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TNT’s ‘The Last Ship’ – Pilot Review Plus Set Visit

By: Robert Prentice
The Last Ship

What whats our take on the pilot?

The pilot had a very cinematic feel to it, nothing like a TV show, you can feel Michael Bay’s touch on the show. The plot isn’t all that original and reminds me of Helix on Syfy meets Crimson Tide. The cast is well rounded and the military aspects of the story are sound. They are walking on the edge of several cliches at the moment that I hope they will not fall into as the season continues. The first one being the doctors partner is really a Russian spy, thats been over done and hopefully isn’t a dominating story arc. The second is the Captain/XO disagreement. I expect they will be at each other with a decision of not going home, but lets not turn this into a Crimson Tide style mutiny among the crew over who is right and who is wrong. The other downside is I am not invested in any one character that I care about. It is only the first episode and I hope they start to flesh out the characters a bit more in the second episode.

Set Visit

Our very own Nicole Sixx got the chance to visit the set of TNT’s new summer drama The Last Ship. The show is produced by a big name in action movie making Michael Bay. That makes this project a huge risk for TNT but if it works, it would add to an already stellar summer line up for the network with Falling Skies, Major Crimes and Rizzoli and Isles.

Here is a quick overview of the shows plot:

Their mission is simple: Find a cure. Stop the virus. Save the world. When a global pandemic wipes out eighty percent of the planet’s population, the crew of a lone naval destroyer must find a way to pull humanity from the brink of extinction. Executive Producer Michael Bay presents The Last Ship, starring Eric Dane, Rhona Mitra and Adam Baldwin. Coming to TNT in 2014.

Part of making a TV series that involves the Navy appear real and accurate both in its officers and its ships, the show involves lesions from the Navy to help give input on all aspects of Navy actions to ensure a realistic feel to the show.

Rhona Mitra plays Dr. Rachel Scott and she is the key to helping humanity survive this global pandemic. When asked what it was like having to prepare to be a doctor on the show, Rhona explained she has some experience in this arena and where her character is coming from:

I was raised with a surgeon as a father. I grew up in a home which had a tunnel that connected our home to my fathers clinic. My father would always be dictating on a recorder so I would overhear his conversations and I grabbed on to that. My characters motivation is similar in that what drives her are events that happen in her childhood. I have spent a lot of time with virologists the last few years studying mold.

She is a rogue scientist at the start and as the world is presented with this virus, everyone begins trying to determine how to deal with it. Dr Scott has a reputation of going against the gain and using ‘back-alley’ tactics to get great results. She is put to the task to find the original strain of this virus in the arctic.

When talking with Mr. Baldwin about his character, Nicole learned that there will be a lot of science and possibly some science fiction aspect to the show that will help draw in a more diverse group of viewers. TNT has already had success drawing in families and science fiction genre viewers with its summer hit Falling Skies.

When asked why people are fascinated with end of the world scenarios Baldwin had this to say:

Its strangers in a strange land. Its normal people in extraordinary situations. And who doesn’t like to watch a train wreck?

Typically the relationship between a first officer and his captain can be either fierce loyalty or a challenging of leadership. What is the relationship between your characters?

I try to walk that fine line between challenging him and loyalty. We need to have the leadership and discipline to survive and he has not given me anything to doubt him up until now. Its my role to challenge him and question those decisions to ensure everyone is making the right choice.

Eric Dane comes from a family of military members. When it comes to acting the part, he says he follows most of what he is told but the one liberty he takes that is normally considered a sign of disrespect in the military is putting his hands in his pockets. He didn’t take much time in choosing to be a part of this show.

I met with Michael Bay and he pitched this idea to me and gave me the script. And it was honestly one of the best pilots I had ever read. I don’t look at this show as survival so much as preserving the future.

Tell us what you thought of the premiere and check out this video about what its like working on a real ship.

 

 

 

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