Bridget Regan
Bridget Regan talks to reporters about TNT's "The Last Ship" at San Diego Comic Con. (Curt Wagner)

Bridget Regan: ‘Last Ship’ gets more intense

Bridget Regan calls each episode of TNT’s The Last Ship a blockbuster movie, but she recently suggested cast, crew and creators are outdoing themselves.

“I find the show more intense and more high stakes [with] each episode,” Regan told reporters at San Diego Comic Con.

The hit show’s third season resumes at 8 p.m. Aug. 14 after two weeks off. In “Eutopia,” CNO Tom Chandler (Eric Dane) and the crew of the USS Nathan James plan a “cut-the-head-off-the-dragon operation” against Chinese President Peng Wu (Fernando Chien). A preview shows a direct attack on the Chinese fleet.

Meanwhile, Washington still is reeling over the death of President Jeffrey Michener (Mark Moses), who most likely didn’t commit suicide as the White House claims. His Chief of Staff, Kara Green (Marissa Neitling), suspects some kind of cover up after being banned from high-powered meetings with the new president, Howard Oliver (John Cothran).

If all that isn’t enough for one episode, the White House is put on full lockdown in “Eutopia” and Chandler suggests a mole tipped off the Chinese about the attack.

“Each episode—as we keep moving toward the season finale—keeps getting more and more intense,” Regan said.

Regan joined the series this season as Sasha Cooper, a former Naval Intelligence officer who had been working as a diplomat of sorts in New China.

Cooper and Chandler share a romantic past, which has caused some tension aboard the Nathan James. She’s just as adept handling a weapon as she is calling BS on Chandler. She helped out in several skirmishes.

Regan enjoys the action scenes, but she said her favorite part of the show comes when these tough characters show their humanity.

“These aren’t people who run away from danger. All the characters on the show are going to run toward it. They’re going to fight,” she said. “So those rare moments of humanity—they’re not often on the show but when they are, my God, they’re so powerful. They really ring true.”

Regan cited the changing relationship between the Americans and captured Japanese pirate Takehaya (Hiroyuki Sanada). Crew members saved his wife, Kyoko (Ayako Fujitani), and their child. Takehaya will continue to help the Nathan James against the Chinese.

“The show poses the question, ‘Is this villain really a villain?’ It’s not so black and white,” Regan said. “We grow to understand where those characters are coming from, which I think is really great writing.”

Regan had more to say about the rest of the season and the romantic connection between Cooper and Chandler. Watch the video interviews and the Season 3B trailer TNT showed at Comic Con on this page. You can find my previous Bridget Regan interviews by clicking the links: Life lessons with Regan, Regan mines romance

Bridget Regan: Love on The Last Ship

The Last Ship Season 3B trailer