[08:50:57] (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Chinese ordered the cure, letting the virus mutate across Asia.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: the cure hasn't been getting to the people who need it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you are implying -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm a military man, Mr. President, I don't imply.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: A look at some of the action from the upcoming season of TNT's "The Last Ship." The drama centering around the catastrophic virus that nearly kills off the world's population. Yikes. This show returns for a third season with a two hour premier this coming Sunday. Joining me now, one of the stars, Eric Dane, who plays Commander Tom Chandler.
So nice to meet you.
ERIC DANE, ACTOR, TNT'S "THE LAST SHIP": Likewise.
BALDWIN: So can you give me a little preview as we jump into season three?
DANE: Sure.
BALDWIN: What we're - what we're coming (INAUDIBLE).
DANE: Sure. Season one was about finding the cure. Two was about discriminating the cure and restoring government and national healing. And now season three is more of a global affair. It takes place in the better part of China, Japan, Vietnam.
BALDWIN: So, we were just talking in commercial break and I think viewers will find this fascinating here. You know, you shoot in California. You're very close - you have, you know, folks in the U.S. Navy around making sure this is -
DANE: Every day.
BALDWIN: You know, as real as possible.
DANE: Every day.
BALDWIN: You've been in the Pentagon. Talk to me a little bit about that.
DANE: The Pentagon was interesting. I ended up in the basement about two hours into my tour, which is where everything happens in the Pentagon.
BALDWIN: Ended up because you walked - you were kind of curious or they were watching your every move?
DANE: I didn't - I didn't wander into the basement. They brought me into the basement.
BALDWIN: Yes.
DANE: It's - it's actually not really a basement. It's a very high- tech sort of command center.
BALDWIN: Yes. DANE: And I was sworn that I wouldn't say anything. But they showed me -
BALDWIN: Except for right now.
DANE: Right. I know. But they showed me some pretty interesting stuff. And it was all just - it was all stuff they put up for me to make me feel like I was seeing something.
BALDWIN: Of course. Of course.
DANE: Once I left they -
BALDWIN: They were like, OK, now the real - the real work can continue.
DANE: Right.
BALDWIN: How have you - you know, this season shifts toward Asia and being, you know, character being so enmeshed in, you know, like world affairs, geopolitical. How close - are you paying attention? Do you pay attention as you, yourself, for your character, for the show?
DANE: Not at all. I'm clueless about most of it.
BALDWIN: You are not.
DANE: I am.
BALDWIN: You are not. You are not.
DANE: I don't follow politics. It's not my thing. I'll leave politics to the politicians.
BALDWIN: Yes, no, but for the show. So tell me a little bit. Actually, we have another clip. This is a bit of a spoiler alert and then we can talk on the other side. So if you are following along, "The Last Ship," close your ears for just a second because you may not want to see what's about to happen. Roll it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael Slattery (ph), captain of the United States Navy, I, and five members of my crew are prisoners of war.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Can you tell me - what - what just happened?
DANE: Well, they're prisoners of war. They got - so, Captain Slattery, he's a captain now and he's my xo.
BALDWIN: Yes.
DANE: I've been promoted to CNO. He and his crew are taken hostage, kidnapped in Vietnam and my new mission is basically to bring back Slattery and his crew.
BALDWIN: Why do you love this show? Last question, why do you - why do you love this job?
DANE: It's fun. It's fun. I've never had so much fun at work. You know, it's - I'm just a kid at heart and these are just huge toys and we have a great cast and the Navy's just fantastic to work with and collaborate with.
BALDWIN: (INAUDIBLE).
DANE: And the writers are great. It's all around - for me it's a win/win.
BALDWIN: Chris really wanted to do this interview, so -
DANE: But?
BALDWIN: So, thanks, Chris, for, you know -
DANE: Next time.
CUOMO: His macho would melt me.
BALDWIN: Season 3 of the "The Last Ship" premieres this Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on our sister network TNT. Eric, a please. Thank you very much.
DANE: Likewise.
BALDWIN: And "The Good Stuff," next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:58:43] CUOMO: All right, BB, you feel like you need your faith in humanity restored?
BALDWIN: I do, please.
CUOMO: All right, here we go.
BALDWIN: OK.
CUOMO: "The Good Stuff." Very often, as we know, the worst can bring out the best. And this story is a tough one. OK. Beth Laitkep, she was the mother of six kids, she passed away from cancer at just 39 years of age. At her side was a very good friend named Stephanie Culley. She did all she could while Beth was suffering.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATHY WOODS, FRIEND OF STEPHANIE: Very, very humble. She - she won't ask for help. She's just - she's an angel.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CUOMO: Stephanie not only stayed true, but she felt she was called to do more. Much more.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHANIE CULLEY, MOM OF NINE: Complete peace with the fact that I was going to be the mother of - of nine kids.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CUOMO: That's right.
BALDWIN: My goodness.
CUOMO: She has three kids of her own. Now she has nine kids of her own.
BALDWIN: Plus six. Bless her heart.
CUOMO: Beth's six kids are now with someone she knows will love them the way her - their mother wanted them to be loved.
BALDWIN: That's friendship. That's love.
CUOMO: Right?
BALDWIN: You know.
CUOMO: And, obviously, the need is great. Nine kids. I mean three kids is hard. Nine kids -
BALDWIN: And just think about what the six kids are going through. Just - they know what's happening with their own mom and to be around -
CUOMO: Yes.
BALDWIN: At least their mom's dear friend.
CUOMO: And we know that you're feeling the way that Brooke is, which is, how do I help? How do I help? Go to my FaceBook page. There is an opportunity for you to help, for these kids, to make sure they have a future that their mother wanted for them.
BALDWIN: Right.
[09:00:05] CUOMO: You can get the information right there.
BALDWIN: OK. Thank you so much.
CUOMO: Oh, thank you.
BALDWIN: It was good to see you for three hours. I'm back at 2:00 Eastern. So we'll see you then. In the meantime, NEWSROOM with Carol Costello starts right now.