For any of those who have seen the Will Forte post-apocalyptic comedy, The Last Man On Earth on Fox, there’s one aspect of the fictional yet fairly realistic apocalyptic aftermath that goes unmentioned—the disappearance of the dead bodies. While we know there’s been some deadly virus that swept the planet wiping out nearly every human on earth, it has only been about a year since we meet the main protagonist, Phil, and the world we are introduced with is filled with clean streets, unlittered of any human remains. So what happened to the human bodies? Well Kristen Schaal, who plays Carol on the series, enlightened fans, explaining that the virus is to blame.
The Fox series may be silly and eccentric at times, but that’s what you sign up for with a comedy. And to Schaal that’s the whole point. So when prompted about why viewers aren’t catching glimpses of any decaying bodies lying around, she told TMZ:
I think the biggest reason is the network didn’t want you to see them. I think they thought it would be a downer for a comedy… I think all the bodies when the virus infects them, they disintegrate, as well as your clothing.
But while a natural progression in a post-apocalyptic world may be to find the cause and science behind the mass human wipe-out, Last Man on Earth instead explores the deeper human emotions of those left on the planet. And of those people are an incredibly average Phil Miller who spends his time post-apocalypse building the world’s largest Jenga tower, sipping out of his margarita pool and enjoying the company of a slew of Cast Away-inspired friends. Or there’s Carol Pibasian, a peculiar women who still finds the need for stop signs and handicapped parking spots. And as the series rolls on, more are introduced, and begin to weave into each other’s lives.
Instead of asking “what happened?”, Last Man on Earth seems to have the intention of making us question, “what’s going to happen?” with our concern placed in the character’s that have survived, more so on anyone who didn’t. Having dead bodies scattered throughout the scene would not only change the tone of the series, but also change the theme.
The Last Man on Earth produced by Saturday Night Live alum, Forte, along with The Lego Movie directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller just wrapped up its season finale May 3. The series was renewed for a second season last month, and will air on Sunday nights again next fall.
