Y: The Last Man (TV series)

Y: The Last Man

Company type	Television series
Industry	Entertainment
Founded	September 13, 2021 (2021-09-13)
Founder	Eliza Clark (creator/showrunner)
Headquarters	United States
Products	Television series

Y: The Last Man is a U.S. post-apocalyptic drama television series created by Eliza Clark, adapted from the comic book by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra. The narrative centers on Yorick Brown, one of the rare survivors following a mysterious catastrophe that eradicates every mammal carrying a Y chromosome.

The project originated at FX in October 2015, with a pilot episode filmed in 2018. The network approved the first season in 2019, appointing Clark to replace the initial showrunners Michael Green and Aida Mashaka Croal. Production commenced in 2020 amid several casting adjustments, including recasting the lead role. The series debuted on September 13, 2021, airing on FX on Hulu domestically and Star via Disney+ internationally. The cast features Diane Lane, Ashley Romans, Ben Schnetzer, Olivia Thirlby, and Amber Tamblyn. Although it received generally favorable reviews from critics, the show was cancelled after only one season in October 2021. Subsequently, it was removed from streaming platforms Hulu and Disney+ on May 26, 2023, rendering it inaccessible in the United States and other regions.

Premise

Set in a post-apocalyptic environment, Y: The Last Man explores a world where an unexplained event has eliminated every mammal possessing a Y chromosome, except for one man—Yorick Brown (Ben Schnetzer)—and his male pet monkey Ampersand. The storyline follows Yorick as he navigates this transformed society while survivors, led by his mother Jennifer Brown (Diane Lane), who assumes the presidency of the United States, endeavor to reconstruct civilization.

Gender effects

While the original comic depicted all Y chromosome-bearing mammals dying simultaneously, the television adaptation updates this concept to align with contemporary understandings of gender identity since the comic’s release. Showrunners clarified that trans women who carry Y chromosomes and women with androgen insensitivity syndrome possessing Y chromosomes also perish in the event. Furthermore, they introduced a trans male character, Sam Jordan (Elliot Fletcher), broadening representation beyond the source material.

Eliza Clark, the showrunner, underscored that "Yorick’s maleness is not what distinguishes him—it is specifically his Y chromosome." The series affirms that trans women are women, trans men are men, and acknowledges non-binary identities, thereby adding depth to its exploration of gender.

Cast member Fletcher observed that following the event, societal assumptions about gender invert; Yorick is regarded as trans rather than cisgender. This shift highlights the series’ dedication to examining gender identity within its plot.

Societal effects

According to Eliza Clark, the writing team thoroughly examined the consequences of an instantaneous loss of all individuals with Y chromosomes. She pointed out enduring gender imbalances within key sectors by 2020—for example, only 5% of truck drivers were women despite trucking’s critical role in supply chains. Clark emphasized that although traditional gender binaries vanish among survivors, divisions based on race, sexual orientation, political affiliation, and socioeconomic status continue to shape society.

Governmental effects

In the United States, Republican President Ted Campbell, his vice president, most congressional members, and six Supreme Court Justices perish—including some women involved in related incidents—resulting in a complete wipeout of the presidential line of succession. Female members of Congress act swiftly to elevate Jennifer Brown, Chair of the House Intelligence Committee and a Democrat, first to Speaker and then to President within an hour.

Kimberly Campbell Cunningham, President Campbell’s politically engaged daughter, organizes surviving Republican congresswomen to assert their legitimate claim to power based on pre-catastrophe elections—a stance contrasting with Brown’s unelected rise. The predominance of female Democrats temporarily shifts governmental control.

At the time of the event, only two Cabinet secretaries were women; Secretary of Education Abbott was disqualified due to foreign birthright. Regina Oliver was presumed dead overseas but later discovered alive after emerging from a coma. Oliver is characterized as a far-right extremist and polarizing figure even among Republicans, complicating efforts to replace Brown’s administration.

