Y: The Last Man Teaser Ratchets Up The Intensity
Fans of the "Y: The Last Man" graphic novel series have been waiting patiently for a TV adaptation for years, and the wait is about to be over — but whether the wait was worth it still remains to be seen.
"Y: The Last Man" is considered one of the best graphic novels of the 21st century, but the TV adaptation has been struggling to get off the ground. An adaptation of the source material has been in the works since at least 2013, and FX ordered a TV series based on it in 2015. That original FX project actually filmed a pilot, but in April 2019, showrunners Michael Green and Aïda Mashaka Croal abandoned ship, and FX decided to restart the whole thing from scratch (via Variety). Production on "Y: The Last Man" version 2.0 resumed in early 2020, just in time for the COVID-19 pandemic to shut it down (via Variety). But now, finally, the series is set for its streaming debut on Hulu, which is coming in hot on September 13, 2021.
If you're not familiar with the source material, "Y: The Last Man" should be one of the more unique series on TV. It takes place in a world where every living thing with a Y chromosome suddenly dies – except for two, a 20-something amateur escape artist named Yorick and his capuchin monkey, ampersand. As Yorick tries to reunite with his fiancé Beth, who was in Australia at the time of the incident, he has to stay one step ahead of the various female-led factions that want to capture him for their own ends.
While the first trailer was heavy on the intrigue, the more recent teaser makes it look like Yorick's journey will be quite the ride.
Turns out, being the last man in the world is a dangerous gig
FX shared the new teaser trailer on YouTube on August 30, 2021. The 42-second glimpse starts off by showing the moment the plague hits — both the carnage caused by the plague itself and its aftermath. Then it introduces Yorick (Ben Schnetzer), who doubts whether he has the strength to carry on with the mission. The trailer then shifts to showcase the folks who appear to be the main antagonists of the first season, a group of fanatical women who want Yorick dead — "so the world can be reborn," as one character tells our lonely lead.
Most likely this group is the Daughters of the Amazon, a faction of extremists who want to rid the world of all traces of masculinity. (Many were previously victims of men themselves). The women chase Yorick on foot and on horseback, eager to chop him down.
The show's current showrunner, Eliza Clark, has already said that "Y: The Last Man" will differ significantly from the source material, especially by exploring themes of gender and identity (via Variety). Based on teaser-trailer, it looks like the show will still have the same pulse-pounding action that made the graphic novel such a treat. Hopefully that will be enough to satisfy comics fans, who are famously loth to countenance unnecessary tinkering with beloved source material.
We'll find out for sure on September 13.