Michael Bay Drama ‘Last Ship’ Gets Series Order at TNT

TNT has handed out series orders to The Last Ship.

The cable network on Tuesday picked up 10 episodes of the Michael Bay drama for 2014.

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Based on the William Brinkley novel, The Last Ship centers on a global catastrophe that nearly obliterates the Earth's population, forcing the crew of a naval destroyer to confront the reality of their new existence in a world where they are among the only survivors.

Dane stars as Tom Chandler, the commanding officer of the USS Nathan James who's married with two young daughters.

Last Ship hails from Platinum Dunes' Brad Fuller and Andrew Form (A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre), with Hank Steinberg (Without a Trace) and Steven Kane (The Closer) serving as executive producers. Steinberg and Kane co-wrote the pilot, which Bay will produce. Rhona Mitra, Adam Baldwin and Tracy Middendorf co-star.

"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," said Michael Wright, president and head of programming at TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies. "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. The Last Ship is smart, fun television that takes you on a great ride."

Last Ship is one of a handful of pilots in contention at the Turner-owned cable network. It joins recently picked-up King and Maxwell and pilots including Howard Gordon's Legends and Steven Bochco's Murder in the First. The series order comes about a week after TNT renewed Dallas for a third season. The fate of Monday Mornings and veteran Southland are expected to come shortly as Turner presents its upfront lineup to Madison Avenue.

Check out the trailer for The Last Ship, below.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit

Lesley Goldberg