I don't know about you, but the world is becoming a darker, uglier place for me.
When you cover the news for a living like I do, it's tough to maintain a good attitude sometimes.
Every so often, it's nice to turn off the world for a while and escape into some good entertainment – a little diversion from reality, if you will.
Let me recommend my new favorite TV show.
It's called "The Last Ship" and airs Sunday nights on TNT.
I watch very little television – mostly baseball and mostly on my computer or iPad. So it was unlikely I ever would have found this triumphant show had my wife not found it for me.
I was feeling kind of beleaguered one night a few weeks ago when my wife suggested I watch a new program she had discovered after the first season had concluded.
She showed me the first episode. I was hooked. I begged her to watch another with me. We did. We then proceeded to binge on the entire first season – 10 shows, I believe.
It was just in time for the second season to begin a couple weeks ago – with a two-hour season premiere.
What can I say? I'm hooked.
"The Last Ship" is kind of a "24" that takes place on the high seas. It's full of action and surprises. The writing is crisp. The performances are believable. The story line is engaging.
I recommend you watch it like I did – starting with the first episode from last year and catch up before watching the second season airing now. If you're like me, it won't take you long.
I'll tell you a little about the premise without ruining it for you.
A U.S. Navy ship with a strong captain is sent on a somewhat mysterious and secretive mission to the Arctic Circle. The crew is to take a doctor and her assistant to retrieve some specimens of bird life. The ship is out of communication with command and home for several months.
The mission is completed, but with some surprises. While in the Arctic, the medical team is attacked by air and must be rescued by the ship's crew. But the specimens are retrieved.
One the way home, the ship's crew learns the bad news. A deadly virus has swept the entire planet leaving millions dead. The fate of their families and the nation is unknown.
It turns out the medical team knew about the virus and the specimens were needed to find the cure and a vaccine to prevent the further spread of the virus for those not yet infected.
I'll leave it there for now. But there is more than a plot line here.
This show is unique among television shows for its heroic portrayal of U.S. servicemen and women.
It's also unique because it openly portrays prayer and a spiritual component on what has become a hit TV show.
While "The Last Ship" bears some of the characteristics of "The Walking Dead," there a much more redemptive and hopeful flavor to it.
So it offers more than mere escapism.
We all need some hope in our world today. Sometimes we can do that through the eyes of people facing even bigger challenges than we are currently facing in our world today.
Maybe that's what I find so compelling about "The Last Ship."
I know exactly where I will be Sunday night at 9 p.m. this week and the week after. I will be sitting in front of my TV – an unusual place to find me these days – watching my new favorite TV show.
Media wishing to interview Joseph Farah, please contact [email protected].
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