There’s always been an underlying darkness to the quirky Fox show. After all, there’s a very real and dangerous reason why this group of people are the last survivors. For most of the show’s two seasons, the series has mostly steered away from the grim implications of their survival, instead focusing on the relationships between its main characters and the rare accidental murder of a guest cameo (so far Last Man on Earth has managed to murder both Will Ferrell and Jon Hamm). However, the last half of Season Two really dug into the series’ underlying darkness, and I don’t think it’s possible for the show to pull back. It’s that tonal shift that makes this series a must watch.
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More often than not, death in Last Man on Earth is handled with distance. The characters try not to think of the countless loved ones they have lost because it’s too painful. However, as the show has continued, there have been more recent losses, and those deaths have been handled with the weight they deserve. Phil’s (Boris Kodjoe) death by a ruptured appendix was claustrophobically difficult. Likewise, Mike’s (Jason Sudeikis) diagnosis at the end of Season Two may have been one of the most shocking moments of 2016 TV. After two seasons of hope and pain, two brothers were finally reunited so Tandy could watch his brother die. It should be noted that Mike left during the Season Two finale, so there’s a good chance he’ll be making another appearance, but still. Last Man on Earth was never afraid to be painful last year.
And that’s what makes this watch so interesting. Time and time again, this series has proven its willing to go to those emotional depths, and once Last Man on Earth goes there, it doesn’t backtrack. In the age of the sadcom, it’s normal to see a show that starts off with a relatively neutral premise , relying on its characters to sway between those laugh out loud highs and depressing lows. That’s the structure Louie, Baskets, BoJack Horseman, and You’re the Worst rely on. Last Man on Earth takes an almost opposite approach, throwing its characters into one of the most disheartening situations imaginable and letting the series rise to a comedy through its characters’ desperate optimism, especially that of Carol.
I’m probably gonna write my own “why you should be watching the last man on earth!” article shortly (if I can find somewhere to put it/a site that’d accept it?), but this one really nails what makes it so special, I think.