Killing Eve - quite unlike anything else on television

tv series review

As Sandra Oh lands an Emmy nod for Killing Eve, Instep reviews the series that is headlined and driven by women and is intriguingly strange, brilliantly cast, darkly humorous and rivetingly suspenseful

Killing Ever

Season 1

Starring: Sandra Oh, Jodie Comer, Fiona Shaw, Darren Boyd, Owen McDonnell, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Sean Delaney, David Haig, and Kim Bodnia.

If you give its premise a cursory look, you probably won’t be best impressed with Killing Eve. A thriller about an agent chasing an assassin? That’s hardly original ground. But if you delve a little deeper, you will be rewarded with a show that’s unlike anything else on television.

Based on the Codename Villanelle novella series by author Luke Jennings, the British-made drama is intriguingly strange, brilliantly cast, darkly humorous, and rivetingly suspenseful.

The protagonist is Eve Polastri (portrayed by the wonderful Sandra Oh), an intelligence operative who appears to be bored with every aspect of her life, from personal to professional. The assassination of a politician leads her to connect the killing to a series of such murders, and she comes to believe that the assassin is a woman.

Eve soon becomes fixated on finding the killer, and when she is recruited by the dubious Carolyn Marten (essayed by Fiona Shaw) for an off-the-books assignment to do just that, she finds herself on the trail of the psychopathic Villanelle (the amazing Jodie Comer), a skilled assassin who is hired by an unknown force to carry out murders across Europe.

The women are both drawn towards each other, and develop a strange obsession that leads them into a bizarre chase, with them both going after one another in different ways.

The main characters are fascinatingly odd. Eve is smart, capable, but also impatient and reckless. Villanelle is cocky, ruthless, and completely devoid of remorse, but seductive and magnetic. They’re on the opposite sides of the law; yet they’re both clearly attracted to each other. Their relationship remains almost indefinable. Will they end up teaming up or destroying each other? You’re never quite certain, and therein lies part of the intrigue.

It also helps that the roles are perfectly cast. Sandra Oh effortlessly holds the series together, and Comer is terrific as the fierce yet alluring antagonist who often brings humour to the show despite the darkness she emanates. The latter’s interactions with children at multiple points in the series – a girl at an ice-cream parlour, a boy she encounters during one of her missions, and an annoying child she kidnaps – are among her most memorable and defining scenes.

With women in both the main parts – a choice you won’t find in most spy thrillers – the men are mostly relegated to supporting roles and while they all deliver fine performances, you’re never in any doubt about who is in charge of the series. It’s all about Eve and Villanelle, and a dive into the complex relationship between these two, their bond, attraction, trust (or lack thereof).

The writing is strong throughout; there are quips you’ll be amused by; there are simple exchanges that hold depths of meaning. Phoebe Waller-Bridge deserves praise for the way she has handled the material and brought it from page to screen.

Visually, the show is stunning. Its glittering aesthetics are something Killing Eve has in common with its more traditional predecessors. Gorgeous locales form the backdrop as the action moves from one country to another. Glamorous outfits are donned. The attention to detail in, for instance, creating Villanelle’s apartment is impeccable.

It’s all these strengths that make this show so impressive despite the fact that it isn’t exactly the most realistic of thrillers. Would someone as idiosyncratic as Villanelle who leaves behind as much evidence as she does evade detection and capture for so long? Doubtful. But it’s these same, odd character choices that make the show so intriguing.

Altogether, this is a riveting inaugural season of BBC America’s terrific new show that reels you in with its first scene and keeps you hooked throughout its eight consistently well-made episodes. The acting elevates the material, and it’s a credit to the lead female actors that they make their characters compelling even when they aren’t necessarily likable.

On the whole, the first season of Killing Eve is brutal, bleakly funny, and cunningly unpredictable, and will leave you wanting more, so it’s a good thing that the second season is already in the works.

