Ready. Aim. Fire.
Episode 8 of Y: The Last Man begins with gunshots. Roxanne rushes inside after shooting Kate in cold blood, making it out like they’re under attack. So naturally, the guns come out and shooting practice ensues. Hope impresses the ladies but Sam most certainly doesn’t. However, Nora learns that she’s being kicked out the facility in the near future – a few days to be precise. Roxanne is completely nonchalant to Nora’s incredulous reaction. Flashbacks reveal more about Roxanne and the way she happened upon this community. Essentially she convinces the women to rally around her and claims that everyone is welcome. Of course, things change and it’s clear that this community has soured and turned into bitter resentment and a hierarchical rule. These flashbacks continue through the episode too, showing how the community came to be, including riveting scenes of Roxanne driving trucks around the PriceMax. Great stuff. Back in the present, Nora senses she’s in trouble and tries – and fails – to convince Sam to leave with her. However, Hero is just starting to buy into Roxanne’s toxicity. While the pair fight, the rest of the community overhear and inevitably end up eavesdropping, specifically with Sam pleading with Hero to leave this sanctuary together. Hero’s objections bring out bad tempers, as Sam points out Hero’s lack of conviction with keeping promises. As things grow heated, Roxanne interjects and forces Sam into an apology. During the night’s festivities, everyone ends up dancing and partying hard outside. Sam has been forced out the facility and the reason for this party is to make Hero feel more welcome. “Men aren’t good at staying.” She says matter-of-factly as the guys continue to dance the night away. One person who’s not in the mood to party though is Nora. She eventually heads inside once everything has died down and checks on Roxanne, who’s drunkenly passed out on the sofa. Sensing an opportunity, she grabs a canister of gasoline and uses it to set the PriceMax ablaze. The place is seemingly unsalvageable and everyone ends up fleeing. Nora ends up doing some investigative work, uncovering the truth about Roxanne and who she really is. Through some clever blackmail, she strikes a deal that sees Roxanne continue to be in charge and play up the male-hating messiah but taking on Nora and Mackenzie properly as part of their inner circle. Oh, and they get to eat first too. With little other choice, Roxanne agrees to these terms. As the episode comes to a close, following a flashback that reveals sexist behaviour at the PriceMax and a patriarchal rule refusing to do anything about it, Roxanne brings the group together once more. Pleased that Roxanne has lived up to her side of the bargain, Nora puts Roxanne’s name tag in her pocket.
The Episode Review
Well that was…something. Episode 8 of Y: The Last Man only exemplifies the problems this series has had – and I’m not surprised it’s been cancelled. This entire episode focuses on the least interesting plot of the show, alongside the pointless Pentagon politics we’ve succumbed to over the weeks. The fact that this show is so adamant on pushing politics as the reason people are watching, just goes to show how many viewers this show must have been leaking for FX and Hulu to pull the plug before it has finished airing. It doesn’t help that Yorick is just awful as a character and the only interesting person here – Agent 355 – isn’t enough to hold up what a shallow, mediocre mess this has turned into. It’s a shame too because from what I’ve heard the comics are actually really good and watching this just entices me to go and check those out. With only a few episodes to go, we’ll have to wait and see if this gets a conclusive finish or if it’s destined to conclude with an open ending that remains in perpetual limbo.
