S02.E06: Long Day's Journey

[HalcyonDays]

Episode synopsis: Chandler tracks a new threat to Northern Florida. Meanwhile, Rachel comes across a secret formula that her mentor, Dr. Hunter, had been perfecting.

[ottoDbusdriver]

I'm still finding it difficult to believe that Sean and Ned Ramsey put all this infrastructure in place in just 5 months in a world gone to shit.  Conquered Europe and seemingly had teams available that took out both labs in Europe.  And have established significant presences in several cities in Florida.  I just don't get why they would establish a camp so far inland in the middle of the swamp.

 

And I certainly don't buy Sean Ramsey as this charismatic leader of 'The Chosen' and self-appointed kingmaker, appointing the new POTUS.  Here's a question -- where has the HUD Secretary been all this time ?  And would anyone recognize this guy in a lineup as the HUD secretary. I'm expecting Ned Ramsey to be offed by his brother sooner than later.

 

Let's not forget the fanboat of convenience that helped Vulture Team trail the bad guys back to their camp.

 

ETA: I really enjoyed how Lt. Green was suddenly replaced on the fanboat driver's seat by some guy that looked nothing like him and had noise protection headphones on.

 

Wouldn't the active sonar ping they sent out give away their position ?  And shouldn't they be worried the British sub would hone in on it ?

 

Bivas and Wolf are back -- Bivas looks pretty hot in civvies with her hair down.

 

700 in St. Augustine

1200 in Gainesville

6000 in Clearwater

 

That's over 8000 people Sean claims to control including that hotel ballroom full of new recruits -- how did the Ramsey brothers setup shop all the way on the other side of Florida ?  How many does he control in Europe ?  Again, it just seems unlikely that all this has been setup in the last 5 months.

Edited July 20, 2015 by ottoDbusdriver

[Raja]

A cabinet secretary becomes the President after a major catastrophe followed by " have a plan", I hope they don't mess it up like was done on NuBSG

[Artsda]

I love seeing new crew Wolf and Ravit. Also their away units partnered with Tex, Chandler and Danny is fun and interesting to see what they're getting themselves into again. That's a good team chemistry they all have.

 

Rachel annoyed me this episode with her demanding what the purpose of the mission was and they had to get to a lab. It's not up to her to get to order the Navy around to tell them what their missions are.

Edited July 20, 2015 by Artsda

[Lonesome Rhodes]

They don't even know where potential pockets of folks who have not been exposed are.  What is the freaking point of a cure?  Besides...virus disease are notorious for mutation.  Cure?  Shmure.

 

I guffawed with the "big moment" when the pristine ethicist lady doc who insisted on wasting so many precious med resources to save the spy in surgery last week decided that because HER friend was murdered, it is now a supreme good to kill the bastards.  Why would any of them pay the least attention to her moralistic diatribes any more?

 

Kirk's decision to infiltrate was beyond ridiculous.  If he retained comms, he would now know that the sub was talking to the location he is now stuck in.  Without personally being at risk.  Of course, even if he had discovered the location while being miles and miles away, guess who would have refused to wipe it out because innocents would be taken out, too?  Mission, shmission.

 

Now, Kirk's mission simply must involve a way to capture SECHUD as the sole remaining cabinet officer.  The man should legitimately be sworn in as POTUS and C-I-C.  Saving the president trumps a sub any day, any week, any year, any decade.

[Dowel Jones]

So the HUD Secretary is doing a Moonwalk in the Oval Office now ("I get to be the boss").  Don't sit down quite yet, kiddo. 

 

Worst timeshare presentation in history at that hotel.  His speech reminded me of the head of Scientology's appearance in the movie "Going Clear" (They are in Florida, after all).   On the serious side, I wish they would give some sort of explanation as to why the Immunes would suddenly fall under the spell of some demagogue who preaches everything that they considered evil before the virus attack.  I wonder if the writers are trying to get us to think "Would I be one of those people"?