- Sameen Amer 

Instep, The News on Sunday - 29th July, 2018 *

Famous feuds

quiz whiz

1. “I’ve had more fun with a tin of sardines.” Who is the target of this Liam Gallagher insult?
A. Robbie Williams
B. Chris Martin
C. Damon Albarn
D. Noel Gallagher

2. Which pop singer did Hilary Duff and Lindsay Lohan have a tiff over?
A. Justin Bieber
B. Justin Timberlake
C. Aaron Carter
D. Nick Carter

3. “You’re like twenty-two girls in one
And none of them know what they’re runnin’ from
Was it just too far to fall?
For a little paper doll”
Which of his exes is John Mayer reportedly singing about in his song ‘Paper Doll’?
A. Jessica Simpson
B. Jennifer Aniston
C. Katy Perry
D. Taylor Swift

4. Speaking of “obnoxious Barbie”, which animal is Taylor Swift associated with because of her many feuds?
A. Snake
B. Alligator
C. Fox
D. Bee

5. “You should never say bad things about the dead, you should only say good. Joan Crawford is dead. Good!” Who (allegedly) said this?
A. Judy Garland
B. Gretta Garbo
C. Jean Harlow
D. Bette Davis

6. Elizabeth Taylor famously caused a tabloid scandal by having an affair with and subsequently marrying which actress’s husband?
A. Eva Gardener
B. Debbie Reynolds
C. Audrey Hepburn
D. Katherine Hepburn

7. Which of these television co-stars did not get along in real life?
A. Lea Michele and Naya Rivera (Glee)
B. Charlie Sheen and Selma Blair (Anger Management)
C. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson (The X-Files)
D. Shannen Doherty and Alyssa Milano (Charmed)

8. Which of these things did Chelsea Handler NOT say about Angelina Jolie?
A. “You’re evil and everyone knows it”
B. “She seems like a demon”
C. “[Pitt] married a f****** lunatic”
D. “She’s not a great beauty by any stretch of the imagination”

9. Vin Diesel famously had a feud with which of his Fast and Furious co-stars?
A. Tyrese Gibson
B. Ludacris
C. Dwayne Johnson
D. Sung Kang

10. Fawad Khan upset which actress at an award show in 2014, allegedly demanding to sit in her front-row seat next to the actress of his choice and threatening to leave otherwise?
A. Sultana Siddiqui
B. Bader Khalil
C. Bushra Ansari
D. Samina Peerzada

11. A few years ago, Shaan slammed Mawra Hocane after taking offence at her:
A. Support for an anti-Pakistani movie
B. Unprofessional behaviour
C. Revealing outfits
D. Endlessly posting photos and selfies on social media

12. Which actress did Meera say (in a since-deleted tweet) “doesn’t know how to act at all”?
A. Reema
B. Mehwish Hayat
C. Mahira Khan
D. Saba Qamar

*****

Answer

1. D
Liam Gallagher has never shied away from telling the world how he really feels about his peers. His many targets have included Robbie Williams (“a drama queen”), Chris Martin (“looks like a geography teacher”), and Damon Albarn (“boring”), leading to a string of feuds, but his favourite target remains his elder brother Noel. Rock and roll’s most legendary (and funniest) sibling rivalry has seen the Gallaghers trading barbs for decades, including the aforementioned 2009 Liam quote supposedly about his “a big mouth who calls himself a rock star” brother. In turn Noel has hit Liam with a few zingers himself, like the infamous “he’s like a man with a fork in a world of soup”.

2. C
Hilary Duff and Lindsay Lohan were two of the most prominent child actresses of the early ‘00s but ended up in a fairly public feud, and it was all because of Aaron Carter, who first dated Duff, then Lohan, then Duff again, and started a battle between the two young girls.

3. D
Best known for writing songs about her exes, Taylor Swift penned 2010’s ‘Dear John’ (allegedly) about John Mayer, who felt “humiliated” by the track and thought it was “cheap songwriting”. He in turn wrote 2013’s ‘Paper Doll’ (allegedly) in response.

