The Last Man on Earth Review S2E1 “Is Anybody Out There?”
[WARNING – this review may contain spoilers]
If you were one of the few remaining people alive on earth, what car would you drive? For Phil and Carol, that dream vehicle would be a stealth bomber, although be careful not to carelessly drop one of your missiles. And with that, The Last Man on Earth announces its return with a strong episode that centers around the strengths of the show, namely the absurdity that can be found in the horrific, and the chemistry between Will Forte and Kristen Schaal.
Phil and Carol have been journeying away from Tucson, visiting the White House and Carol’s home. The two of them continue to argue, reconcile, and compromise until a tragic turn of events separates Phil and Carol. We don’t spend time with the old crew that Phil and Carol left in Tucson, Arizona. Instead, we get several scenes with Phil’s brother, Mike (fellow SNL alumni Jason Sudeikis), an astronaut out in space. Turns out Mike and Phil share a lot of similarities, whether its his conversations with worms or his active sexual drive.
The show is at its strongest when it straddles the line between absurd, tragic, and humane. Just when Phil starts to grate on your nerves, he exhibits a degree of remorse and recompense. Carol’s quirks can sometimes come across as excessive, but her humanity and forgiveness makes it difficult to stay annoyed with her for long. I smiled and laughed a lot with this episode. The White House scenes were incredibly amusing, and Carol’s old home had several funny set-ups for Schaal’s deadpan delivery. The episode ended on a bleak note. Phil and Carol are separated from one another, Carol having been accidently stranded at a gas station. Phil returns to his home in Tucson only to find his old home burned down and no signs of the rest of the crew. And to top it off, one of Mike’s worms dies.
I’m very interested to see how Phil reacts to being not The Last Man on Earth, but all alone once again. Hopefully Phil and Carol won’t be separated for too long. Like I said, their chemistry and interaction is one of the highpoints of the show. I’m not particularly interested in Jason Sudeikis’ storyline, but I’m willing to give the showrunners the benefit of the doubt.
Grade: A-
Why You Should Watch The Last Man on Earth
Last Man on Earth airs on Sunday evenings on FOX.
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