TNT to launch apocalyptic series 'The Last Ship'

Cover of Brinkley's novel
TNT clearly knows what viewers have a craving for these days: The apocalypse. Starring Eric Dane (Grey’s Anatomy's McSteamy) and executive-produced by Michael Bay (Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-2014), TNT’s newest drama venture, The Last Ship is based on the 1988 William Brinkley novel of the same name.

Due to launch in the summer of 2014, TNT has ordered 10 episodes of the action-packed series that opens with a global catastrophe that wipes out much of the Earth’s population. The fortunate (or unfortunate) position of the naval destroyer, U.S.S. Nathan James, leaves its crew to deal with the fact that the world as they know it, has ended.

According to a press release, Captain Tom Chandler (Dane) is a “career Navy man who is authoritative and decisive, but also fair and courageous. A born leader and a loving father and husband, Chandler is respected and loved by the men and women under his command.”

A clue into the series lies in the character of “Rachel Scott” (Rhona Mitra) who is a fearless “paleomicrobiologist assigned to the Nathan James to investigate the cause of billions of deaths worldwide.”

Hmmmm ... so an ancient disease may be to blame?

According to Michael Wright, president, head of programming for TNT, TBS and TCM, "The Last Ship has all the elements of a big Hollywood blockbuster, from its epic storytelling to its top-notch cast headed by the perfect leading man, Eric Dane. Michael Bay and his fellow executive producers have shaped William Brinkley's story and characters into an exceptional drama full of action, suspense, tragedy and triumph."

We’ll keep you posted on the series’ developments. Is The Last Ship a series you’ll be on board with?

-Larissa Mrykalo