Pandemic Stories Are On Everyone's Mind- So Why Aren't We Talking About The Last Man On Earth?

This is for the editorial fellowship. *Anxiously Pop & Locks*

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When the lockdown happened back in March, Contagion and other stories about pandemics started trending like crazy. But if you're anything like me, it can be ultra draining on your mental health to watch movies and shows about the worst case scenario- especially since many Americans feel like we're already living it.

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Don't get me wrong, I love a good virus story. And not just ones about deadly pathogens like 12 Monkeys. In fact, a lot of movies and TV, including Train to Busan and The Walking Dead, explain their zombie outbreaks through viral origins. But considering I cried at the TRAILER to Becoming (even though Michelle Obama is worth it), I've decided to stick to upbeat stories for now. Lucky for me and you, The Last Man On Earth has 4 seasons of disease-based comedy that's relevant but not taxing.

First things first: This isn't your typical sitcom.

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Will Forte created this show about a virus sweeping the Earth, wiping out everyone besides Phil Tandy Miller... or so he thinks. Eventually he connects with 5 other ragtag survivors as they battle everything from repopulation concerns and nuclear meltdowns to toilet pools and raisin balls. Before The Good Place became known as "the smartest, dumbest show on television," The Last Man On Earth was paving the way for serialized comedies, meaning it's full of cliffhangers.

It's a STACKED cast.

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January Jones went straight from Mad Men to The Last Man On Earth, two of the most diametrically opposed shows imaginable, proving that She. Has. Got. RANGE. Kristen Schaal (AKA the voice of Louise Belcher from Bob's Burgers) embodies character comedy as she plays Carol Andrew Pilbasian, who loves preposition placement and crafting (Monet's paintings needed a few touch ups). And Mary Steenburgen is a wino chef turned makeshift doctor whose accordion playing can liven up any funeral.

Not to mention the guest stars.

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With Forte's SNL roots and the cast's impressive resumes, they pulled in all kinds of celebrities: Will Ferrell, Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, and Jason Sudeikis just to name a few.

The show gets REAL when talking about the virus's origins.

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In the Season 3 episode "Got Milk?", which came out at the start of the Trump administration in 2017, we get a glimpse of the viral outbreak, which starts with extreme weather events, Federal Pandemic Agency guidelines, and oh yeah, Mike Pence as president. But when no vaccine emerges, America goes through a mess of presidents that die of the virus, including Paul Ryan, Rex Tillerson, Steve Mnuchin, Jeff Sessions, and Betsy DeVos. By late 2020, Phil thinks he's the lone survivor. If the parallels weren't scary enough, Tom Hanks was the first victim of this virus too! The biggest difference though is that once people realize the severity of the outbreak, it's sanitizer and masks galore!

They don't ignore the real risks of a world without people.

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The group faces some harsh realities that hit when there aren't people to maintain the infrastructure we've built- expiring food, no electricity or running water, medical emergencies without doctors, and... again, NUCLEAR MELTDOWNS! I have a science background, so I take logistics pretty seriously and get distracted when shows have inconsistencies or continuity errors. But The Last Man On Earth makes sure to address the real problems that would occur and only lets the logic slip if a bit is really worth it (I'm okay ignoring that gas goes bad if it's to watch a road trip featuring The A-Team van, Back to the Future DeLorean, and a 1986 prison bus).

Will Forte commits to the role. Really commits.

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He shaved half his head and eyebrows TWICE for the role- then wore Chaplin-esque fake eyebrows for a whole season. Between his margarita pool and original song "Closure," Phil is one of the most absurd leading men on TV because he has to be. If he had any sense of maturity or realism, the show wouldn't have been able to make the funniest and best version of a bad situation.