Glenn and Pam's budding romance drives an enjoyable Last Man On Earth
If you caught the Family Guy episode that preceded tonight’s Last Man On Earth, you know they made a little joke at this show’s expense. After originally being a show that focused on, well, the last man on earth, the show’s cast has expanded considerably since it debuted in 2015, and has now become an ensemble program. You could say that this is a bit dissimilar to the original premise, but the post-apocalyptic themes are still there, they just involve a greater number of people. This has largely proven to be a positive change, as some of the show’s best characters have emerged in the last two seasons. This was especially true in tonight’s episode, which focuses on the budding romance between Chris Elliott’s Glenn and Kristen Wiig’s Pam, both of whom have made their debuts very recently.
Due to her foul history, Pam has become a pariah to the entire gang, but she’s desperate to win their affections back. Perhaps her efforts are ultimately superficial, but it’s nonetheless admirable to see her be willing to see her volunteer for least dignified chores that ship life has to offer, and it shows that ultimately, she’s been humbled. Her misery doesn’t last long, however, as Glenn takes a romantic interest in her, and the feeling is quickly revealed to be mutual. The pair are both quite damaged, and it’s not hard to believe they would take solace in one another. Even knowing Pam’s obvious faults, we can still feel happy for her as she finally finds some companionship.
While this is going on, Todd is in denial about his extreme disappointment about Zihuatanejo. Anyone who saw The Shawshank redemption (so basically everyone) is familiar with the mythology surrounding the Mexican town, and when it turns out to not be the paradise he was hoping for, he’s understandably devastated. However, he spends most of the episode convincing himself that Zihuatanejo is just as great as he thought it would be, and it’s only when he’s confronted by Melissa that he’s willing to acknowledge his disappointment. In one of the episode’s most amusing moments, she points out that Shawshank wasn’t actually filmed there, so even the producers knew the place wasn’t as great as they were making it out to be. Really, though, the resolution of this plot is that despite Todd’s disappointment, he’s a lucky man to have a woman like Melissa beside him, and eventually, he realizes that, and Zihuatanejo is no longer important.
Indeed, the theme of love mattering more than anything else runs through multiple plotlines in this episode. Phil and Carol only play a small part, but as they continue to prepare for the arrival of their child, we see them consider a potential room for their baby, and it’s hard not to be emotionally invested. Unfortunately, the good vibes between Glenn and Pam quickly grow sour. When Glenn abruptly starts acting cruelly to her, she assumes it’s because he doesn’t want to let the rest of the group (who are all still united against Pam) about their situation, but it’s really because he’s leaving, and doesn’t want her to get attached before he goes. His nastiness seems to ultimately cause Carol to be the first to forgive Pam, but it’s cold comfort. They were the two loneliest people on the ship, and it’s naturally hard to watch them separate.