Last we saw the Nathan James crew, they had just learned of Sean Ramsey's plan to install Jeffrey Michener as President of the United States. Fortunately, this week's episode did not stumble and more than lived up to the hype of such an interesting development.
What Happened:
The main action of this episode finds Chandler and his crew formulating a plan to free Michener from Sean Ramsey's grasp. Although Ravit insists she believes Michener is being forced to do Ramsey's bidding against his will, Chandler is not so sure. Either way, everyone agrees it is best to extract Michener before the Solace crew can move him to New Orleans. As part of their plan, Chandler, Ravit, and Burk cause a bomb scare in the middle of the hotel where Michener made his presidential debut. During the ensuing commotion, Chandler "saves" Michener, thus gaining his trust and a spot on his security team.
Elsewhere, Danny and Tex ingratiate themselves among a group of Immunes who are trying to locate others like them. They plan to pass out stuffed animals infected with the virus to children in the area to find other "chosen ones." Danny is tasked with giving one of the toys to a young girl. When he warns her to run, the Immunes and the two Navy men start firing shots at one another. In the ensuing chaos, Neils, who by this point has recognized Tex, gets shot.
Quickly, this standoff spills over into the hotel. Under the hail of gunfire, Chandler, Ravit, and Burk are able to extract Michener and meet up with Tex and Danny, who have Neils in tow. Despite some struggle with the Solace crew, the team is able to reach a rendezvous point, where a Navy helicopter arrives to take them away.
Once aboard the Nathan James, Michener begins fighting with the crew, telling them that they are committing treason by holding the President against his will. The episode ends with Chandler and Slattery discussing what to do with Michener. Chandler says they must do exactly what Sean Ramsey was planning: use him to win the hearts and minds of America.
What Worked/What Didn't Work:
Although seeing the Nathan James crew trying to hide in plain sight among the Immunes was somewhat farcical due to the fact that they stuck out like sore thumbs, it was quite a treat to see them go undercover in this installment. It was refreshing to see the crew faced with circumstances different than that which they are used to. In contrast to other episodes, the crew did not have their armor or military-grade weaponry to keep them safe. Rather, they only had their wits and acting skills to get them by. Seeing this cast of characters placed in such a scenario resulted in a nice change from the norm. This episode was certainly memorable for the way it pulled off something original.
Also working in this episode's favor was the expertly-handled choreography featured throughout the hour. The episode showcased many different fight scenes, all of which kept the episode moving at a brisk pace. A standout among these fight scenes was one that took place in a kitchen. In the scene, Chandler, Ravit, and Burk must contend with the Immunes while trying to escape with Michener. Using knives, skillets, and other items found around the kitchen, the three sailors savagely take down the small army of Immunes one by one. The ferocity and dexterity with which the characters accomplished this made it seem as though the actors had been training all their lives for this fight. As evidenced by this scene, good choreography goes a long way in creating a convincing portrayal.
Random Thoughts:
*Best line of the episode- Danny (To Tex): "Whatever you say, Duck Dynasty."
*The potential Ravit/Burk romance is WAY more interesting than the Kara/Danny pairing. Just saying.
*Heavens to Betsy, Tex was wearing one ugly shirt in this episode!
Overall Episode Grade: 9 Anchors Out of 10
With this episode, The Last Ship is now past the halfway mark of the season. Here's hoping the second half of the season can live up to this well-executed installment.
