Sci-fi shows are bigger than ever right now, with Severance, Pluribus*, *Fallout, and more catching the public’s attention. This rise in popularity of the genre not only provides new series for fans to invest in, but it also introduces more people to the genre, allowing older sci-fi series to gain new fans. However, one great post-apocalyptic series still isn’t getting the attention it deserves. Y: The Last Man has been largely forgotten since its 2021 premiere, and unfortunately, that doesn’t seem likely to change, even with the rise in sci-fi’s popularity.
The series adapts a comic book of the same name, telling the story of a world where every human or man with a Y chromosome suddenly dies, except one. The unique concept of a world that is quickly thrust into chaos features the personal, emotional, and political fallout faced by the characters, instantly making Y: The Last Man stand out. While some sci-fi fans may think this is exactly the new series they’ve been looking for, there is one major problem:** *Y: The Last Man *is no longer available to stream, **which is especially disappointing, as with just ten eventful episodes, the series would be ideal for binge-watching if it were available.
The series centers on a mysterious cataclysmic event as all mammals with a Y chromosome die, effectively killing the male population. In the aftermath, the survivors are left with personal loss, a shaken society, and a power vacuum. However,** there is one exception, as Yorick Brown (Ben Schnetzer) and his male Capuchin monkey somehow do not fall victim to the global catastrophe. **Although he must try to keep his survival secret, Yorick is focused on finding his girlfriend, Beth (Juliana Canfield), despite her rejecting his proposal just before the event. Meanwhile, Yorick’s sister, Hero (Olivia Thirbly), and her friend, Sam (Elliot Fletcher), who, as a trans man, is not killed with the majority of the male population, have their own journey which explores prejudice and addresses the topic of gender identity rather than ignoring the identities of people who are trans or nonbinary.
Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.
You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You’re a systems thinker who can’t help but notice the seams in things.
The wasteland doesn’t reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That’s you.
You’d survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.
Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.
The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn’t have it any other way.
While Yorick’s survival is a major aspect of the series, *Y: The Last Man *also directly explores political themes as the U.S. President and all of his natural successors die in a single day. With only one eligible Cabinet member, Regina Oliver (Jennifer Wigmore), presumed dead, Jennifer Brown (Diane Lane), a congresswoman and Yorick and Hero’s mother, is quickly chosen as the next leader, shifting the balance of power. But as she rebuilds society and conceals her son’s survival, Jennifer struggles to hold onto her newfound power. Through this storyline, *Y: The Last Man *addresses the political divisions of the survivors as well as the gender disparity that threatens Jennifer’s attempts to restart society, providing deeper themes to the post-apocalyptic story.
She previously worked with ‘The Pitt’s Shawn Hatosy on ‘Animal Kingdom.’
With such an interesting concept, Y: The Last Man should be at the top of every sci-fi fan’s list, but unfortunately, it is no longer available. After premiering on FX, the series initially streamed on Hulu. However, things changed in 2023, when Hulu and Disney+ removed more than 40 shows from their catalogue.** *Y: The Last Man *was among these titles, along with Willow, The Mysterious Benedict Society, and Big Shot. The reason given was that the streamer was changing its “approach to content curation,” though it’s hard to ignore that this choice followed a similar cost-cutting move from other streamers.
The fact that Y: The Last Man was included in this purge is especially frustrating because the sci-fi series has a fascinating story and generally favorable reviews, and already ended prematurely. Not only is it unavailable on streaming, but it is difficult to find even if you want to purchase it. **With its seeming disappearance, Y: The Last Man cannot be enjoyed as it should, but it is still worth the time. If the series ever becomes available, sci-fi fans should run to binge-watch it while they can.
*Y: The Last Man *is not currently available to stream in the U.S.
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