The shadow is always there.
Y: The Last Man Season 1 Episode 10 gives us carnage, romance, reunions, and hope.
There is only one path forward.
There is so much attention to detail here. There were several callbacks to previous episodes that were just so satisfying. It was written by Eliza Clark, the showrunner, and directed by Daisy Von Scherler Mayer.
The pool scenes were dreamy and gorgeous. The timing of the cuts and cues was so spot on — especially the opening scene that cust from Hero’s line to the opening credits, and then when Agent 355 intrudes on Yorick and Sonia’s breakfast.
It helped maintain some levity before the darkness of the rest of the episode set in.
Sonia and Yorick finally consummated their relationship. Kristen Gutoskie’s Sonia has such an ease about her, never coming off as needy or pressuring him. She lets him make the first move, knowing they have to proceed on his terms. It all felt very organic and right.
If time was more like an ocean, then you can’t just pick one moment out. It’s all mixed together, the good and the bad.
Sonia
The way Yorick looks at her in the morning, the way he touches her makes it seem like he is falling in love with her. He seems like the type of guy who falls in love with every woman he sleeps with, which in this case would only be two, but that’s neither here nor there.
Speaking of sleeping, Agent 355 got a great night of it, thanks to “human sandbag” Dr. Mann. Their relationship is so understated and genuinely sweet. They constantly check in with each other about comfort levels and consent, but there’s still plenty of snark because that’s just who they are.
They’re throwing us a goodbye party. It’s supposed to be a surprise, but I didn’t want you to kill anyone, so heads up.
Dr. Mann
Their mutual respect has only grown. You can tell they enjoy each other’s company, but they try to keep it toned down around Yorick. Though he brought them together, what they have now — whatever it is — exists outside of him.
Dr. Mann’s willingness to keep Agent 355 “weighted” down helped them both sleep well, which no doubt helped 355 maintain her alertness during the attack on Marrisville.
It’s a good thing they got Yorick out as soon as they heard gunshots.
It was wild that Ray was just willing to go out and be offered up as the man in Yorick’s place. Perhaps he trusted Agent 355 enough, knowing they could get out of it. Maybe everyone in Marrisville recognized the importance of Dr. Mann’s work with Yorick and were willing to protect it.
Roxanne showed her true colors with the invasion of Marrisville. She wanted glory or death. When it was clear her side was losing, and Nora surrendered, she behaved like a petulant child.
You have to wonder if Nora set her up.
Nora heard about the Marrisville and suggested it. Now, it’s hard to say whether she knew Yorick was the man. But when Hero comes to her after and tells Nora that she’s seen her brother, Nora doesn’t even seem surprised.
Was it Nora’s plan to overthrow Roxanne all along? At the expense of the lives of some of the Amazons? Or did she truly believe they could defeat the Marrisville residents? If she thought Roxanne’s plan was disorganized, why didn’t she offer some tactical plans herself?
Marin Ireland’s Nora is one for the ages. She elevates every scene. She commands the screen. She absolutely owned this episode. Eliza Clark clearly loves Nora, too — she gave her all the best lines and named the episode after her!
The real you is a shadow and it is always there.
Nora
It was beautiful how Mackenzie and Nora finally connected here. It was a refreshing take on a girl getting her first period — what does having your period mean in the context of this world? Is it more meaningful or more benign?
Navigating their relationship has been a struggle for both of them, but it feels Nora and Mackenzie have finally reached an understanding.
Nora: You’re a woman now. I need you to be brave and strong.
Mackenzie: You sound like Roxanne.
Nora: No. Roxanne sounds like me.
Mackenzie grew up in many ways here. She got her first period, she survived a shootout, she comforted a dying friend, and she watched her mother kill a woman.
When she repeated Nora’s words back to her about being strong and brave, you know Nora finally got through to her.
The sex scene was strange.
Of all the sex scenes we could have seen, Yorick/Kimberly was definitely the most unexpected. Of course, Kimberly sees it as a vision — God forbid a woman has a sex dream about a man she’s been thinking about! (Yes, I’m being sarcastic.)
The scene was so disturbing is because it’s clear Kimberly sees Yorick as a vessel for the propagation of the species.
She’s unwittingly turning the tables on the Republican dogma peddled by her late father while at the same time reinforcing it. When it comes to reproduction, women’s bodies suddenly belong to the “greater good.”
