“The Last Man on Earth” is a welcome addition to the Fox schedule.
“The Last Man on Earth” was created by Will Forte, and is executive produced by Forte, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Seth Cohen. The two episodes watched for review were written by Forte and directed by Lord and Miller. The show stars Will Forte and Kristen Schaal.
Post-apocalyptic stories have seemingly never been more popular. From the Fallout videogames to the Walking Dead franchise to reboots of Planet of the Apes and Mad Max, it’s undeniable that this subject matter holds an appeal for modern audiences. However, there isn’t all that much post-apocalyptic comedy, perhaps because the bleakness and boredom of such a premise lends itself to violence and conflict rather than humor. The only example I can recall of a post-apocalyptic comedy would be Zombieland (which was supposed to get its own TV series. A pilot was produced for Amazon but was not picked up).
Into this landscape enters The Last Man on Earth from Will Forte as well as Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (a duo famous for taking questionable ideas [a Lego movie? A 21 Jump Street movie?] and spinning them into cinematic gold). If anything, it’s even more daring than something like Zombieland. A sitcom with only one character? That’s never been done. What would that even be like? It soon becomes apparent that there is a reason the show is called The Last Man on Earth rather than “The Last Human on Earth,” when Forte’s character meets someone else at the end of the pilot. Up to that point, however, the only person onscreen is Forte (with the exception of a brief, wordless flashback, tastefully deployed).
We see what Phil Miller does with his days. He searches for survivors for a while, and then settles in in Tucson, Arizona, where he eats canned food, builds the world’s tallest Jenga tower, and makes himself a margarita bath. The biggest laughs of either episode come from some of the unexpected, traditionally irresponsible things Phil is able to get away with when no one is around to hold him accountable. The show acknowledges how miserable and boring life alone on Earth would get, and there are some surprisingly dark moments in the pilot without sacrificing its overall light tone.
The show rests entirely on Forte’s shoulders, and he more than lives up to the task. He is gifted at physical comedy and delivers each line for maximum humor despite the bleakness of the scenario at play. Kristen Schaal, who enters at the end of the pilot, is a good choice for a co-lead. Mousey and unconventionally attractive, there is an innocence and mischief about her that make her a good foil for Forte.
The Last Man on Earth is one of the most unique new shows I’ve seen on a network in a long time and is a more than welcome addition to Fox’s Sunday night lineup. I’m not sure where they are going to take the show from here, but I look forward to finding out.
“The Last Man on Earth” premieres tonight at 9:00 pm on Fox.
