Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that The Last Ship is a tense drama about a post-apocalyptic scenario involving a pandemic and military personnel attempting to find a cure. The show contains no sex, drinking, or drugs and only the mildest of foul language, such as when one Navy officer calls another "badass." However, the premise of the show is quite scary, and both plot points and imagery are far too frightening for young viewers. The camera shows us dozens of dead bodies, including hospital wards stuffed full of the bloody, groaning dead and dying. Young children are affected by the pandemic and shown dying in bed. Family members are killed or in danger; characters are suddenly killed or commit suicide on-screen. There are countless shots of high-tech military weaponry that make it look glamorous; guns and bombs are shown and fired/detonated.
Sexual
Content
Not applicable
Violence
Many shots of dead bodies, including creepy imagery of plastic-wrapped bodies piled up in a freezer, a hospital ward full of bloody and decayed dead people, and sick and dying children. Characters die suddenly on-screen, including an on-screen suicide by gun. Characters are generally in mortal danger. There are shots of animals being injected with long needles. Guns are fired, and there are many admiring shots of high-tech military weaponry.
Language
Rare cursing, often used in a jocular manner: "That was badass."
Social
Behavior
The overall tone is dark and scary. Military officers are dedicated and brave in this show, sending a powerful message of reverence for the armed forces.
Consumerism
The Last Ship was filmed with extensive cooperation from the U.S. Navy, and as such pictures a lot of real military tech, making it look cool.
Drugs / Tobacco /
Alcohol
Not applicable