4. A
Swift isn’t exactly the best loved celebrity in the world of music and has clashed with several other famouses, including Katy Perry and Calvin Harris, as well as her longstanding beef with Kanye West and Kim Kardashian (the latter posted a tweet supposedly referencing Taylor on National Snake Day), which have led to her online posts being spammed with the snake emoji.

5. D
The legendary feud between Bette Davis and Joan Crawford – a product of their Hollywood rivalry as well as their feelings for actor Franchot Tone, Bette’s unrequited love who Joan married – came to a head during the filming of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) and was also the subject of the first season of the anthology series, Feud (2017).

6. B
The actresses, who met as teens in the early 1950s, were very close friends. Debbie married Eddie Fisher. Elizabeth married Mike Todd, with Debbie serving as Elizabeth’s matron of honour and Eddie as Mike’s best man. Then Mike died in a plane crash. Eddie started having an affair with Elizabeth, eventually marrying her after leaving Debbie with whom he had two children, Carrie and Todd. The marriage didn’t last long.
Years later, the actresses reconciled after they ended up travelling on the same ship.

7. All of them!
Glee’s Lea Michele and Naya Rivera didn’t get along while making the show and, according to the latter, didn’t speak to each other at all during the final season.
Anger Management’s Selma Blair criticised Charlie Sheen for being a slacker; the latter then refused to work with her, threatening to quite if she wasn’t fired, which she was.
The X-Files David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson’s working relationship was complicated, and they went through times when they didn’t get along.
And Charmed’s Shannen Doherty left the show at least partly because of her issues with Alyssa Milano.

8. D
Chelsea Handler is clearly not a fan of Angelina Jolie and has made some scathing comments about her. The last one isn’t by her though; that, rather, is Donald Trump’s assessment of Angelina’s looks.

9. C
Apparently Vin Diesel and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson did not get along on the set of The Fate of the Furious (2016). Johnson hinted he had issues with a co-star, later revealed to be Diesel, on Instagram, writing “some [male co-stars] conduct themselves as stand up men and true professionals, while others don’t”. The beef, he eventually elaborated, was due to “fundamental difference in philosophies on how we approach moviemaking and collaborating”.

10. B
Bader Khalil, who was at the award show to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award, says she was sitting in the front row next to Sultana Siddiqui, when Fawad apparently demanded he wanted to sit next to Sultana or he’d leave. When asked to vacate her seat and go sit in the back, Bader left her award there and left the show.

11. A
Shaan called for a ban on Mawra Hocane for supporting Phantom (2015) after she tweeted about the controversial Bollywood film, leading Shaan to comment “should we ban the actress who supports an anti-Pakistan film?” #BanMawra soon caught on, and the actress then had to post a long defence online, stating, in part, that “a film’s content cannot challenge the dignity of my country as Pakistan is beyond a filmmaker’s opinion of it and its dignity is way more sacred for it to be questioned by a film”.

12. C
Meera isn’t the biggest fan of Mahira Khan. Speaking about working in Bollywood, Mahira once said that “The more clothes you wear, the more respect you're given. You don’t need to do an item number for respect here”. Meera may or may not have taken this as a dig at her. In a tweet that she later deleted, Meera wrote that “Mahira Khan doesn’t know how to act at all. Don’t waste time watching her movies and commercials”. Later, in a video, she said (in Urdu, roughly translated to English here) that “there are many beautiful actors and actresses in Pakistan, who do great work, and do better work than Mahira, so please stop promoting Mahira, because things shouldn’t be unfair for the other actors and actresses in the industry”.

- S.A.

Us Magazine, The News International - 27th July, 2018 *

Album reviews: Florence + the Machine, Dirty Projectors, and 5SOS return

album reviews

Artist: Florence + the Machine
Album: High as Hope

Florence Welch and her band burst onto the music scene like a breath of fresh air with songs like the irresistible ‘Kiss with a Fist’ and ‘Dog Days are Over’ a decade ago. But the subsequent years started to highlight the limitation in their repertoire. The big choruses and grand orchestrals weren’t always as exhilarating as they were the first time around. Welch’s unique voice, which certainly set the group apart from others, also became their most polarizing aspect. To some it seemed ethereal, to others shrill; Liam Gallagher thought she sounded like someone was standing on her foot.

