Recap: THE LAST SHIP – Sea Changes

[All photos courtesy TNT]

Episode 308: “Sea Change”
Written by Sarah H. Haught
Directed by Jennifer Lynch

The last episode was both happy and sad. The hostages were rescued, but the pressure finally got to POTUS Michener (Mark Moses) and he committed suicide.“Sea Change” begins with his memorial service in the pouring rain.

The weather matching our sentiments, I wanted to punch that smug face reporter Jacob (Devon Gummersall) as he covers the memorial service and stating, “the pressure of office and the findings of his network proved to be too much for Michener.” That may very well be true, but I still wanted to punch the smug bast … er … um … guy.

Captain Chandler (Eric Dane) exemplified my feelings perfectly. Especially while watching Peng’s (Fernando Chien) on air condolences to the US for the loss. Did everyone see Peng’s little smirk at the end? Yup, I did, too! Let’s go get him and kill him! Fortunately, I have a husband that calms me down when I get crazy. Chandler has Slattery (Adam Baldwin) and lately Sasha (Bridget Regan) to talk some sense into him for the time being. Chandler needs to talk to the new POTUS. Okay, fine.

President Howard Oliver (John Cothran) takes office and it was difficult to watch Kara (Marissa Neitling) and Allison (Elisabeth Rohm) watch him do it. The circumstances of Michener’s death make it difficult for all and I just felt so sorry for them. Oliver’s first order of business, he wants to talk to Chandler. Later, he shows in my opinion his first weakness. He gives the region leaders what they want: he lifts the rations. Kara shares her opinion, but is shut down. I was really glad she called Allison out for not speaking up, but Allison reaction was clearly based on the romantic relationship she had with Michener. When Allison says Michener left (killed himself) and we (she and Michener’s staff) shouldn’t have to enforce his policies since he could even stick around to do it himself, I’m sure my face looked just like Kara’s. Allison’s right, to a point, but she feels she was left behind and she’s feeling guilty for leaving Michener alone.

Chandler really wants to go after Wu Ming (Allen Theosky Rowe), and he does so with the new POTUS permission. Chandler gathers the team only to find out from Jesse (Dichen Lachman) who went ahead in a helicopter that the whole city of Shanzhai was up in flames. Chandler and team question Takehaya (Hiroyuki Sanada) who gives them a Chinese proverb to consider. I never get proverbs: just tell me what you mean! It means to find Wu Ming’s family and you’ll find out the information you need. Well, they set out to do just that and find Wu Ming, too!

Now, Oliver really wants proof of life videos from the hostages, and for some reason those videos just won’t go through. Aw, technology strikes again! But of course, there is something more to it, I’m sure. Kara and Alicia (Christina Elmore) try to work the problem. Kara also opens up to Alicia that she was the one that found Michener when Alicia asked her how she was doing. I really loved this scene. Not only are they coworkers, they are also friends and the words they share are a clear indication of that.

Chandler and Co. find Wu Ming with his family, but it looks as though the Chinese found him first. Chandler and Co. open fire on the room and clear it of bad guys and we get some hand to hand combat with Wolf (Bren Foster) involved. I did get a little worried he was going to lose this one there for a minute, but he makes a nice recovery and kills Lau Hu (Stephen Oyoung). Whew! Green (Travis Van Winkle) discovers some intel hanging on the wall when they realize Wu Ming doesn’t really know much. I loved that he gave Chandler his watch back — loved it even more that Chandler took it back!

On the ship, Doc Rios (Maximiliano Hernandez) is trying his best to figure out why the cure doesn’t work on Takehaya and Kyoko (Ayako Fujitani) with the help of Dr. Scott’s journals. Oh, I just loved the scene where Kyoko thanks Green for saving her son and Green carries the baby! Nothing like a man in uniform holding a baby! Aw! Okay, sorry, had to baby gush. Doc has found that Takehaya and Kyoko do have a mutated form of the virus, but they are not spreading it. Doc continues to work the problem.

The away team has figured out there are ships hauling … something. They just don’t know what. So Chandler and Co. find a yacht at sea … yes, a yacht, a really nice yacht with a guy not willing to give up his yacht. The yacht matches their intel, so the team manages to board it. They search, only to come up empty. So, they question they guy and he gives up pretty fast and shows them where and what he’s smuggling. This is where they almost lost me. Really? All this drama is for drugs … cocaine and heroin? What a cliché! UGH! But, Sasha feels just like me. This can’t be it. It isn’t. Sasha jams her big knife into the back wall and there she goes … a missile. It’s a biochemical weapon.

When one of the little bombs that are housed in the missile goes off, I nearly jumped off my couch. It was scary to see that, and the actors’ reactions were great. Peng has gotten to set these off and that’s why the cure doesn’t work on Takehaya and his wife. Doc explains that the green mist puts a bulky barrier around the cells of the virus, therefore the cure doesn’t work. This is why Peng was holding the cure. He needed to get the green mist out first. Chandler puts it all together in the end. It’s genocide: Peng is planning a genocide.

Now, we have to wait two weeks for this all to play out. It looks like they are going to give us a mid-season break, a new episode returns on August 14.

 

The Last Ship airs Sunday nights at 9/8c on TNT. For more information, visit TNT’s website.