The Last Ship Series Premiere Review: “Phase Six” (Season 1, Episode 1)

The one thing that The Last Ship does effectively is demonstrate a sense of isolation that is both necessary and horrifying, as the lack of communication between the ship and land creates an urgency within the story that’s palpable. Chandler makes the call to remain on board instead of risking his crew, which draws a line a in the sand between his ship and the rest of the world. The separation from all the unknowns on land is imperative if Dr. Scott is going to find a cure for the mutating virus before it wipes out the entire Earth population, which is the most compelling component of the series. Will she be able to find a cure before it’s too late?

Another interesting aspect is the introduction of a tangible antagonist at the very end of the episode. The mystery of how the Russians found the scientists was attributed to Dr. Scott using her satellite phone while the ship was purposely staying in the dark. From the short scene with her assistant speaking Russian though, it’s fairly obvious that that was not the cause of them being discovered. In a show where the enemy is primarily a virus, giving fans an actual person to hate adds more credence to the story, and gives viewers a reason to tune in again.

On the surface, The Last Ship has all the makings of a hit show, but the pilot has failed to capitalize on a subject matter that, given the right context, could have been very compelling. The characters and show lack a sense of originality, and frankly, for a crew that has been stuck on board a ship for the past four months, they hardly exhibit genuine camaraderie. Their concern for the well-being of each other barely extends past their own disillusioned sense of duty, which already appears to be at its breaking point. Despite the powerful choice in words from the captain, he’ll definitely have his work cut out for him, as will the show.