It’s fair to say that opinions have varied greatly about this English outfit’s musical output. But whichever camp you fall into, you’re not likely to change your mind after listening to High as Hope. The fourth record by the indie pop band isn’t exactly their most impressive work but still displays the same passion that has made them so beloved to so many fans.

The set comprises of 10 songs packed with emotions, co-written and co-produced by Welch herself, primarily with the help of Emile Haynie. She sings about eating disorder and desire on the album’s lead singer ‘Hunger’; seeks forgiveness from her younger sister in ‘Grace’; and pays tribute to her idol Patti Smith with ‘Patricia’.

But while she’s lyrically personal, the melodies aren’t as powerful on this record, and the song structures are too similar. There are strings and pianos adorning the compositions, but the arrangements are stripped down by Florence + the Machine standards. Even when the soundscape is relatively sparse, for instance on song like ‘Sky Full of Song’ and the aforementioned ‘Grace’, the result is undeniably appealing, but it lacks the lushness of the group’s initial hits. Welch’s voice remains as distinctive as ever, but it’s most effective here when it’s controlled and fragile.

Ultimately, High as Hope does not possess the energy and exciting instrumentation of Florence + the Machine’s earlier work, but its passion and emotions will still resonate with the group’s admirers.

Highlights: ‘Sky Full of Song’, ‘Grace’, ‘Patricia’
Rating: 3 out of 5
 

*****

Artist: Dirty Projectors
Album: Lamp Lit Prose

David Longstreth has put his creative energies to good use on Dirty Projectors’ eighth album, Lamp Lit Prose. Unlike last year’s self-titled effort that focused on his breakup with former partner and bandmate Amber Coffman, the new record is a joyous affair, marrying imaginative experimentation with bright pop melodies.

Longstreth continues to hold the reins of the band, writing and producing much of this 10-song set himself. Sparkling guitars, vibrant horns, and rhythmic percussions variously come together to intriguing effect here. Unorthodox arrangements power these indie rock tunes that are peppered with hints of jazz, funk, and hip hop.

The songwriter’s outlook is more positive than before, as he seems more optimistic in romance, gushing about his partner on songs like the standout ‘Break-Thru’ and gentle ballad ‘You’re the One’ (which features Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold and former Vampire Weekend multi-instrumentalist Rostam). Elsewhere, The Internet’s Syd provides a helping hand on buoyant album opener ‘Right Now’; Empress Of lend energy to the edgy ‘Zombie Conqueror’ (which feels like two songs smushed into one); Amber Mark appears on the soulful, upbeat ‘I Feel Energy’; while Dear Nora contribute to eerie closer ‘(I Wanna) Feel It All’.

Even when it’s sonically challenging, Longstreth makes sure Lamp Lit Prose remains accessible. And while these offbeat tracks certainly aren’t for everyone, those who enjoy experimental indie are very likely to find them rewarding.

Highlights: ‘Break-Thru’, ‘Right Now’, ‘I Found It in U’, ‘What Is the Time’
Rating: 4 out of 5

*****

Artist: 5 Seconds of Summer
Album: Youngblood

With their third album, Australian group 5 Seconds of Summer finally drop all pretence of being punk and fully embrace their pop identity, going from guitar playing boyband to purveyors of catchy synth pop.

Their subject matter hasn’t changed much. They are still singing about – as you would expect – girls and relationships, with a few requisite musings on the downsides of partying thrown into the mix. But there is a marked difference in their sound, which has become more beige on this record.

