Pass the cheese, please! 

Nope, that is not an insult. The over-the-top goodness continued on The Last Ship Season 1 Episode 2, as the hour simply flew by. It feels like you're watching a blockbuster movie.

It's the good guys versus the bad guys. As much as Captain Chandler wants to think things have changed, the world is still full of warring factions. Do we ever give up and work together? Hell no. Watch an hour of Survivor and you'll see how easily people do what is best for themselves first above all others.

The last man standing is a phrase for the ages. Everyone wants to be that man (or woman). It's in our code to strive for it.

On a trip to Guantanamo Bay to fuel up and get some food, the crew aboard the USS Nathan James runs into some old fashioned terrorists. The last remaining good guy, Tex, shares a tale about opening the cells and letting suspected Al Qaeda soldiers go free. After all, the world is ending. Surely they can all manage to live together in peace and harmony, right?

Wrong!

Al Qaeda turned on the very people who set them free (so what if they were also the ones holding them, orders are orders dammit) and the little island has been a war zone ever since.

Skeevy Quincy, the scientist helping out Dr. Scott, did his job by keeping the ship near Gitmo as long as possible so his people (the Russians!) could trick their way into close proximity with the Nathan James. What do they want? Well, it's either the cure (there isn't one yet), Quincy himself or Dr. Scott and all her sciency stuff. I can't think of anything else the ship would have that Russians would want.

Oh geez, Eric Dane plays a fantastic smooth-talking Navy captain! The way he delivers his lines is to be applauded. He makes me feel like everything would be alright in his hands. Well, of course they'd be good in his hands. I digress.

The American Gitmo survivor is a dude named Tex (of course) and he has to walk around and see what Al Qaeda did to his friends. One is hanging, throat slit, up as some sort of warning, I suppose. Not that there's anyone left to warn.

Tex: Animals.
Chandler: Revenge is best served cold.
Tex: Let's eat.

• Permalink: Let's eat.

Right?! I want my captain to say things like "Revenge is best served cold." Chandler is everything we want our heroes to be.  If you're looking for a PC piece on the end of the world, you're not going to find it in The Last Ship. It's like a western. The Sheriff will take care of the evil gunslingers and make them pay. 

It wasn't for lack of trying, however. At first, Tex was willing to believe the world had changed. That's why the prisoners were set free. Even Chandler has a moment where he might have let the baddies slide. But you don't threaten the good guys and get away with it. Not in The Last Ship.

Well now, see we got a bit of a problem with that because there's one thing from the old world that still applies today. Something that will never change. [ship fires] We don't negotiate with terrorists.

Chandler

• Permalink: Well now, see we got a bit of a problem with that because there's one thing from the old...

Just watch that scene again. Tell me it doesn't make your heart race and force you to stand up and cheer. If it doesn't, then you don't have the proper appreciation for what this series is all about. It's kind of a rally cry for guts and glory. 

Not everyone is going to enjoy this, and I know people who would like to nail Michael Bay to the wall as a sign of everything they hate in entertainment. However, for every Mad Men there has to be an opposite. And both forms of entertainment are equally as delightful.

So, if you're looking at my rating and wondering how I could give it so many stars, it's because it rises to the occasion. It is what it is and does a damn good job being that.

Honestly, if the virus mutated some lizards and Godzilla came up out of the water, I wouldn't be upset. This is a ride to be enjoyed. Sit back, relax and have a good time. The Last Ship is here to deliver it to you. You're welcome.

If you missed the first installment or want to catch up, you can watch The Last Ship online via TV Fanatic. 

With two episodes in the can, are you still on board The Last Ship?

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.