S01.E05: Collapse

[Drogo]

Jason and the SEAL team must navigate the contentious evacuation on an embassy in South Sudan when the country becomes increasingly unstable. Meanwhile, Clay and Stella take their relationship to the next level.

[Ohmo]

Honestly, if at this point, TPTB went to the actor who plays Clay and released him from his contract, I would not be sad, especially since Clay's friend appears to have been killed in the parachuting accident.  I liked HIM better than I like Clay.  If someone is needed to take Nate's spot, whip Michael Irby's character out of training the selection class and put him on the team.  No muss, no fuss, no more blasted Clay, and I'd totally buy Michael Irby's character on the team because I bought that before several years ago.

Finally---we are hearing more names!  Ray and Lisa Davis, both of whom I like, and I thought Lisa was a badass with that gun.  Also got the distinct impression that the dude on the team who can't swim has a thing for Lisa.  I like that guy, too.

Thought the mission stuff in South Sudan was pretty good, with Jason dealing with the soldier at the checkpoint and then telling the guys to call their shots when they came through the same checkpoint hours later.

I was a little confused on the individual burn box concept.  Why would each member have his (or her in the case of Lisa) own burn box?  Wouldn't all sensitive mission material be routinely destroyed after each mission?  I don't understand why a box for each person would be necessary.

Oh...no Cerberus in this episode, but I saw him in the preview, so we'll probably see him next week.

Edited October 26, 2017 by Ohmo

[Raja]

15 minutes ago, Ohmo said:

.  If someone is needed to take Nate's spot, whip Michael Irby's character out of training the selection class and put him on the team.  No muss, no fuss, no more blasted Clay, and I'd totally buy Michael Irby's character on the team because I bought that before several years ago.

 

I bought it last TV season  but Taken, before they fired the staff, was more like The Brave

[piequinn35]

56 minutes ago, Ohmo said:

Finally---we are hearing more names!  Ray and Lisa Davis, both of whom I like, and I thought Lisa was a badass with that gun.  Also got the distinct impression that the dude on the team who can't swim has a thing for Lisa.  I like that guy, too.

That's Sonny! The only guys that have lines are Jason, Ray and Sonny, the other Seals are just there for numbers. Jason got promoted to Master Chief. Crowley was a douchebag. 

RIP Brian ?

[Irishmaple]

Well, damn! The show fridged Brian. Yeah, I’m not happy. If anyone’s parachute had to fail, Brian would not have been my pick. Now I get to enjoy more of Clay’s angst. I’m not blaming the actor because he’s doing a great job of personifying an entitled, defiant muppet but I wouldn’t miss Clay if he left either.

Stella is coming off really weird and clingy to me. First she wants to meet the Dad after a handful of hookups and then she shows up at Clay’s work so people will know she’s with him. Time to dial it back, Stella, when your boyfriend is talking about feeling stalked. I hope Clay doesn’t have a pet rabbit.

The embassy stuff was really good though. I was tense as hell as Jason, the guy whose name I don’t know, and the two extras were driving around the city. And then the interim ambassador left two people and the flag behind, giving Jason a chance to think on his feet and come up with a decent plan. I thought the CIA officer would notice that Davis had been left behind. The show really needs to concentrate on the mission end because the relationship drama is woeful.

[Chaos Theory]

I think this was the first episode I actively liked instead of just watched.  The ‘A’ storyline was compelling and the ‘B’ plot was a good old fashioned kick in the gut.   I don’t particularly like Clay but his friendship with his...uhhh friend was one of the nice things about his overall arch.  That being said.  Killing off his friend in that way goes to show how dangerous the line of work truly is.  There is only so much you can prepare for.  Shit happens.

[sigmaforce86]

I liked this one - I think I'm liking it a little more each time.  The "rescue" of the week was more interesting although they could have pulled back on Crowley a bit, he was a little over the top in his dismissive authority and his cluelessness.  Even Clay wasn't so bad, I just need to figure out if Stella is needy or the leader in the relationship.  If it were reversed, Clay wants to meet her Mother, Clay comes to her place of work as a surprise would most people find that weird or stalky?  Not sure.

I think Brian's death was pretty much telegraphed the minute the announced the parachute exercise (when you realize how much screen time he'd been given up until then compared to other episodes) but there was still a good amount of suspense when each of the other guys took their helmets off...........we were counting with Clay, not him OK maybe the next guy, not him either well one more helmet left maybe Brian lived.  Will this give him and Jason something to bond over I wonder?  Something has to eventually happen to bring their two stories together.