The international ramifications are briefly touched upon: nations with fewer female leaders experienced worse outcomes than the U.S., which itself remains debilitated. Russia’s government collapsed after false reports claiming survival of its male leadership were disproven amid Kremlin riots.

Primary

• Diane Lane portrays Jennifer Brown, the mother of Yorick and Hero, a Democratic member of the U.S. Congress who ascends to the presidency, previously serving as Chair of the House Intelligence Committee.
• Ashley Romans plays Sarah Burgin / Agent 355, a member of the Culper Ring, Yorick's protector, and a Secret Service agent.
• Ben Schnetzer appears as Yorick Brown, an inexperienced escape artist and the last known cisgender male human; his capuchin monkey Ampersand is the only other surviving male mammal.
• Olivia Thirlby is cast as Hero Brown, Yorick's sister and a paramedic.
• Juliana Canfield plays Beth DeVille, Yorick's ex-girlfriend.
• Elliot Fletcher portrays Sam Jordan, a transgender man and Hero's closest friend.
• Marin Ireland takes on the role of Nora Brady / Victoria, former press advisor to President Ted Campbell.
• Amber Tamblyn appears as Kimberly Campbell Cunningham, daughter of the late President Ted Campbell.
• Diana Bang plays Dr. Allison Mann, a geneticist affiliated with Harvard.

Recurring

• Jess Salgueiro as Christine Flores, serving as Chief of Staff to President Brown
• Laura de Carteret portrays Lisa Murray, a former advisor during the Campbell Administration who now supports President Brown
• Yanna McIntosh as General Peggy Reed
• Paris Jefferson plays Marla Campbell, widow and former First Lady to the late President Ted Campbell
• Jennifer Wigmore appears as Regina Oliver, Secretary of Veterans Affairs and next in presidential succession before Jennifer Brown, presumed deceased
• Missi Pyle as Roxanne, leader of the Daughters of the Amazon, a survivalist cult with misandrist views

Guest appearances

• Paul Gross as Ted Campbell, the Republican U.S. President who dies during the global catastrophe.
• Kristen Gutoskie portrays Sonia, an ex-convict residing in Marrisville.
• Sydney Meyer as Nicole, a member of the Amazon group.

Development

In October 2015, FX initiated development on a TV adaptation of Y: The Last Man, the comic series by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra, with Vaughan producing alongside Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson. Production was handled by Color Force and FX Productions.

By November 2016, Michael Green was attached as showrunner and co-writer for the pilot script along with Vaughan, with FX anticipating delivery early in 2017. In May 2017, it was clarified that Green independently wrote the script which Vaughan subsequently approved. By July 2017, FX had reviewed and favored the draft, continuing negotiations regarding the series. In January 2018, FX CEO John Landgraf expressed positive expectations about the project following Green’s availability after departing from American Gods.

In April 2018, FX commissioned a pilot episode with Green and Aida Mashaka Croal appointed as co-showrunners and executive producers alongside Melina Matsoukas, Jacobson, Simpson, and Vaughan. Matsoukas was also set to direct the pilot. At February 2019’s Television Critics Association press event, FX announced an order for a full first season scheduled for a 2020 release.

In April 2019, Green and Croal left due to creative differences. By June 2019, Eliza Clark had taken over as showrunner. As of February 2020, executive producers included Clark, Jacobson, Simpson, Vaughan, Matsoukas, and Mari Jo Winkler-Ioffreda; Nellie Reed served as producer. In May 2020, the series title was officially confirmed as Y: The Last Man.

June 2020 brought news that the series would debut on FX on Hulu instead of FX’s cable channel. By October 2020, Clark was confirmed to write the first two episodes with Louise Friedberg directing; FX announced that all episodes in season one would be directed by women. The show premiered on September 13, 2021 with three episodes released simultaneously followed by weekly installments.