With 13 pristinely polished songs that find them trying to impress fans of Charlie Puth and Shawn Mendez instead of Blink-182 and Green Day, 5SOS offer a collection of dance pop and middle-of-the-road soft rock that seamlessly blends into the mainstream. And in going this route, the young Aussies – Luke Hemmings, Calum Hood, Michael Clifford, and Ashton Irwin – have lost their distinctiveness, as much of their personality has been eroded in the process.

Youngblood is most effective when the group either inserts some rock sensibilities into their work or when their pop tunes are just too catchy to resist. Songs like ‘Moving Along’ and ‘Lie to Me’ are undeniably enjoyable ditties, and there are enough likable hooks here to still impress their ardent admirers. But as competently made as Youngblood may be for a pop record, it still comes off as middling because of its lack of truly unique flavours and textures.

On the whole, while it may be a departure from their more edgy, emo-lite style, their fans will still find plenty to enjoy about this album, while more jaded listeners will still dismiss the group with a sneer.

Highlights: ‘Youngblood’, ‘Lie to Me’, ‘Moving Along’
Rating: 3 out of 5

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 22nd July, 2018 *

This week's playlist: Bebe Rexha meets expectations while Gorillaz rein in their experimental tendencies

album review 

Artist: Bebe Rexha
Album: Expectations

Bebe Rexha may just be releasing her debut album, but she isn’t exactly a newcomer to the music industry. The Albanian-American singer has nearly a decade’s worth of experience under her proverbial belt. From being the voice of Pete Wentz’s electropop group Black Cards to collaborating with artists like Nicki Minaj, Martin Garrix, G-Easy, and David Guetta, and even writing for other performers (among the songs she has co-penned  is Eminem and Rihanna’s Grammy winning ‘The Monster’), the songstress has already built a solid foundation to her career. It doesn’t come as a surprise then that her first full-length album is a catchy, cohesive pop record.

Created with the help of several producers and writers, Expectations sees Rexha sing about relationships, attraction, and heartache, variously delving into different genres like hip hop, electronic, R&B, and country to create songs that would be right at home on mainstream radio.

The record is at its best on tracks like the dramatic loneliness lament ‘Ferrari’ and the dancehall-tinged earworm ‘Self Control’, and ballads like ‘Knees’ and ‘Grace’ display her ability to show vulnerability and connect with listeners. But not everything here is as strong as the album’s highlights. Too often, her work seems too generic and unable to distinguish itself from everything else on the charts. The more unexceptional tracks that mostly come up in the second half of the album – ‘Mine’, ‘Steady’, ‘Pillow’ – are lacklustre. Even ‘Meant to Be’, her big country hit with Florida Georgia Line, isn’t a particularly exciting effort.

Expectations offers some well-made pop offerings, and you’ll find it hard to resist its catchiest moments, but it also reveals an artist struggling to find her identity, unable to differentiate herself from her peers. But there is enough talent here to leave you hoping that she can, in the future, transcend the mainstream pop trappings; employ more raw, less processed vocals; and explore fresher sounds.

Highlights: ‘Ferrari’, ‘I’m a Mess’, ‘Self Control’
Rating: 3 out of 5

*****

Artist: Gorillaz
Album: The Now Now

The working partnership of musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett has created one of the most intriguing musical projects of recent times, and it’s always interesting to see them continue their virtual journey with each new record. Their latest – their sixth release overall – comes only a year after its predecessor.

Unlike last year’s collaboration-heavy Humanz, The Now Now finds Albarn, and his alter ego 2-D, back in the driving seat, its aesthetics echoing that of 2010’s The Fall, which, too was recorded on the road and arrived just nine months after the busier Plastic Beach (2010). The track listing itself – ‘Hollywood’, ‘Kansas’, ‘Idaho’, ‘Lake Zurich’, ‘Magic City’ – suggests a globetrotting band in transit. Guests show up on only two songs here – jazz guitarist George Benson provides some funky licks for ‘Humility’ while rapper Snoop Dogg and house music artist Jamie Principle appear on the bouncy ‘Hollywood’.

