Tex is back! His entrance wasn’t pretty, but it came at a crucial time for Kara, the President and, most importantly, the United States of America in The Last Ship Season 3 Episode 11, “Legacy.”
BuddyTV caught up with John Pyper Ferguson to discuss Tex’s return, Rachel’s death, his dedication to the cause and the coming fight.
We don’t know much about where Tex has been. Is that something that will be coming?
I’m not quite sure of how long it has been. It’s been a few months, I believe. There won’t be any flashbacks or anything of that nature to explain everything. … You’ll definitely get to know and filled in on why Tex disappeared.
Is Tex still dealing with Rachel’s death?
I think when someone you are really close to and you care for deeply and sincerely and their life is lost, I don’t think it ever disappears. That’s certainly been the experience in my own life when I’ve lost friends and family. It can affect how you carry yourself when you’re around people who also knew that person. It heightens it. It’s definitely– her heartbeat is in a number of scenes that come up in the last part of the season.
Even though she is dead, Rachel Scott still lives within multiple avenues of the story.
I think the greatest thing anyone can do with their life is to have an affect and leave a legacy. I think it was really effective of [Executive Producer] Stephen Kane and The Last Ship writers to come up with an idea and have some sacrifice in the show which cost everyone something and that still affects the world because of their service.
Tex went from doing his own thing to being at the heart of a major US conspiracy. Where is Tex in that moment when he finds out what’s going on?
The greatest thing I can think of is, you know, “I keep getting out and they keep pulling me back in.” He’s a guy who in his own way wants to make his contribution. He’s a guy who cares about the free state and the democracy of the United States. And he’s going to fight for it in his own way.
He’s not going to sign up with the military because he has his own skills and he knows that he’s best operating on his own and contributing in the ways that he can. He’s prepared to put himself in harms way to get there.
That is also affecting his family as well.
Yeah, his daughter has taken right after the old man. Clearly, he’s taken the time to teach her a lot of skills. In this new world, you’ve got to be prepared even if you are too young to be involved and take some risks.
Will that change that way he looks at things or the risks that he’s willing to take going forward?
I think to some extend, yes. Certainly when his daughter is there and involved in danger, he’s going to– he’s going to be slightly compromised because of his concern for his own daughter’s safety. And yet, he knows that there are times he’s going to have to risk that and he’s going to have to roll the dice and see what happens.
Will Tex have a different perspective or background to provide to Kara and the President given his time in the region and what he went through?
I think from where he was, he had a bird’s eye view of what was going on. And once it became clear that something wasn’t right in the state of Denmark, he became active. I think also, he’s a guy and great friend and if one of his friends calls for help, he’s going to be the first in line to be there. So when Kara calls he answers the call without question.
What will it be like being on the run with Kara and the President? Will they be on the defensive or the offensive?
It’s a bit of both. You keep moving and moving. It’s definitely guerrilla warfare for them. At this point, they are completely outnumbered in every way. All they can do is lay low and look for an opportunity to attack.
Will Tex be reunited with the Nathan James crew?
The Spear of the Navy. Indeed. At some point, there has to be some connectivity between at least a few members of the crew simply because the show is called The Last Ship. [Laughs] Eventually, in someway somehow, a few of them will get together.
The Last Ship airs Sundays at 9pm ET on TNT.
(Image courtesy of TNT.)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Contributing Editor and Writer for Collider, BuddyTV, TV Fanatic, CliqueClack, and other publications. TV criticism, reviews, interviews with actors and producers, and other related content. Founder of TV Diehard.
