Yorick, Agent 355 and Dr. Mann hit a snag on their way to San Francisco. As the search for 355 heats up, Jennifer clashes with former cabinet secretary Regina Oliver, who has her eyes on the presidency. Hero is seduced by a charismatic leader, Roxanne, as Sam and Nora grapple with their place in a dangerous group of survivors.
In 2020, the television industry aired 493 scripted shows across numerous outlets. The way people consume content now is different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, it's less necessary to provide ample coverage of each episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site provides shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of FX on Hulu's Y: The Last Man.
"Weird Al Is Dead" was written by Catya McMullen and directed by Destiny Ekaragha
So many people carry pain from the previous world. They were left scarred and traumatized long before everyone with a Y chromosome dropped dead. They still carry that with them despite how much has changed. The conservatives are full of vitriol because they believe the progressives in charge aren't showing adequate respect to what was lost. They demean them with thoughts of this being the world they always wanted. One without men. One where they can lead and do so better than any man could. And yet, this world is pure chaos. Jennifer always wants to lead with compassion. However, she is keeping a precarious secret. She knows that Agent 355 is keeping her son safe. She knows the importance of their mission. But she also commands the mission to track down the rogue Secret Service agent. That's the narrative being given to the highest levels of the federal government. Jennifer showing any uncertainty can be weaponized against her. This debate can't be reduced down to one's perceived strength. That mentality can come across in a number of different ways too. Regina professes military might. She needs to barricade the halls of power with a show of force prepared for a massive riot. That's the only logical way to handle the developing situation. She doesn't believe Jennifer has the conviction to make the harsh choices. Instead, she only offers condescension to her view of governance and leadership. And yes, plenty of people have conflicting agendas. Kim is already pleading with Christine to let her adopt her baby. She isn't giving her the space to decide what's best for her and the life growing inside of her. Kim wants to rebut any concerns or impressions she believes the other political side has towards her. It's mental gymnastics. It's a game that not everyone is playing. And yet, it's seen as vastly important to those who seek merit in it. Kim is eager to share her worries with anyone who will listen. That's powerful because of where she currently resides. But it's also removed from the reality on the ground. Nora was close to power as well. She wielded it in the previous administration. And now, she presents as the type of person willing to go along with whatever's necessary in order to survive. In the previous world, that served her well. She didn't even believe the ideas her candidate supported. It just brought her close to power. She wasn't deemed necessary for the government to function though. That means she is left trying to appease Roxanne. Now, every character has a different reaction to the community at this compound. Hero is essentially a kindred spirit. She was traumatized by the former world and may find inspiration in a place promising rebirth. Meanwhile, Sam only sees the creepy nature of the ceremonies as well as the condemnation for anyone who wants to get close to him. He exists as the stand-in for all men. His individuality is never allowed to thrive and develop. And finally, Nora is terrified of being forced out. Sure, she is concerned about what her daughter is being exposed to. But she will also be quiet when she sees the violence being done against someone who broke the rules. Roxanne can see through her desperate nature. Her charisma draws people to her. She proclaims that she doesn't enjoy turning people away from the vast resources her compound has. But she also enjoys helping these lost souls. She trusts her gut. That pulls her close to Hero, who shares her truth with her. That's the first time she says that out loud. It's freeing. It's terrifying too. That reality cannot be dismissed or ignored. The same applies to Yorick and Dr. Mann having to trust Agent 355 no matter what. She is the one being targeted by the government. They don't need her to conduct the vital research in San Francisco. She may only be a liability because of how serious she takes absolutely everything. They fear what she is capable of. She is unstable. She has lied to them several times already. And yet, their fates are entwined. That is the reality for them at this particular moment. It can't be challenged or disrupted. 355 is calling the shots. Yorick and Mann are expected to follow them no matter what. She hasn't earned their trust. As such, they hold back from sharing everything with her. That may only invite further disaster to follow them around. It's beautiful and cathartic when they stumble upon a ceremony honoring what has been lost. They too can shed their fears for a moment and mark the solemn awareness of their place in the world. That's freeing but ultimately short-lived. That may be how 355 conducts everything. It's tense and demands a lot. But she isn't even fully in control of herself. That too will be dangerous as she refuses to let others into her world and the uncertainty that clearly plagues her.
