Hey folks,
It’s been a while since my last post. But,
you know…life happens. So, allow me to redeem myself by writing you this
(hopefully) insightful review of Fox’s latest comedy, “The Last Man on Earth”.
Starred and created by former SNL’s cast
Will Forte, this 30-minute sitcom tells a story about Phil Miller (Forte), the
only (or so we thought) survivor of a widespread virus pandemic that wiped out
the entire humanity.
Based on that simple premise, the series
offers something we rarely find in a TV show these days: originality. What with
dozens of movie/comic adaptation series, remake and hideous spin-offs (this
doesn’t apply to you Vince Gilligan. You’re allowed to make as many spin-offs
as you please, no one will stop you), “The Last Man on Earth” is a fresh,
uplifting addition to the realm of small screen.
Most people would think that the idea of
gaining laughter from a man who’s living alone in the post-apocalyptic world might
sounds absurd and far from promising on the paper. Thus, maybe that’s one of
the reasons why we never get a comedy show offers such premise prior to this. To
finally have it on TV today might be a risky move for Fox, but that was also a
great start to gain traction before the freshman show even premiered. “The Last
Man on Earth” has two of the most important qualities to be noticed by TV
aficionados: it’s different, and it brings something new on the table.
Set from 2020 onward, the story focuses on
Phil’s attempt to stay “normal” despite of being the one and only human being on
the planet. I know, most of you would’ve thought that watching a man interacts
with himself for 30 minutes will be boring and all. But if there’s a person who
could pull off a long monologue and elevate the whole show into an exhilarating
experience in the process, I’d bet Will Forte is one of a few.
I don’t want to spoil the fun, so let me
just say that the first two episodes of the series (which was aired back to
back on the same date), has successfully got me hooked. Forte truly has a knack
for cracking people up. The way he depicts Phil as the last man on earth on
screen is just spot on and is a sure-fire recipe to make people laugh their ass
off. I know his jokes and comical demeanour are probably not for everyone, but
you have to admit that he is funny and hilarious in his own way. And it works
perfectly fine for me.
If Forte’s reputation on TV’s comedy scene
is not enough to get your attention, allow me to point out another quality of
the show. Despite the fact that the series is actually built on the idea that
seems senseless and ludicrous, you’d be surprised by how much you can relate to
the story.
The show is like a tutorial video on how to
survive if you were the last person alive on earth, and yet still get the fun out
of the devastating situation. And the best part is the show has found just the
right way to not overdone it. No matter how bizarre, barbaric and mentally-absurd
Phil may seem; you’d still connect with him.
In some scenes – mostly involving Phil
doing something uncivilised and disgusting things, I found myself thinking: “Ok,
that’s gross in so many levels, but efficient and totally feasible in the
situation.” I literally can see myself do the same exact thing if I were in his
shoes. And that’s not something I would say lightly, since some of the stuffs
he does on the show are plainly idiotic and repulsive.
All in all, I’d give “The Last Man on Earth”
8 out of ten, considering the fact that the show has just begun (4 episodes so
far) and is still developing itself. And I’ve been wondering whether Forte will
stick to the title and make Phil indeed the one and only man standing on the
show, or forge other characters as the series unfold. I’m rooting for the
former ‘tho to keep its originality and consistency, and it would be adding bonus points to the show if he does.
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