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Podcasts The Frame
Fox's 'Last Man On Earth' survives for a second season
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The Frame Tile
Apr 8, 2015
Fox's 'Last Man On Earth' survives for a second season
Fox apocalypse sitcom "The Last Man On Earth" has been renewed for another season. It's arguable whether this is despite or because of the show's offbeat, dark premise.
Phil (Will Forte, C) and Carol (Kristen Schaal, L) meet another person (January Jones, R) in the "Sweet Melissa" episode on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
Phil (Will Forte, C) and Carol (Kristen Schaal, L) meet another person (January Jones, R) in the "Sweet Melissa" episode on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
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Fox
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Phil Miller (Will Forte) on the "Raisin Balls and Wedding Bells" episode on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
Phil Miller (Will Forte) on the "Raisin Balls and Wedding Bells" episode on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
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Fox
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Phil (Will Forte) uses his toilet pool as Carol shows up on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
Phil (Will Forte) uses his toilet pool as Carol shows up on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
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Will Forte as Phil Miller in the first half of the "Alive in Tucson/The Elephant in the Room" episode of Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
Will Forte as Phil Miller in the first half of the "Alive in Tucson/The Elephant in the Room" episode of Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
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Fox
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Will Forte as Phil Miller gets confronted by Kristen Schaal's character in their first meeting on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
Will Forte as Phil Miller gets confronted by Kristen Schaal's character in their first meeting on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
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Fox
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Phil (Will Forte, L) talks with Carol (Kristen Schaal, R) on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
Phil (Will Forte, L) talks with Carol (Kristen Schaal, R) on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
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Fox
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Will Forte as Phil Miller in the first half of the "Alive in Tucson/The Elephant in the Room" on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
Will Forte as Phil Miller in the first half of the "Alive in Tucson/The Elephant in the Room" on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
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Fox
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Will Forte as Phil Miller in the first half of the "Alive in Tucson/The Elephant in the Room" episode of Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
Will Forte as Phil Miller in the first half of the "Alive in Tucson/The Elephant in the Room" episode of Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
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Fox
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Phil (Will Forte) sets up a surprise carnival in "Dunk the Skunk/Some Friggin' Fat Guy" on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
Phil (Will Forte) sets up a surprise carnival in "Dunk the Skunk/Some Friggin' Fat Guy" on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
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Fox
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Phil (Will Forte) finds a cow in the second part of “She Drives Me Crazy/Mooovin’ In” on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
Phil (Will Forte) finds a cow in the second part of “She Drives Me Crazy/Mooovin’ In” on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
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Fox
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L-R: Phil (Will Forte), Melissa (January Jones) and Todd (Mel Rodriguez) in “She Drives Me Crazy/Mooovin’ In” on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
L-R: Phil (Will Forte), Melissa (January Jones) and Todd (Mel Rodriguez) in “She Drives Me Crazy/Mooovin’ In” on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
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Fox
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Phil (Will Forte, L) and Carol (Kristen Schaal, R) in the second part of “She Drives Me Crazy/Mooovin’ In” on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
Phil (Will Forte, L) and Carol (Kristen Schaal, R) in the second part of “She Drives Me Crazy/Mooovin’ In” on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
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Fox
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Will Forte as Phil Miller marks signs "ALIVE IN TUCSON" to catch any other travelers on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
Will Forte as Phil Miller marks signs "ALIVE IN TUCSON" to catch any other travelers on Fox's "The Last Man On Earth."
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Fox
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Fox apocalypse sitcom "The Last Man On Earth" has been renewed for another season. It's arguable whether this is despite or because of the show's offbeat, dark premise.

Fox's apocalypse sitcom, "The Last Man On Earth," has been renewed for another season.

The network's David Madden said in a press release: “We knew we had something special with 'The Last Man On Earth.' It’s one of those rare shows that continues to add depth and dimension to its unique premise, week after week."

The show has built surprises, with big reveals closing almost every episode. The show was written and created by Will Forte (best known for his "Saturday Night Live" run, along with a dramatic turn in "Nebraska") and is produced by Chris Miller and Phil Lord, the guys behind films such as "The Lego Movie" and "21 Jump Street." (The Frame previously spoke with Miller and Lord about the show; read the full interview here.)

The show's ratings have been strong, ranking as the top new comedy with 18-34 year olds. It's arguable whether this is despite, or because of, the show's offbeat, somewhat dark premise. Forte, Miller and Lord were tight-lipped about whether they'd be renewed when they held a panel at WonderCon in Anaheim this past weekend.

"We're very hopeful, and it seems like things are good," Forte said. "But, you know, you just don't know in this business."

The producers have introduced other characters, including Kristen Schaal and January Jones (of "Mad Men"), giving the show an all-star feel as it tries to keep further reveals under wraps. They're so intent on keeping secrets that they made a sincere appeal at last weekend's WonderCon for fans not to tell anyone about the episode they were previewing — but secrets aren't usually kept that well, especially when you reveal them so publicly.

The show has a delicate balance with its dark premise — when The Frame asked the show's producers why you never see any bodies, Miller said: "In general, we've found that the more talk or visuals of dead bodies, the less hilarious it is." 

Forte spoke at WonderCon about how the original version of the pilot actually had at least one corpse, with Forte discovering the body of the owner of the house he decides to take over in the new lawless world, but it was decided that such things are kind of a bummer in a comedy.

The show celebrated its renewal on social media:

The Last Man On Earth Facebook post

The Last Man On Earth Instagram post

Now you all have another season to get what those posts are referencing.

Check out a preview of the next pair of episodes:

Last Man On Earth video