 

I predict the Captain and/or his squad will be captured again, necessitating another rescue from the ship. 

 

I really got a kick out of younger brother wanting to go back to England.  "It's too bloody hot here!"

Edited July 20, 2015 by Dowel Jones

[seacliffsal]

Good points everyone. I agree with everything you all stated. I'm still wondering how the trifeca of EVIL got off of the sub and to Florida when the Nathan James has been continually hunting for them. Also, Kirk (love that) is not even trying to blend in-he needs to change his demeanor. You know, take a lesson from Tex. Where was the dog this week, and when did the cook end up being a world class chef?

[ottoDbusdriver]

Worst timeshare presentation in history at that hotel.

 

That is exactly what it reminded me of --  complete with Sean Ramsey yelling out "I love you too" to the crowd.  Come on, the one thing this guy does not exude is lovable.  And why is he so afraid of going back to the UK ?  I wouldn't be surprised if there are several naval superiors back there that would take away that sub from him.

 

Seriously, he couldn't find Tony Robbins in the aftermath and use him as a puppet.  

 

And how did he find the HUD secretary if the last place he was located was in Tallahassee (which is a 150 or so miles from that hotel -- is the Last Ship turning into 'Revolution' with the ridiculous overland travel times).  Let alone where did he get that video clip from -- did they power up the local TV station and start pouring through archives after they found HUDsec ?  Why wouldn't HUDsec have been trying to re-form the gov't on his own ?

 

I'm still wondering how the trifeca of EVIL got off of the sub and to Florida when the Nathan James has been continually hunting for them.

 

They would have had to meet a boat somewhere off the coast -- and that surface contact would have given away the sub's position.  So, yeah, how exactly with the NJ actively hunting them did they get on shore ?  Plus, wasn't the sub supposed to be making repairs to the "acoustic matting they scraped off in the canyon" or whatever -- can't really do that submerged and moving.

[Frost]

Kirk's decision to infiltrate was beyond ridiculous.

 

I thought this too.  No mission is too small for the captain to rush into danger, thereby proving his heroism!  Chandler running around on-shore leading missions is ludicrous.  In Baltimore it made sense, since they initially thought it was a safe harbor.  I didn't even really mind when Chandler went to that ship with the lone survivor last season because at least the writers had him make personal contact with her over the radio first.  But deliberately leaving the ship to lead a dangerous reconnaissance mission when there's no necessity for him to go absolutely supports the idea that he's just out for revenge - it also sends a message to his team that he doesn't trust them.  Obviously Eric Dane doesn't want to stay on board all the time but the writers need to come up with better reasons for him to lead these missions.

[Mars477]

You guys are right: that was pretty goddamn stupid.  Whatever is wrong with just taking a prisoner and torturing the fuck out of him or her until they talk?  It'd still be a less dumb plan than infiltrating the hostile camp full of armed guards while half your number is unarmed and you have no backup.

 

Ravit is cute in her civvies, but if she gets held at gunpoint next week because she's the girl I'm going to be annoyed.

[Human]

Well, looks like the Nathan James is going to finally have to violate a direct command for their Commander in Chief.  It was sort of funny watching "Kirk" look around at all the American flags cheering on the new president, and then us knowing that he's so totally not going to obey orders.  

 

They really should have pushed some of this stuff to next season because it really doesn't make sense that these sub people have been this successful in such a short period of time.  Also, did I hear correctly or did the dude who made the virus seriously get excited about walking around and infecting everyone?  And did he tell the submariners that he was the virus' creator?  Is he trying to campaign for god or something?

[HalcyonDays]

Worst timeshare presentation in history at that hotel.  His speech reminded me of the head of Scientology's appearance in the movie "Going Clear" (They are in Florida, after all).

 

That is exactly what I thought too. And weren't they in Clearwater, FL at the time? Someone on the writing staff obviously hates Scientology (good person) because that speech and the sheep cheering about it was totally creepy but amusing at the same time.

