Michener and the other "valuables" off the ship we were in for a two part story to finish the season. Wasn't actually expecting them to finish off the sub this week, that kind of raises the question of what will they be doing next week? Well, we'll find out next week.

But yeah, we had a really cool fight between the Nathan James and the sub, and Slattery taking control of the missile battery and finishing off the sub was awesome!

And I am really glad we don't have to put up with the sub crew's annoying behavioural traits anymore. They panic frequently throughout the fight, when the sub takes on water they understandably want to leave but Sean threatens them at gunpoint to stay. They really were a low point this season.

 

[Admiral2]

But yeah, we had a really cool fight between the Nathan James and the sub, and Slattery taking control of the missile battery and finishing off the sub was awesome!

Slatterisms Of The Week:

"Here's the plan...win!"

"Cheers, Asshole..."

God I hope this show doesn't pick up any out of work Falling Skies writers.

Please CBS, hire this entire production crew to do a new Star Trek show.

Somebody's gotta get CBS a tape of this episode and say: "Now, imagine this, but in SPACE! (With a trek logo, of course...)

 

[Marten]

I really liked the episode, especially the naval combat part. More of that, please.

 

[sojourner]

Oh, one minor nitpick. The helo's absence was pretty glaring this episode, considering the "away team" was prepping in the empty hanger. Would have been nice if they'd had at least a single line of dialog explaining where it was.

My theory - It flew the dog to shore for a walk.

 

[Admiral2]

The helo was off laying patterns of sonobuoys to look for the sub while the ship's sonar was being repaired.

Obviously it was looking in the wrong place...