Y: The Last Man: The Day Before

September 16, 2021 3:48 PM - Season 1, Episode 1

On the eve of the worst crisis in human history, Congresswoman Jennifer Brown clashes with the President. Her children Yorick and Hero reach an emotional crossroads. None of them know that their lives are about to change forever.
posted by bunderful (10 comments total)

I really hope there's interest in discussion. I read the book years ago. I don't remember many details, but I do remember loving it - so I was excited to see that it was made into a show.

Yorrik is kind of bugging me because he so clearly doesn't have his shit together, but I'm trying not to be too judgy because he seems really young and I was a mess - an employed mess, but a mess - for most of my 20s. But then he annoys me more in the scene with Beth.

I have been through Skiatook more than once so there's that.

Jennifer's face during the toast. Hoo boy.

Jade/Sarah trying to revive the man (I'm assuming) she was in place to assassinate.
posted by bunderful at 4:59 PM on September 16, 2021

Oh. 100 dollars seems a like a lot to produce a grilled cheese sandwich. Even with 3 cheeses.

AV Club recap
posted by bunderful at 5:06 PM on September 16, 2021 [2 favorites]

Yorrik is kind of bugging me because he so clearly doesn't have his shit together

The decision to kind of make him the worst appears intentional. I'd be really curious to hear some producer/writer takes on his character and how it differs from the books in little ways. The fact that he does not have his shit together is not an accident.

This has been in development hell for a super long time, and I'm really glad that it finally came to light. It seems really well done and given the space to be a good on screen representation of the book, with clear influences from today's political climate.
posted by furnace.heart at 5:17 PM on September 16, 2021 [1 favorite]

I’m reading the books now and he never had his shit together, the books are just way more on his side about it (I think mainly as a product of the time) than the show. The show so far feels like the spirit of Yorick taken out of a comic that’s making him the relatable protagonist and putting him into a world that asks the audience what it would really be like to live with him. I find him both more grating and more sympathetic in the show.
posted by notheotherone at 12:04 AM on September 17, 2021 [5 favorites]

100 dollars seems a like a lot to produce a grilled cheese sandwich. Even with 3 cheeses. There was also wine, and I'm betting the salad ingredients were from some kind of boutique veg store.
posted by Mogur at 6:51 AM on September 17, 2021

Yeah, I had initially assumed he was doing some sort of fancy charcuterie, but I think it’s in keeping with Yorick’s general vibe that he would try that, fail, and make grilled cheese with the pieces.
posted by tautological at 8:27 AM on September 17, 2021 [2 favorites]

President’s “My father” daughter Kimberly Campbell Cunningham (Amber Tamblyn)

Oh my goodness, I had no idea that was Amber Tamblyn. She's doing a great job as some blend of Ivanka and Megan McCain.

I have no experience with the book, but I enjoyed the creeping dread of first episode. Right now, Yorick doesn't annoy me: he's got harmless himbo energy. Plus, I hate the monkey much more, even though I am happy they went with a CGI version.
posted by gladly at 8:51 AM on September 17, 2021 [2 favorites]

Right now, Yorick doesn't annoy me: he's got harmless himbo energy.

Maybe it's the current climate of climate/covid deniers and other childish people, but I have a visceral hatred of that character.

I understand that characters need to be flawed in order to grow, but I just know that someone has to get seriously hurt or die just so that this entitled piece of shit can get an object lesson.

I was a mess in my 20s too, I'm trying to give him empathy, ooo but I hate him at a lizard-brain level.

I love the show, well-written, excellent performances, great world-building. But fuck Yorick.
posted by ishmael at 11:04 AM on September 17, 2021 [3 favorites]

I read the series for the first time a little more than a month or so ago, and yeah--Yorick (especially at the start of the series) is a childish asshole.

I appreciate that the series is not trying to do a shot-for-shot remake of the books either. A couple of differences in particular I thought were interesting, which I'll hide behind this little Details tag:

Spoilers from the comics

I thought it was really interesting to make the final pre-event conversation between Beth and Yorick a fight instead of him proposing over the phone. Yorick's ostensible motivation for a big chunk of the comics is trying to find Beth in Australia and find his One True Love. I'm curious if Yorick's motivation will be different in the TV series or if it's going to be more of a dramatic irony thing that the audience can see that Beth isn't actually that into him and can see that Yorick is deceiving himself.

Also the fact that Hero kills her lover before the event (and handily has the killing covered up by the event) is really a big improvement I think. It makes what she does later much more believable than if she just got brainwashed by the Amazons.

Odd that Dr. Mann hasn't shown up (and apparently only appears in Episode 10 according to IMDB) but probably better than trying to jam too much into these early episodes.

posted by JDHarper at 12:28 PM on September 17, 2021 [2 favorites]

I thought the pilot was entirely brilliant, and nicely in keeping with the comics, which still own in tpb format. The casting, including Yorrik, but especially Agent 355 is... fantastic.

I happened to meet Pia Guerrra, the illustrator at a con, it is so good to see her credit every episode.

The $100 did include wine, and that could easily have been half of the total.
posted by not_that_epiphanius at 11:58 AM on September 20, 2021