Hip hop beats and new wave synths form the sonic backdrop for these 11 songs, but the focus here is largely on Albarn, and fewer collaborations actually work in the record’s favour. While The Now Now isn’t as inventive and playful as some of the British outfit’s earlier work, it shows that the band can command attention even when they take a more simplified approach. Their skill is evident, for instance, on tracks like the beautiful, stripped down ‘Idaho’ and the standout ‘Tranz’, which is as infectious as anything the Gorillaz have ever made.

Written and recorded primarily by Albarn with producer James Ford, The Now Now may not be as ambitious as some of their most creative efforts, but in reining in his experimental tendencies, Albarn has created a more focused, solid record that effectively showcases the musician’s songwriting prowess and still makes for an interesting, enjoyable listen.

Highlights: ‘Tranz’, ‘Hollywood’, ‘Idaho’
Rating: 4 out of 5

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 15th July, 2018 *

Incredibles 2 - predictable but fun

movie review

Incredibles 2

Voice cast: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell, Huck Milner, and Samuel L. Jackson
Director: Brad Bird
Tagline: Back to work.

More than a decade after they first conquered the big screen with what turned out to be an instant Pixar classic, the Parr family is back for their second adventure in Incredibles 2, a return to the world created by director and writer Brad Bird that revisits much of the same turf as the original but makes sure it never ceases to be fun.

Our protagonists – parents Bob (voiced by Craig T. Nelson) and Helen (Holly Hunter), and their kids Violet (Sarah Vowell), Dash (Huck Milner), and Jack-Jack (Eli Fucile) – are, once again, dealing with ostracization. Superheroes are still illegal, forced into hiding by a society no longer willing to support them.

But a chance comes up to potentially change the law and bring the supers back when wealthy businessman (and big superhero fan) Winston Deavor (Bob Odenkirk) – along with a little help from his sister Evelyn Deavor (Catherine Keener) – hatches a plan to help the supers return. He enlists Elastigirl on a mission to change the world’s perspective of superheroes and regain the public’s support.

With Helen out fighting crime, Bob is left in charge of the house, and has to deal with parenting issues, like Violet’s first date with a boy she likes, Dash’s struggle with math, and infant Jack-Jack’s emerging superpowers.

But balancing superhero duties and life isn’t the only challenge the Parrs are about to face. When the villain Screenslaver shows up and starts hypnotizing people through screens, it will take one mighty effort to defeat the baddie.

It’s all well-executed and clearly made with a lot of skill and care. Visually, Incredibles 2 is impressive, and the action sequences are well made. The voice cast is as effective as they were in the last episode. There are laughs sprinkled throughout the film; young Jack-Jack’s escapades, in particular, provide the most amusement.

But it all seems very formulaic, like a rehash that doesn’t bring anything new to the franchise. Over the years, Pixar has set such a high standard for itself and made so many quality films, including sequels – like the Toy Story movies, for instance, all three of which are terrific – that we always expect excellence from the studio, but we don’t get enough inventiveness or the same kind of emotional impact here to be truly excited by this chapter.

A different story that allowed the characters to explore new grounds would have been more rewarding. The script could have been smarter, the dialogue crisper. There is something quite clichéd about Bob’s ineptness as a stay-at-home dad as well as Helen’s feminist advancements. The idea behind the Screenslaver, too, is a bit on the nose, and the supervillain is more menacing theoretically than practically; ultimately you’re never in any doubt which side will eventually emerge victorious. Also, why the animators decided Evelyn should look distractingly like Lisa Rinna remains a mystery.

Maybe some of the tedium stems from the fact that the cinematic landscape has changed so much since The Incredibles wowed us 14 years ago. Superheroes have oversaturated both the big and small screen in the last decade, so perhaps yet another superhero movie doesn’t have quite the impact now that its predecessor did in 2004.

That said, Incredibles 2 is by no means a disappointment. While it doesn’t rank among Pixar’s most inventive endeavours, it is still a solid family adventure that will keep both kids and grownups entertained for nearly 2 hours (although its running time is, admittedly, a tad overlong).

