The Last Man on Earth Season 4 Episode 10 Review ’Paint Misbehavin’

Spoilers Ahead

Paint Misbehavin'

Will Forte (left), Fred Armisen (right). Photo: FOX

When it comes to judging character, it's safe to say that Tandy isn't a specialist. As the rest of the group makes clear, he has wrongly mistreated the likes of Lewis and Todd while accommodating a cold-blooded killer like Pat. But, Paint Misbehavin' attempts to turn the tables and change the situation. For once, Tandy ends up being right about the new survivor's intentions. Despite that, the rest of the group still hammers him for his impression of Karl. While the winter finale does a good job of inserting Armisen into The Last Man on Earth group, it doesn't create much suspension and handles its other storyline in poor fashion.

The episode centers on Karl's initiation into the group and Tandy's skeptical nature as he continues to feel uneasy about his behavior. I enjoyed the bit of character development that the writers included here. In General Breast Theme With Cobras, Tandy was completely open to Pat despite his awkward tendencies and threatening demeanor. But, in this episode, he doesn't let down his guard until he eventually does find something off about Karl. Since Karl is essentially a cannibal version of early Tandy, it's almost like Phil is looking into a mirror image of who he once was. This makes one appreciate Tandy's progression throughout the seasons even more. Ultimately, Karl's inner urges seep through and he nearly kills Gail before he settles for some dead flesh. While his cannibalistic actions go down as the most revolting thing that Last Man has shown, it's tough not to feel a bit of sympathy for him. Because, in the end, Karl means well and is simply fighting his inner demons in order to stay sane. Once again, Fred Armisen excels in his role and balances his comedic ability and emotional moments in an exceptional way.

Paint Misbehavin' also takes a look at the 'missing Jasper' storyline that was the main focus of the last half of Not Appropriate For Miners. Unfortunately, the writers defuse the suspense in anti-climactic fashion as Melissa simply puts out some food for him and Jasper magically appears to retrieve it. Jasper has been a frustrating character since the writers simply don't know what to do with him. There was an ounce of development in season three, but his only function now is to not have any lines and disappear or disobey orders. While I do like how Todd sees him as a son-like figure, it's tough for their relationship to go anywhere if he won't talk.

As the episode comes to a close, Todd and Tandy see Karl eating the flesh of a dead body at a graveyard in one of the most graphic scenes to be shown in a half-hour broadcast comedy. With that said, Paint Misbehavin' still fails to leave the audience with a proper cliffhanger before the show goes on hiatus. The series handled the Jasper plot poorly given how it was portrayed in a serious manner before. Also, a good portion of the characters had little to no role in the story. Nevertheless, the hilarious dynamic between the vigilant Tandy and nervous Karl helped produce a load of laughs. And, Karl's presence managed to change the dynamic of the group in a positive way. It may not have been entirely filling, but the episode should be enough to satisfy one's hunger before the series returns and introduces new conflicts while hopefully addressing old ones.

Stray Thoughts

They better address the Rubix cube bomb soon. I hope the writers haven't forgotten about it.
We had a one-month break for two episodes only to go on a two-month break.
Armisen sucking on the band-aid was incredibly disgusting.
The scene with Karl, Tandy, and the piano had me dying.
I wonder how the group will deal with this new detail about Karl.
For a second, I thought Karl was digging a grave for himself. That would have been even darker.
The original title for this episode: Nizzle Pizzy in a Dizzle Stizzy