The Last Captains

**Review: *The Last Captains (2025) – Documentary Series***

**Score: 8/10**

*The Last Captains* is a gripping, immersive, and profoundly human docuseries that chronicles the fierce dual struggle of a remote island community. Set in the windswept, breathtakingly beautiful—and punishing—archipelago of the Gulf of the St. Lawrence, the series follows the generational fishing families of a town of just 400 residents. Theirs is a story of two existential battles: the daily, high-stakes fight to secure a livelihood from the unforgiving sea, and the longer, desperate fight to preserve their entire way of life from the relentless forces of nature, economics, and time.

**What Works Brilliantly:**

* **Unflinching, Cinematic Immersion:** The series is a masterclass in vérité documentary filmmaking. The cinematography captures the raw power of the North Atlantic and the punishing, visceral work of deep-sea fishing with breathtaking, often terrifying, clarity. You are not a spectator; you are on the rolling deck, feeling the salt spray and the tension of every cast and haul.

* **A Dual Narrative with Deep Stakes:** The genius of the structure is its parallel focus. One episode you're on a tense, multi-day pursuit of a big catch that could make or break a family's season. The next, you're in town hall meetings or on eroding shores, witnessing the community's ingenious, grueling fight against coastal erosion, depopulation, and infrastructural decay. Both stories are equally compelling and deeply intertwined.

* **Authentic, Unadorned Characters:** The fishermen and residents are the heart of the series. They are not romanticised as salty stereotypes but presented as resilient, pragmatic, and deeply attached to their home. Their wisdom, their fears, their dark humour in the face of adversity, and their unwavering community bonds create a powerful emotional anchor. You come to care deeply about their fate.

**Why It’s Not a 9 or 10:**

* **A Heavy, Unrelenting Tone:** The series does not shy away from the harsh realities. The cumulative weight of the struggle—against the sea, the weather, the market, and entropy itself—can feel overwhelming and somber. It is a testament to the truth of their lives, but it makes for emotionally demanding viewing.

* **Limited Scope of Solutions:** While the series brilliantly diagnoses the problems, the systemic nature of the challenges (climate change, globalised fisheries, rural decline) means the solutions presented are often local, improvised, and defensive. This can leave the viewer with a profound sense of urgency and a question of whether these heroic efforts can truly hold back the tide in the long term.

**The Verdict:**

*The Last Captains* is essential viewing. It is more than a fishing show; it is a powerful, urgent portrait of a community on the front lines of climate change and cultural preservation. Created by Matthew Shewchuk, Timothy J. Kinnon, and René Brar, it is crafted with immense respect and a clear-eyed vision. The series earns its **8/10** for its stunning execution, narrative power, and its ability to make a remote struggle feel universally vital. It’s a sobering, awe-inspiring, and deeply respectful tribute to a way of life hanging in the balance.

**Watch if:** You love immersive documentaries like *Deadliest Catch* or *Island of the Sea Wolves*, are interested in climate resilience, coastal communities, or raw human perseverance.

**Skip if:** You are seeking light, uplifting entertainment. This is a serious, at times stark, look at a real and ongoing battle for survival.