Overall, the journey may be predictable this time around, but it’s still a whole lot of fun.

Rating: 3 out of 5

- Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune Blogs - 10th July, 2018

The Last Man on Earth ends ... on a cliffhanger

tv series review

The Last Man on Earth
Season 4

Starring: Will Forte, Kristen Schaal, January Jones, Mel Rodriguez, Cleopatra Coleman, and Mary Steenburgen

Cliffhangers are the worst.

Between having to wait a year (or more) to find out how the sequel will untangle the mess left behind by a film’s uncertain ending to spending months waiting for a series to return and reveal how things fared for the characters, the experience of consuming entertainment can sometimes turn into a trying test of patience.

But the most frustrating thing about cliffhangers are the threads that will never be resolved. A sequel that will not materialize; a series that won’t be renewed; an ending that will never come.

That’s the fate that has befallen The Last Man on Earth. A huge cliffhanger right at the end of the season four finale … followed by a prompt cancellation.

Like I said, cliffhangers are the worst.

Set in a future where a deadly virus has swept the planet, the quirky series made its debut in 2015 (and originated from an idea by the great Phil Lord and Christopher Miller), telling the story of the last man on Earth, Phil Tandy Miller, who, it quickly turns out, isn’t the last man on Earth at all, as more survivors start to show up.

With its unusual premise and inventive outlook, the show offered a charming, amusing tale that could sometimes be a bit exasperating for a number of reasons, ranging from some of the more vexing tendencies of its characters to its reluctance to commit to the original premise and fully explore just what it would be like if Tandy really was the last survivor or at least the last “man” on Earth while all the other survivors were women.

But even though there were times when the series made decisions that removed some essential friction that could have been so entertaining – like its choice to neatly pair off characters into couples, for instance – or outright felt like it was struggling to come up with ways to keep going, the writers always made sure that the journey was amusing and there was enough warmth to keep viewers invested in the fate of its oddball characters.

[Spoiler alert: if you haven’t seen the series at all, then you might want to skip the next paragraph as it contains some details from the previous seasons.]

By the fourth season, the group is in the midst of settling down and repopulating the world. Tandy and Carol (Kristen Schaal) are expecting twins, while Erica (Cleopatra Coleman) has given birth to a daughter, Dawn, and is in a relationship with Gail (Mary Steenburgen). Todd (Mel Rodriguez), too, is struggling with baby fever but his wife, Melissa (January Jones), doesn't want to have children.

But it’s the recurring characters that, as always, come along to shake things up. Kristen Wiig’s spoiled socialite Pamela and Jason Sudeikis’s lonely astronaut Mike are both terrific, and it’s disappointing that the series keeps finding reasons to make them leave. Mike, in particular, is essential and Sudeikis is perfect whenever he shows up; his character’s relationship with his brother, Tandy, and his heart-breaking loneliness are among the show’s most affecting aspects.

As for the cast, Forte gives good performances from start to finish, and it is always rewarding when his character shows growth, especially towards the end of the series. The supporting cast is solid as well, even though Jones doesn’t have as much to do in the final season and her character feels underutilized much of the time. And the series’ ability to attract big name guest stars – even if only for a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo – is always exciting.

But, ultimately, it all comes to an abrupt, unsatisfying end.

It may not have been perfect, but The Last Man on Earth was certainly nothing like your average sitcom. The series was most fascinating when it threw conventions aside and wandered off the predictable path, and its take on love, loss, friendship, hope, disappointment, and loneliness was unique and interesting. Many viewers enjoyed the road it took navigating its post-apocalyptic setting, and while some of us wish it had dealt with its premise a bit differently, it was still one of the most original comedies with one of the quirkiest protagonists on television, and therein lay its biggest strength and strongest appeal. But now we’ll (probably?) never get to see how things turn out for Tandy and his friends. And that’s just a shame.

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 1st July, 2018 *