***Spoilers Ahead***
Señor Clean
Mary Steenburgen (left). Will Forte (right). Photo: Kevin Estrada/FOX |
To put it lightly, the relationship between Gail and Tandy has been rocky since day one. Outside of the first time they met, the two have always been at each other's throats. Even after Tandy evolved as a human being, Steenburgen's character has hardly warmed up to his childish ways. As a result, Señor Clean feels like a breath of fresh air for the Last Man on Earth in some ways. But, other aspects of the episode felt tired and unoriginal.
The main story begins at the funeral of Karl the cannibal. Like all Last Man funerals, Todd sings a song and Tandy dishes out a comically tedious speech. But, the writers throw a curveball by ending the ceremony with Gail exposing her appreciation for Tandy. As an avid viewer, I was pleased that the show slightly delved into uncharted territory. The writers could've chosen to stick to the formula, but they ended up taking a unique approach. As stated above, it was a nice change to have Gail and Tandy get along. It made me realize how much I'd missed the chemistry between the two. When they're not acting like mother-in-law and son-in-law, they can be a respectably funny duo. Unfortunately, Tandy destroys this relationship after he lashes out at Gail's unwanted advances. While Tandy's reaction felt very in-character, I foolishly hoped that he would've remained this new version of himself for a bit more. It may not have lasted long, but it was fun while it lasted.
In the B-plot, the writers shed more light on the relationship between Melissa and Jasper. Despite that, Jasper is more of the plot point to get Todd and Melissa into a fight. As a character, the episode does nothing to develop Jasper or bring new details about his past. Ultimately, the fighting between Melissa and Todd wasn't very interesting or entertaining. Both cast members are phenomenal performers, but the show needs to change up its conflicts. Considering it takes place in a post-apocalyptic setting, they should be arguing about more life-threatening topics. The plot caps off with Melissa and Todd asking Erica to have Todd's baby. From a viewer's perspective, there is simply no need to add another child to the show. The series has already tackled pregnancy multiple times. With this, it feels as if the show keeps running in circles between killing off new cast members and adding children.
While neither plot was particularly stale, they address a larger issue with Last Man as a whole. The comedy seems to have no sense of direction. Instead of immediately killing off another celebrity or tackling another pregnancy, I hope the writers focus on an aspect of post-apocalyptic society that they haven't addressed in this latest season. As a whole, 'Señor Clean' is a harmless episode of the dark comedy. It doesn't introduce anything game-changing, but it does its job of setting up new storylines.
Stray Thoughts
- Gail mentioned Tandy's parents. I wonder if they're still alive.
- Jasper talked a bit. I was utterly shocked.
- The ratings for this show aren't getting any better. Let's hope the writers have planned a decent finale.
Grade: B-
What did you think of this episode? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.