 

Younger brother with the short fuse is going to lose it again and Older brother is gonna take him. Ned is too easy to snap and Sean isn't going to hesitate to take him out. Still don't know how these two "took over" Europe. If Ned returns, I am sure there are going to be other factions who want the power, and will take him and his people out.

 

Still, fun episode.

[iMonrey]

I'm just having a hard time buying what the show is selling this season. It's a consequence of trying stretch a story beyond it's logical conclusion, really, and they did OK for the first couple of episodes, but this whole cult thing just isn't working for me. They really lost me when they all decided to disguise themselves in civilian clothing and get on the bus along with the rest of these sheep just to find out where they were going. I mean, really? Is this the best they could come up with for this season? 

[OSM Mom]

I take this as fun light summer fare and try not to analyze it too closely.

[econ07]

Once the Nathan James found the cure and then dealt with the emergency situation in Baltimore, shouldn't they have attempted to reestablish the chain of command by finding the person next in line for the presidency?  They just took off on some new unknown mission without protecting and defending the constitution?

 

Also, no way a HUD secretary would work through this group, and not claim the presidency legitimately, unless they have something on him.  I'm thinking one of his kids is immune and they have the kid hostage.

 

But I still love this show for some unknown reason, even with all the inconsistencies.

[Human]

I think that might have been a more interesting conflict, if the Nathan James had found a chain of command, maybe that chain was lower that the HUD sec.  Later the Nathan James and their new pres stumble across this immunity cult. 

 

I really adore this show, even when it's outrageous.  I don't mind suspending disbelief.  But there is definitely a limit to these things.  Five months to total domination exceeds that limit.  

 

Very good point about them having something over HUD secretary.  He didn't look all that excited, he seemed very conflicted before he got up to the podium and put his game face on.  

[thuganomics85]

Holy crap, America has gotten so bad that Mark Moses is the new President?!  I shudder to think of what Duck Phillips would do with all that power!  A lot of drinking, I'm sure!

 

So, basically were taking the "it's personal" route, where Chandler is so hell-bent on taking down the submarine and the Ramsey bros, that he couldn't care less about finding new ways to distribute the cure and has now infiltrating a base that he knows barely anything about, and without any contact with the Nathan James or any kind of back-up outside of maybe five people.  At least Wolf and Ravit are back.  Burk's tongue pretty much fell on the floor seeing Ravit in civilian clothes, so I can only imagine how he will react whenever he sees her in her underwear (because that is totally going to have to happen at some point).  Wolf, of course, is badass enough to just jump out of moving vehicle like it ain't no thing.  And I loved him sneaking into the camp with that big-ass bag on his back.  Pay no attention to that suspicious Australian with a huge backpack, folks!  Nothing to see here!

 

Scott's got a new plan, which is building off of a plan her mentor cooked up, which is spreading a cure through the air instead of injections.  And it apparently involves corn starch or something?  I can't make heads or tails of it, but I'm sure it will somehow workout.

 

At least Slattery and crew took about the bad guy's communication device, so they've got that going for them.

 

Obligatory Northern-born Green is goofy with the Southern terms, while Tex thrives and fits right in.

 

Poor Master Chief.  It's hard trying to be the reasonable one, when everyone else just wants to blow and shoot shit up.

[MissLucas]

Well I try and look at this as mindless summer fun but it gets harder and harder (with Zoo I can at least laugh at the silliness). I just can't wrap my head around the cult taking control over two continents within a couple of months with one sub. Just not working for me - and what about those people who are immune and don't want to jump on the apocalyptic bandwagon? Cult leader also lacks serious charisma to help me brush over all those problems. And I don't understand Nielsen as a character at all - what was his motivation to join the cult? The character made little sense last season and even less this season - except being a weaselly villain of course. Apparently they use him now to spread the disease into so far untouched regions, sounds like another efficient plan.

