Television series

Y: The Last Man

Name: Y: The Last Man
Genre: Drama, Science Fiction
Released: 2021
Cast: Ashley Romans, Ben Schnetzer, Diane Lane, Marin Ireland, Amber Tamblyn

A post-apocalyptic drama where a mysterious event kills every man on Earth except one—Yorick Brown. As he travels across a collapsed America with a covert agent, the series explores how women navigate power, survival, and the question of what his existence means. Thoughtful and propulsive, it grapples with gender and systems of control.

TVMaze rating

2.7

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you enjoy speculative drama that uses a huge catastrophe to poke at politics, family loyalty and who gets to make the rules, and you like a story that keeps raising its stakes.

Skip it if grief and the sheer scale of loss sit close to the surface, so if you want escapist sci-fi with lighter spirits, the mood will feel heavy and occasionally slow.

What it asks of you: Ten episodes of about fifty minutes each, paced as a patient, mostly serious drama that rewards sustained attention rather than background viewing.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

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The Leftovers2014

A masterclass in processing collective trauma and grief. Like Y, it asks how societies rebuild meaning when something inexplicable has been taken. The emotional core is devastating and earned.

But Relentlessly heavy and sometimes cryptic. It does not offer easy answers or comfort, and some narrative choices feel deliberately obscure.

The Walking Dead2010

The DNA of post-apocalyptic survival drama. Excellent early seasons build dread and moral complexity as communities form and fracture. Character-driven and gripping in a way that mirrors Y's focus on human dynamics over spectacle.

But Later seasons are widely seen as repetitive and drawn-out. The production values and pacing vary wildly across its enormous run.

The Handmaid's Tale2017

Another story about women navigating a world stripped of agency and rights. The visual storytelling is stunning, the performances fierce, and it asks sharp questions about power, autonomy, and resistance.

But The premise is deliberately oppressive and bleak. Some find the tonal shifts jarring, and later seasons have been criticized for losing narrative momentum.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Y: The Last Man

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Children of Men2006

Both use a reproductive crisis as a lens for examining who holds power and how. Both ask what a single person is worth to a system in collapse.

A science-fiction film where humanity cannot reproduce—and follows one woman's value to the state and its factions. Like Y, it uses a biological apocalypse to explore power, protection, and what people are willing to do. Gripping, almost unbearably tense, and feels disturbingly prophetic.

But Long, unbroken takes can feel punishing. Very little dialogue; the world unfolds through immersion rather than exposition.

Station Eleven2021

A beautifully constructed show about rebuilding after collapse. It balances darkness with genuine hope and community. The storytelling is non-linear and kind—it respects your intelligence and your heart.

But Very quiet in places. If you need constant momentum, this meditative approach may feel slow or aimless.

Orphan Black2013

A propulsive thriller about identity, bodily autonomy, and women taking control of their own narratives. Tatiana Maslany's performance is virtuosic, and the plot moves with real purpose and invention.

But The mythology gets increasingly complicated and sometimes strains credibility. The final season divides fans on whether it stuck the landing.

The Road2009

Cormac McCarthy's devastated America is brought to the screen faithfully and mournfully. It's a journey through absolute collapse that asks what keeps us human when everything is gone. Quietly extraordinary.

But Bleak to the point of endurance test. There is almost no beauty or relief, and the ending will not comfort you.

Snowpiercer2020

A locked-room mystery where the room is a train and society has fractured into strict classes. Visually inventive and fun in its social commentary. Each car is a new world and a new conflict.

But Metaphors can feel heavy-handed. Some plots meander, and the show occasionally prioritizes style over coherence.

Sweet Magnolias2020

A warm ensemble drama centered on women's friendships, autonomy, and the messy real world. It's a tonal shift from Y's bleakness, but shares its interest in how women actually live and choose.

But Much lighter and soapier than Y. If you want existential stakes, this is domestic and character-focused.

Westworld2016

A genre-smart show about control, consciousness, and who gets to hold the power. Strong ensemble, visual ambition, and real stakes in how society structures itself around inequality.

But The plot becomes bewilderingly complex in later seasons. Fans argue about whether it ever justifies its own mythology.