- Hmm...Chandler executing Shaw had a "jumping the shark" feel to it. I'm guessing Oliver will pardon Chandler, if not already, for that act. I can't imagine the real life Navy likes the idea of a CNO executing anyone without due process even if we're talking about a fictional post-apocalypse. But for me, part of the draw of The Last Ship was a relatively more optimistic post-apocalypse story where the world is salvageable due to a last ship of people who hold true to a moral and ethical code. I guess season 3 will be partly about Chandler finding himself again rather than following the common apocalypse cliche of getting darker are more brutal.
- Again, the White House has some really, really, unbelievably crappy security. Try to jump the fence at the real-life WH and you'll be put down before you run 10 yards. In this show, the WH is conveniently protected by a few glorified rent-a-cops to avoid the bad optics of Navy taking down Army beyond the football field. That security resembled Storm Troopers with their blind firing tactics.
- The storyline was mostly predictable given the trailer.
- Not sure why you hold the prisoner exchange on the plane in close quarters. Wouldn't it seem more logical to hold it right outside the plane and not even leave Tex on board?
- Hate that they killed Tex. He provided a different flavor to the inherently rigid NJ crewmembers. The only "free agent" in the crew is Wolf, but he doesn't provide the same twist like Rachel and Tex outside of martial arts.
- Also found it odd how Kara's mother and child survived while Chandler's father did not.
- I think the climax of this season would've resonated better if there had been fewer China episodes with the NJ finding about the Shaw plot earlier. That would've provided more time to flesh out the story rather than trying to hurry through it without sufficient detail in a few episodes. Ideally, a story like this reminds me of a plot from 24. I think the writers had a good idea that was too big for a summer series.
The battle and action scenes were exciting enough, as usual. I also like the general idea of showing a c**** in Chandler's figurative armor. He has seemed invincible so far but now he has to face the post-apocalyptic world head-on. The pacing was good. I'll be back next season but the powers that be need to make the NJ's adventures more plausible.
I don't consider the show as having a subtle approach to plot development, but it seemed like Shaw subtly dropped hints about next season. She didn't want to kill Chandler until they reached their final destination for some reason. There were references to a more savage world out there. Earlier in the season, Shaw told Oliver said there was a plot bigger than the both of them. I'm guessing season 3 will focus on a different continent. Can't see them having another season where a faction takes over the U.S.