This time, however, it’s the man who must give over to his biological duties for the sake of “humanity.” Turnabout is fair play. If you’re not disturbed, you’re not paying attention.
Olivia Thirlby’s Hero came full circle, and it was devastating to watch. The flashback scene exemplified her parents’ double standard and how isolated she felt among her family.
Her mother’s silent words in her ear as she left were those Hero mentioned to Sam in Y: The Last Man Season 1 Episode 4 – that Hero is selfish, self-destructive, and cruel.
Hero’s conversation with Nora not only set them up as allies but also mirrored Yorick’s scene with Agent 355 in Y: The Last Man Season 1 Episode 3 — about their Shakespearean names.
One is a noblewoman shamed for adultery and nearly killed, while the other is a clown. Little details like this are what make this show so brilliant.
Hero’s reunion with Yorick was all too brief and tragic. It was a relief to see them finally find each other and, despite everything, recognize that they do love each other. It was a shame that Sonia had to die — she could have easily just let Yorick go and gone back to her life in Marrisville.
That Hero was willing to kill Nicole to save her brother is telling. Though she doesn’t have time to process the ramifications of her actions, she knows her brother is important, and even if she can’t be with him, she’ll help the cause. She’s no longer that selfish person she used to be.
Poor Yorick. It’s always tough being the “chosen one.” To find and lose his sister in a matter of moments, to see his new lover killed in front of him, to find out that his mother is dead — well, that’s a lot to take in.
It’s the burden of the straight cis white guy whose mom’s in fucking Congress.
Hero
Again, it’s interesting to see a man portrayed as vulnerable and helpless around many strong women.
Ben Schnetzer does such a great job navigating the line between whiny and sympathetic. He’s no more self-involved than any other man, but he’s finally becoming self-aware.
Finally, Agent 355 opens up and shares the story of the traumatic childhood event that killed her family. This gives her Episode 4 fever dream of being a jazz singer in a nightclub more context.
It’s telling that she’s willing to give up the mission — though this may be a bluff, and she knows Yorick well enough now to see which path he’ll choose. Though he doesn’t know yet, his choice is the right one.
It will lead them back to his mother, Beth, and Sam. Not only that but Agent 355 may finally be able to get some answers about the origins of the Event from Fran.
My only criticism of this episode is that it ought to have been longer.
From a storytelling perspective, it would have been less jarring if we’d seen, even briefly, scenes of Jennifer and Beth escaping the Pentagon, Nora bargaining with the Marrisville residents post-surrender, and Sam’s journey to Washington.
Everything is up in the air as the series has not been renewed by FX and is still in purgatory.
Fans have taken this cancellation personally because it’s not just about Y: The Last Man. This is a show produced, directed, written by, and starring predominantly women, with the deliberate inclusion of trans and non-binary characters and featuring strong women of color.
With a show like this being canceled, it feels as though the message from mainstream media is, “No one wants to hear these stories. These stories that resonate deeply with you are not worth telling, no matter how expertly it’s been crafted.”
This is something women and marginalized people have heard from the media for far too long. We’re still at a point where a show will be judged more critically based on the fact that women produce it, and in order for that to change, we need more women creating content.
I choose to be hopeful.
The door has not been shut. Y: The Last Man has flung it wide open, and Eliza Clark has shown us, like so many before her, that stories like this are worth exploring, and compelling narratives can be woven without men at the forefront.
I’ve known a million men like you. I’ve spent my entire life making assholes seem reasonable.
Nora
Let women tell women-centric stories. Let strong female characters not just be badasses. Make room for all types of women — complex, vulnerable, flawed, resilient, ordinary, extraordinary, good, neutral, and evil.
Let’s see women failing, succeeding, banding together, and having conflicts.
Let’s normalize the inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters so that it’s not seen as progressive and refreshing — it’s just HOW IT SHOULD BE.
It’s up to us as viewers to keep the door open and actively support the narratives we want to see.
Y: The Last Man is dark, rich, confronting, and deeply resonant.
Despite its speculative nature, it feels shockingly real, and its impact is not lost on those of us who recognize it for what it is.
Thank you for sharing the journey with us here. Let’s hope we can travel together for many seasons to come. Share your thoughts in the comments.
Mary Littlejohn is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.