The only thing that's not so compelling is the "C Plot" - what was Nate up to.  Maybe if they hadn't killed him in the first episode, let the viewer get to know the character we could care more about his past and secrets but right now it feels like there's no connection there.

[CooperTV]

I've rewatched 13 Hours (The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi) recently, so I can see where the writers got their inspiration with the embassy evac and the main dude/acting ambassador being an useless weasel ass. Still, not enough street shootings and 'splosions! Otherwise it was quite tense, if a bit unfocused episode. We've seen a little of The Redneck Sniper Guy who had a nice small thing at the end when he was about to strangle the Weasel Guy. Also, the entire "Good to see you, Davis. -- Good to be seen" exchange and the Ray/Davis interactions were gold! I still think the show needs to deepen its characters, especially the secondary ones, a lot more. Because right now I feel like we know Dead Nate better than the SEAL Team.

Every Clay scene was awkwardly cut into the main plot, it was annoying. I still don't care about his romantic life, and his girlfriend is obnoxious. And now they killed of that poor nice guy, Clay's BFF. Could they kill Clay instead? I hope at least that after the initial six or so episodes the writers will course-correct with the Clay angle, Jason's family life weirdness and other things that so far don't work as well as they should.

[Irishmaple]

3 hours ago, sigmaforce86 said:

If it were reversed, Clay wants to meet her Mother, Clay comes to her place of work as a surprise would most people find that weird or stalky?  Not sure.

Honestly, that’s the only reason I’m jumping on it. I’ve seen a few Woman In Peril movies that start with the guy pushing past reasonable boundaries. I don’t pay much attention to Clay’s scenes but I think he was initially reluctant to have any contact with his father and only agreed when Stella persisted. Her showing up at the gate was played as cute when, reversed, it could be seen as controlling. I’m seeing red flags but maybe the show thinks its writing a fun relationship.

Edited October 26, 2017 by Irishmaple

[TV Anonymous]

Good episode afterall, even though I have to echo the Master Chief (was he not a Senior Chief two weeks ago?) concern. Why is JSOC involved in this? Even if the host country denied offer to deploy a MEU, there are other units perfectly capable of doing what transpired in this episode. IMO, it is a waste of major assets of sending them there doing that kind of mission.

As much as I dislike Clay character, his arc as an aspiring DEVGRU is good. It show the evolution of how a Sailor becomes an Operator. Other thing that I like about this show (but not in this particular episode) is their planning sessions. IMHO it what makes this show different with others that seem just relying on their wits and fly by the seat of their pants.

While skydiving accidents do happen, I do not understand why this one happens. It is established that they are already qualified in free-fall jump. Brian manages to release his primary, his reserve should deploy soon. Even if he is unable to deploy the reserve, there is always the AAD that will deploy the reserve at certain altitude and speed.

Disappointing nit is when PO1 Davis told Acting Ambassador Crowley to call MARCENT in MacDill AFB to have them evacuated.  South Sudan is not in CENTCOM area of responsiblity. It is AFRICOM. I understand that most conflicts lately happen in CENTCOM AOR, but CENTCOM is not the one managing forces around the world.

[Raja]

2 hours ago, TV Anonymous said:

Good episode afterall, even though I have to echo the Master Chief (was he not a Senior Chief two weeks ago?) concern. Why is JSOC involved in this? Even if the host country denied offer to deploy a MEU, there are other units perfectly capable of doing what transpired in this episode. IMO, it is a waste of major assets of sending them there doing that kind of mission.

As much as I dislike Clay character, his arc as an aspiring DEVGRU is good. It show the evolution of how a Sailor becomes an Operator. Other thing that I like about this show (but not in this particular episode) is their planning sessions. IMHO it what makes this show different with others that seem just relying on their wits and fly by the seat of their pants.

While skydiving accidents do happen, I do not understand why this one happens. It is established that they are already qualified in free-fall jump. Brian manages to release his primary, his reserve should deploy soon. Even if he is unable to deploy the reserve, there is always the AAD that will deploy the reserve at certain altitude and speed.

Disappointing nit is when PO1 Davis told Acting Ambassador Crowley to call MARCENT in MacDill AFB to have them evacuated.  South Sudan is not in CENTCOM area of responsiblity. It is AFRICOM. I understand that most conflicts lately happen in CENTCOM AOR, but CENTCOM is not the one managing forces around the world.

He was definitely Senior Chief Hayes in the pilot, if they mentioned a promotion I missed it, the wiki has been edited to Master Chief .So that is two episodes in a row that the most real of this year's mil/porn crop of SEAL Team, Valor, The Brave and The Last Ship has given us "CENTCOM" for a mission in another command's area of responsibility? Maybe they missed the 2008 reorganization?

