Alas, yet another show has felt the brunt of an untimely cancellation. It was recently announced that FX on Hulu’s freshman drama Y: The Last Man will not be returning to the streaming service for a second season, despite the first season still airing. The showrunner, as well as some other cast and crew members on the long-gestating comic book adaptation, were quick to react to the news.
Y: The Last Man premiered last month and takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where all mammals with a Y chromosome fall prey to an unknown cause. It’s an intriguing plot with plenty of storylines about gender and identity, though it seems it’s just another show that won’t continue to see the light of day, at least through FX. Showrunner Eliza Clark posted a lengthy statement to Twitter following the cancellation, making it clear that she's determined to find the series a new home:
My statement on Y: THE LAST MAN and Season 2. pic.twitter.com/rFtb6pXu5iOctober 17, 2021
Brian K. Vaughan, the esteemed author of the comic book source material for Y: The Last Man is adapted from, reposted Clark’s statement and added one of his own on Instagram. Seeing your book or comic adapted into a TV show must be an incredible feeling, so having it cancelled so early on is obviously not ideal for him (or anyone). However, just like the showrunner, Vaughan is keeping hope alive and staying positive in reflecting on his time being part of this series that has meant everything to him:
BUT…this is not the first time in twenty years I’ve seen Yorick & co. escape the seemingly inescapable! I love this show, and I’m very hopeful Y will find a new home, not just because it happens to employ more extraordinary women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community—both in front of and behind the camera—than any project I’ve ever been a part of, but because they’ve made something spectacular, the kind of thoughtful, contemporary, fearless evolution of the comic that @pia.guerra and I always wanted. These next three episodes are the very best of the season, so please keep watching, and if you want to see this journey continue as much as I do, we encourage you to let the world know: #YLivesOn
Amber Tamblyn, who portrays the strong-minded and vengeful Kimberly on Y: The Last Man, also reposted Clark’s statement on Twitter. Just like her colleagues, she is also determined that the series will get a second chance somewhere:
#YTheLastMan will not get a second season on FX and while I’m disappointed, I know this extraordinary show that has so much to say, and that says it so well, will find a great new home soon. Looking forward to the next chapter. If you’re with me, let the world know. #YLivesOn
Regardless of their DNA chromosomes, cancelled TV shows have been known to come back from the dead before, usually due to a new network or streaming platform making the decision to pick them back up. 2021 has been kind to shows in that way, as Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Manifest and All Rise are just a few of the series that have been given a second chance this year already.
Fingers crossed that Y: The Last Man gets another season! In the meantime, new episodes premiere Mondays on FX on Hulu.