[xaxat]

I like the show, but agree with everyone that the immune cult is a loser plot. I keep thinking, "This is America! We'll have no problem developing our own crazy charismatic leaders. And they will probably be armed to the teeth and would go through a group of strangers with foreign accents and guns like a knife through butter."

 

I also have a problem with the sub versus the Nathan James dynamic. Given the dysfunction on the sub, the Nathan James should have no problem hunting them down. Contrast the professionalism of the Nathan James when they ran silent with the guys on the sub who probably crank Metallica on eleven 24/7.

[RustbeltWriter]

I liked the beginning of the 2nd season but now it's all gone loopy. I don't understand how the showrunners expect us to believe that modern society fell due to a lack of communication and modern conveniences but in the corresponding time the immune group was able to rise up, decide on a philosophy, establish themselves well enough to conquer Europe and then export their craziness to the US. I'm also puzzled how Chandler was able to infiltrate the White House but the 12th guy down in line of succession was apparently chilling and doing nothing to fulfill his responsibilities. 

 

The show is going a little left of center for me.

[iMonrey]

Plus, the idea of a post-apocalyptic world that falls under the power of some kind of ideal-driven cult is a trope that has been done to death. It feels like not much effort or imagination went into devising a premise for this season that could keep the story going - they went the lazy route and used a tired cliche when a little effort might have yielded something more reasonable and realistic. Certainly the premise established in the first season had plenty of potential for something a little more - oh, I don't know - Navy related. There had to be other things that would have made better use of that ship.

 

The action scenes are so well done that the individual episodes are still pretty entertaining and the characters are engaging for the most part but when it comes to the story itself they kind of took a wrong turn IMO. It's only going to hurt them in the long run if they want multiple seasons of this show because the direction it's going in can't lead to anywhere good, it's just going to get sillier and sillier.

[GoMocs]

They need to tie up the story in a nice pretty bow and end it this summer.  As many of yall are saying this show will lose its way. Tell a good story and end it. Then come up with another good story. Don't keep coming up with ridiculous plot lines to keep the show going.

[MajorMarket]

As others have said, the "British ragtag sub crew takes over Europe (with bonus swampy Florida!)" plot line is pretty ludicrous.  Timeline and actual logistics are way off even for a summer popcorn adventure series like this.

 

Between the Russian sub and shoot 'em up in Baltimore, I'd think the Nathan James would want to sail for cooler climates and just focus on the plain vanilla mission of building a better cure delivery system AND looking for their families.  (What ever happened to Captain Stoic's promise to the crew to go looking for their families?)

 

If the chain of command gets broken by Capt. Chandler refusing to accept SecHUD's orders, the XO could just say:  "Hey, let's leave the nutty cult story line behind and go find our families.  XO out!"  And, the Nathan James would sail away leaving Chandler, Tex, Green, and the rest in beautiful Florida.  I mean, if the wheels are coming off, let's not do it half-way.  Full wheels off!  :)

 

Yet, despite all of this, I'm still watching albeit a week behind.  This episode had the definite eye candy of Wolf and Green stripping off their shirts.  Moar, please.  And, badass Wolf jumping out of a moving truck.  And, Green showing his Connecticut awkwardness.  Cute.

 

[Raja]

As others have said, the "British ragtag sub crew takes over Europe (with bonus swampy Florida!)" plot line is pretty ludicrous.  Timeline and actual logistics are way off even for a summer popcorn adventure series like this.

 

Between the Russian sub and shoot 'em up in Baltimore, I'd think the Nathan James would want to sail for cooler climates and just focus on the plain vanilla mission of building a better cure delivery system AND looking for their families.  (What ever happened to Captain Stoic's promise to the crew to go looking for their families?)

 

 

They were home ported in Norfolk and those who families where there have gotten to look for them. One Lieutenant's mother was even there I guess the odds of that happening  a parent, not a  spouse or children, was even higher then being part of the 1% naturally immune unless she is a Navy brat and her folks retired in Norfolk by coincidence..