Edited October 27, 2017 by Raja

[Irishmaple]

Did Brian wait too long to release his primary? The guy on the ground seemed to be waiting for it and it took a while. Did the reserve fail too or did it not have enough time to be useful?

[TV Anonymous]

1 hour ago, Irishmaple said:

Did Brian wait too long to release his primary? The guy on the ground seemed to be waiting for it and it took a while. Did the reserve fail too or did it not have enough time to be useful?

That is the thing, right? Brian was an experienced jumper. Once he realized that his main canopy did not open properly, he should have broken away immediately and deploy the reserve. His losing his consciousness for example is not an excuse as he was conscious enough to deploy his main. However, if he did lose consciousness AAD would have taken over at a prescribed altitude.

1 hour ago, Raja said:

He was definitely Senior Chief Hayes in the pilot, if they mentioned a promotion I missed it, the wiki has been edited to Master Chief .So that is two episodes in a role that the most real of this year's mil/porn crop of SEAL Team, Valor, The Brave and The Last Ship has given us "CENTCOM" for a mission in another command's area of responsibility? Maybe they missed the 2008 reorganization?

To be fair, the military porn in The Last Ship is quite good. A lot of things can be handwaived by the fact that they are in a time where the chain of command is broken in many places. The plot and the story of the later seasons of that show however, completely make no sense IMO.

[Adira]

15 hours ago, Irishmaple said:

Did Brian wait too long to release his primary? The guy on the ground seemed to be waiting for it and it took a while. Did the reserve fail too or did it not have enough time to be useful?

I got the impression that he deployed his primary at the right time - they just didn't see it immediately because it didn't deploy correctly.  It looked like he was kind of spinning uncontrollably after that, so maybe he had trouble releasing it?  Once he released it, he was pretty close to the ground, but it seemed like he could've had time to attempt to deploy his reserve, but it sounded like he didn't - we don't know why.

[rove4]

Ugh.  I can't find this episode On Demand.  It's been two days.   :-(

[ali59]

Quote

Ugh.  I can't find this episode On Demand.  It's been two days.   :-(

 

It's free on the CBS site.

 

That ambassador was a douche.  Not only is Jason Hayes not an office, he is not simply "Chief" either.  Senior Chiefs (E-8) and Master Chiefs(E-9) are called Senior Chief or Master Chief.  They can be very picky about that kind of stuff.  My husband is a retired Senior Chief.  He was called either Senior or Senior Chief not just Chief.

[mojoween]

I agree with so many of you!  know these episodes are already in the can, but hopefully with the next ones they figure something else to do with Clay because as soon as the scenes move to him the show comes to a screeching halt.

I mean, interesting action is going on in South Sudan, then we see Clay and pal discussing...his shirt?

And I actually liked pal more than Clay so that’s a bummer.

David is a treasure though, because he conveyed “the acting ambassador is a total dipshit” without saying a word.

[rove4]

On 10/27/2017 at 8:03 PM, ali59 said:

It's free on the CBS site.

Yeah, that finally occurred to me.  Overly reliant on my dvr and On Demand, I guess.

I was sad to lose Clay's friend.  He was infinitely more likable than Clay.  The only person I dislike more than Clay is Stella.  She really just comes off as a groupie.  What did they call them, a frog hog?  

[Kel Varnsen]

This was probably my favourite one so far. It had a good main plot, no back home stuff and minimal stuff with Clay. If they had gotten rid of him all together it would have been great.

On 26/10/2017 at 0:28 AM, Ohmo said:

Thought the mission stuff in South Sudan was pretty good, with Jason dealing with the soldier at the checkpoint and then telling the guys to call their shots when they came through the same checkpoint hours later.

Jason with the gun at the checkpoint was a huge bluff right? I mean if their SUV was bulletproof so it means that bullets can't go from the outside to the inside, but it also means that they can't go from the inside to the outside. That kind of made it even better.

[Netfoot]

25 minutes ago, Kel Varnsen said:

I mean if their SUV was bulletproof so it means that bullets can't go from the outside to the inside, but it also means that they can't go from the inside to the outside.

I once read a book about 14th Int. who would bulletproof their cars by adding Kevlar pads inside the bodywork.  They would deliberately leave small areas without Kevlar, specifically so they could shoot out through the bodywork, while being 99% protected themselves.

But in this case, there is no reason to assume anything like that had been done to the car, so I agree, this is a bit of a glitch in the plot.