Casting

In July 2018, the pilot's principal cast was announced, featuring Diane Lane, Barry Keoghan, Imogen Poots, Lashana Lynch, Juliana Canfield, Marin Ireland, Amber Tamblyn, and Timothy Hutton. By February 2020, Barry Keoghan departed from the role of Yorick and was succeeded by Ben Schnetzer. The following month, Elliot Fletcher joined the ensemble portraying Sam Jordan, the closest friend to Hero. Come October 2020, Ashley Romans and Olivia Thirlby stepped in to replace Lashana Lynch and Imogen Poots as Agent 355 and Hero Brown, respectively. Timothy Hutton also exited amid a series reconfiguration, with Paul Gross assuming his character. Subsequently, Diana Bang was cast to play Doctor Allison Mann.

Filming

The pilot’s main photography commenced in August 2018 at various sites including Pearl River, New York. Production was slated to resume in April 2020 but was halted due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Filming recommenced in October 2020 in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, ultimately wrapping up in July 2021.

Cancellation

On October 17, 2021, FX on Hulu announced the series would not continue beyond its inaugural season. Showrunner Clark explored options for relocating the show to another platform; however, no new network was secured. The cancellation was attributed to factors such as insufficient audience numbers and financial limitations. Due to pandemic-related production delays and changes in leadership, contract renewals for the cast became necessary—posing an estimated $3 million cost that FX opted against incurring. FX Chairman John Landgraf later cited a "sharp decline" in viewership throughout the series’ duration as a key reason for discontinuation.

Critical response

According to the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a 77% approval rating with an average score of 6.9/10 based on 60 critiques. The critical consensus notes that while Y: The Last Man updates important elements from its source material and benefits from strong acting performances, it ultimately feels somewhat lackluster within an already saturated dystopian genre. Metacritic assigned a weighted average of 63 out of 100 from 26 critics, reflecting "generally favorable reviews."

Judy Berman of Time observed that the show markedly improves over its initial six episodes and shows promising potential for development. Alan Sepinwall from Rolling Stone rated it three stars out of five, describing it as "a competent yet occasionally frustrating series" that struggles to fully capitalize on its distinctive premise. Darren Franich of Entertainment Weekly gave it a "C," criticizing its lack of narrative innovation and familiarity with apocalyptic themes.

Joel Golby of The Guardian commended the series for its compelling human drama woven into science fiction elements, whereas Lucy Mangan dismissed it as "a tired and immature male-centric narrative." USA Today’s Kelly Lawler characterized the show as a "flawed yet lively epic," acknowledging it falls short of matching the original material’s impact but remains a respectable adaptation. Consequence’s Clint Worthington deemed the series "outdated and sluggish." Variety’s Caroline Framke argued that the show’s earnest tone restricts its emotional depth to expressions of despair and sorrow.

Accolades

Year	Award	Category	Nominee(s)	Outcome	Ref.
2022	20th Visual Effects Society Awards	Outstanding Animated Character in a Real-Time Project	Mike Beaulieu, Michael Dharney, Peter Pi, Aidana Sakhvaliyeva (for "Ampersand")	Template:Nom
	49th Annie Awards	Outstanding Achievement for Character Animation in Live Action	Industrial Light & Magic Animation Team	Template:Nominated
	33rd GLAAD Media Awards	Outstanding New TV Series	Y: The Last Man	Template:Nom
	ReFrame Stamp	IMDbPro Top 200 Scripted TV Recipients		Template:Win

Viewership

According to market analytics firm Parrot Analytics, Y: The Last Man significantly contributed to the surge in demand for Hulu originals within Austria throughout September 2021, enhancing Hulu's market position. Additionally, Whip Media, which monitors viewing behavior of over 18 million users via its TV Time application, ranked the series as the second most eagerly awaited new release during that month. In the United States, it achieved the position of ninth most-streamed original series during the week beginning September 19, 2021. Subsequently, Parrot Analytics recognized it as one of the leading premieres of the third quarter, reporting demand levels at 16.7 times higher than the average series.

External links

• Y: The Last Man available on Hulu