Last Man on Earth stars Will Forte (Saturday Night Live) as Phil Tandy Miller. Set in 2020, Phil appears to be the last person on Earth after a mysterious virus wipes out mankind.
To be sure, he travels all over the country, looking for other survivors and spray painting "Alive in Tucson" on various billboards and highway signs. After not finding anyone, he returns to his hometown in Arizona prepared to live a lonely life.
However, the numbness from drinking all day, every day only goes so far and Phil eventually realizes he can't go on any longer. He simply misses people too much. Luckily, right before he commits suicide, he sees smoke from a nearby campsite.
Another human! Thus begins the arrival of various characters who also believed they were the last man and/or woman on Earth.
Life in this post-apocalyptic world is no picnic as the characters deal with, not only conflicting personalities and uncomfortable situations, but also the absence of running water, depletion of fresh food, expiration of gas and a lack of medical care.
This last one is especially tricky as the idea of repopulating the world is considered.
Read on to see nine reasons you should be watching this show!
Last Man on Earth returns Sunday September 25th at 9:30/8:30C on FOX.
Will Forte is Awesome – Sometimes you love Phil/Tandy (like when he constructed an irrigation system for Carol’s tomatoes using garden hoses and duct tape.) Sometimes you want to put him in the stocks (like when he told Gail and Erica that Carol had died to try to get them to sleep with him.) He's like Michael Scott from The Office; great intentions, horrible execution. He tries to be "the cool guy" but all he really wants is to be loved and accepted.
2.
I'll Take an Extra Large Margarita, Please
The Margarita Pool – “I swim in it, I drink out of it. There’s really no wrong way to use a margarita pool.” You're absolutely right, Phil/Tandy. No wrong way.
3.
Don't Just Stand There, Bust a Move!
Todd’s Dancing – A former member of the "Body Lockers," Todd can bust a move with the best of them. Here he is in the morgue because where else would you showcase your dancing skills? No lights, no problem!
4.
Carol Pilbasian For President
Carol is Simply the Best – A founding member of “Knitters With Attitude,” she clearly moves to the beat of her own drum. She's not afraid to correct your grammer ("Don’t you mean ‘out for what do you need that gun’?”) or show off her impressive bedazzling skills. She's sassy ("Would you like some butter with your eye rolls?") and who could forget her love of Christmas ("What you're looking at is the decoration version of Bruce Banner. But someone just made him very angry and over the next few days he's about to become the Christmas Hulk!")
5.
Three is Not a Crowd
An Apocalypse Makes For Some Strange Bedfellows – First there was Phil/Tandy and Carol; total opposites and initially awkward but adorable now ("I just wanna be a better man for you, Carol." "And I wanna be a better man for you!") Then came Todd and Melissa which eventually turned into Todd, Melissa and Gail. Although our favorite dancer was hesitant at first ("How much women's saliva do you need in your mouth, you freakin' monster?!") he realized he had plenty of love to go around. Finally there's Erica. She may be pregnant with Phil #2's baby (RIP) but the sparks between her and Mike were obvious.
6.
It's Five O'Clock Always
Finally, Someone You Can Relate to – It's fair to say Gail Klosterman enjoys alcohol, preferably wine. A former chef and the group-appointed doctor, she also frequently uses it as an anesthetic. Although, she has no problem admitting to her comfort drink ("I have had a bakers dozen wines...") she cares enough about the group to cut back when they think it's necessary. Of course, that doesn't mean she's happy about it ("Ugh, water! Burns my throat. I just don't like it.")
7.
Will Ferrell Makes Everything Better
Who's Going to Show up Next? - We've already had Will Ferrell show up as Gordon Vanderkruik, Jason Sudeikis guest star as Phil/Tandy's brother Mike and Mark Boone Junior from Sons of Anarchy play the paranoid captain of "Deez Knots," Pat Brown. The finale showed two new survivors in hazmat suits headed for our favorite survivors. It would be great to see someone like Jon Hamm (numerous cameos in the past and close ties with January Jones who plays Melissa) appear as one of them.
8.
WWTHD - What Would Tom Hanks Do?
Imagine Your Life in a Post-Apocalyptic World – Would you make like Tom Hanks and draw faces on balls for company? Or flirt with a mannequin? Would you have a toilet pool? Would you eat raisin balls? Or bake a cricket casserole? Would you stop at stop signs? Or park in handicap spots? Would you move into a mansion and decorate it with Picassos and Monets? Or would you prefer a simple campsite? This show makes you think about life in a way that no other show does.
9.
Tickled Bones and Pulled Heart Strings
For All its Ridiculousness, it’s Surprisingly Heartwarming – Like when Mike returns to his childhood home and sees that his brother had to bury their parents alone. Or when Melissa realizes she's in love with Todd and proposes. Or when you watch Phil/Tandy and Carol struggle to make a baby when its all she wants in the world. Or when it appears that Mike has the virus and chooses to leave the group in order to ensure their safety. While funny is its forte (pun intended) Last Man on Earth cleary has heart.
Phil: This, my friend, is full of active fart. Mike: So, you farted into a jar and you saved it? Phil: This is not some whimsical pursuit, Mike. This is a valid scientific experiment. And an important one at that. How long can a fart retain its unique smell composition in a sealed jar?
Tiffany Staton
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