The Last Ship (TV Series) In the Dark (2016) User Reviews

Takehaya's time

[tenshi_ippikiookami · 8/10 · 6 January 2017]

Michener keeps having problems with the press. The Nathan James is being followed by Peng's last four ships. Takehaya to the rescue.

With so much that has going on, we have some bonding between 'enemies' in this episode. Peng's ships seem to be everywhere, and the Nathan James' people are having problems deciding what course to choose. Cue Takehaya saving the day.

Again, Sanada's time to shine, out-acting everyone else with a little look, movement of eyebrows and his cherished silences. Luckily for the viewer, Eric Dane's does a great job in keeping the level high, and with Baldwin in the mix we have some really good acting for this kind of show.

And the plot helps. All the ship hunting, four vessels trying to pinpoint the Nathan James is a little bit ludicrous sometimes, but it keeps the tension really high. Moments of tension follow moments of respite that will make the next moment of tension feel more and more intense, grabbing the viewer's attention. Direction, acting and pace help to make "In the Dark" the, probably, best episode of the show so far.

Things viwers were never told before this episode

[praqoon · 3/10 · 22 November 2022]

If you hadn't been paying that much attention to the number of storylines before now, you might have missed that Kara Foster is now Mrs Kara Green (i.e. Kara and Lt. Danny Green are now married) which must have taken place off camera and between seasons because it was never covered in the show itself.

Viewers also find out that, Curtis, the guy who murdered Rachel Scott was actually caught and imprisoned for the crime which is something else that was never mentioned in the show until this episode. Viewers would be forgiven for thinking that Curtis had actually got away with it and there would be some future plot/storyline in the show to cover that eventuality. However, it won't be because in this episode he's in prison serving time for it.

The reporter, Jacob Barnes, is somehow allowed to continue to keep digging for evidence against the President, like a disgruntled wanting to exact revenge. Barnes poses as a lawyer and visits Curtis in prison and gets the story about President Michener's involvement in the Florida survival camp. In a world that's been decimated by the red-flu virus you'd expect the last thing on people's minds would be MSM allowed freedoms like they always have. However, this is how it is.

Good performances by Hiroyuki Sanada as Takehaya and the rest of the regular crew. Another strong nod to the American Dream and line of duty philosophy in many scenes in this episode. I think dropping the bomb that Curtis was caught and imprisoned for murdering Rachel Scott without covering it in the show beforehand is another failure by the writers/directors. I'm starting to laugh each time this happens because, although there's some really accurate military jargon, tactics, and enactments, a lot of the storyline just seems to be thrown in to make ends meet without explanation. 3/10 for this episode.