So many people carry pain from the previous world. They were left scarred and traumatized long before everyone with a Y chromosome dropped dead. They still carry that with them despite how much has changed. The conservatives are full of vitriol because they believe the progressives in charge aren't showing adequate respect to what was lost. They demean them with thoughts of this being the world they always wanted. One without men. One where they can lead and do so better than any man could. And yet, this world is pure chaos. Jennifer always wants to lead with compassion. However, she is keeping a precarious secret. She knows that Agent 355 is keeping her son safe. She knows the importance of their mission. But she also commands the mission to track down the rogue Secret Service agent. That's the narrative being given to the highest levels of the federal government. Jennifer showing any uncertainty can be weaponized against her. This debate can't be reduced down to one's perceived strength. That mentality can come across in a number of different ways too. Regina professes military might. She needs to barricade the halls of power with a show of force prepared for a massive riot. That's the only logical way to handle the developing situation. She doesn't believe Jennifer has the conviction to make the harsh choices. Instead, she only offers condescension to her view of governance and leadership. And yes, plenty of people have conflicting agendas. Kim is already pleading with Christine to let her adopt her baby. She isn't giving her the space to decide what's best for her and the life growing inside of her. Kim wants to rebut any concerns or impressions she believes the other political side has towards her. It's mental gymnastics. It's a game that not everyone is playing. And yet, it's seen as vastly important to those who seek merit in it. Kim is eager to share her worries with anyone who will listen. That's powerful because of where she currently resides. But it's also removed from the reality on the ground. Nora was close to power as well. She wielded it in the previous administration. And now, she presents as the type of person willing to go along with whatever's necessary in order to survive. In the previous world, that served her well. She didn't even believe the ideas her candidate supported. It just brought her close to power. She wasn't deemed necessary for the government to function though. That means she is left trying to appease Roxanne. Now, every character has a different reaction to the community at this compound. Hero is essentially a kindred spirit. She was traumatized by the former world and may find inspiration in a place promising rebirth. Meanwhile, Sam only sees the creepy nature of the ceremonies as well as the condemnation for anyone who wants to get close to him. He exists as the stand-in for all men. His individuality is never allowed to thrive and develop. And finally, Nora is terrified of being forced out. Sure, she is concerned about what her daughter is being exposed to. But she will also be quiet when she sees the violence being done against someone who broke the rules. Roxanne can see through her desperate nature. Her charisma draws people to her. She proclaims that she doesn't enjoy turning people away from the vast resources her compound has. But she also enjoys helping these lost souls. She trusts her gut. That pulls her close to Hero, who shares her truth with her. That's the first time she says that out loud. It's freeing. It's terrifying too. That reality cannot be dismissed or ignored. The same applies to Yorick and Dr. Mann having to trust Agent 355 no matter what. She is the one being targeted by the government. They don't need her to conduct the vital research in San Francisco. She may only be a liability because of how serious she takes absolutely everything. They fear what she is capable of. She is unstable. She has lied to them several times already. And yet, their fates are entwined. That is the reality for them at this particular moment. It can't be challenged or disrupted. 355 is calling the shots. Yorick and Mann are expected to follow them no matter what. She hasn't earned their trust. As such, they hold back from sharing everything with her. That may only invite further disaster to follow them around. It's beautiful and cathartic when they stumble upon a ceremony honoring what has been lost. They too can shed their fears for a moment and mark the solemn awareness of their place in the world. That's freeing but ultimately short-lived. That may be how 355 conducts everything. It's tense and demands a lot. But she isn't even fully in control of herself. That too will be dangerous as she refuses to let others into her world and the uncertainty that clearly plagues her.
