Setting Sail on The Last Ship – Tommy Anderson
In June of 2015 I was very happy to have been selected by the TNT Network to be a member of the Press Round-table for their hit
television series “The Last Ship” at the 2015 Comic-Con Convention in San Diego, California.
In full disclosure I have been a big fan of the show since it first started on television in 2014 for a number of reasons. I will elaborate
on those later in this article. Being a fan, plus my own military experience, helped me formulate questions and discussions that I
would have later with the creator/executive producer of the series and cast members.
For those unfamiliar with the series its premise is a story about the crew of the fictitious United States Naval Destroyer U.S.S.
Nathan James (DDG-151) while being on assignment in the Arctic Circle avoids a plague that has rapidly ravaged the world. The
story is taken from the popular post-apocalyptic novel of the same name written by William Brinkley in 1988.
The ship is commanded by the Captain, Commander Thomas Chandler (Eric Dane) and his executive officer Commander Mike
Slattery (Adam Baldwin) who led their crew of over 200 officers and seaman in a fight to develop a cure for this plague while
searching for other survivors. Also with the crew is Doctor Rachel Scott (Rhona Mitra) who is an expert in viruses.
While doing this the Captain, XO, and their crew realize that they are possibly the only survivors left on earth and how they will deal
with that situation. They also have to realize that if they are not, what future do they have after this event? With no communications
from Washington or any other military commands they are on their own.
But part of the success of the show besides the well written episodes is that the Captain and Crew maintain their military
commitment to the United States and the United States Navy. In other apocalyptic series we have seen a total breakdown of the
government and the military in to rogue elements. Through the episodes the crew has encountered some wild bands of individuals,
government officials and their followers, and even a Russian battleship who have gone rogue but the American