The show takes place after a virus wipes out most of humanity. Only a few survivors remain. They deal with loneliness, friendship and trying to rebuild society. Characters are diverse and eccentric. The humor is witty and off-beat. It makes for a fun watch. Perfect for anyone who enjoys a good laugh while contemplating the end of civilization.

Meet the characters from The Last Man on Earth

Phil Tandy Miller

Oh man, Phil is that glorious mix of self-appointed hero and lovable man-baby — he acts like the world’s best improv sketch and somehow makes it work. He’s equal parts grand speeches about leadership and ridiculous little rituals (he truly believes naming things matters, like, a lot), and he’s so insecure under all that bravado you can practically hear the squeak. He’ll fix your car, perform a one-man musical about canned beans, and then forget where he left his toothbrush — classic. Somehow impossibly optimistic even when his plans are mostly terrible, and you can’t help rooting for him while also cringing.

Melissa Chartres

Melissa is the practical spine of chaos, the person who makes lists and actually follows them, but also has this low-key dark humor you don’t see coming until she drops a one-liner. She’s smart and sensible in a way that makes everyone else feel gently chastised (in a good way) but she’s got secret tastes — like loving microwaved pizza at midnight, which she’ll deny if questioned. She’s the kind of character who quietly organizes medicine cabinets and then turns into a soft, stubborn mess around people she cares about. She’s not flashy, she’s dependable, and also sometimes unexpectedly fierce — like, don’t mess with her tomato plants.

Erica Dundee

Erica is chaos in sneakers and I mean that in the absolute best possible way — wild, flirtatious, and slightly unhinged but with a heart you can’t help loving. She’s the friend who will drag you to a weird roadside attraction and then somehow convince you that living in a converted mini-mall is a lifestyle choice. She seems irreverent and free, but she’s actually more emotionally astute than she lets on (also maybe collects novelty mugs, but swears she doesn’t). She says whatever pops into her head and it’s both terrifying and refreshing, and I swear she has at least three secret hobbies she can’t explain.

Carol Pilbasian

Carol is perfectly earnest in a way that’s almost legendary — she’s all about rules, routines, and making family into a performance piece, but like, in a charming way. She’ll organize your entire week and then cry at sunrise because the coffee ran out, and yeah, sometimes she’s hilariously intense about “tradition” while also being the sweetest person to binge-watch soaps with. She’s the moral center that also writes passive-aggressive notes, and she loves things being “just so” but then will impulsively adopt a stray goose (true story? maybe). Protective to the bone and weirdly philosophical when you least expect it.

Todd Rodriguez

Todd is the lovable screw-up with a knack for awkward sincerity — he bumbles in, says the wrong thing, and somehow becomes indispensable. He’s equal parts charm and cluelessness, a walking disaster who also brings snacks and a weird enthusiasm for very specific condiments. He has this childlike approach to loyalty (and to decorating teepees?) that makes him both exasperating and oddly comforting. He’ll do a stupid stunt to prove he cares and then immediately forget why he did it, but you can tell he means well.

Gail Klosterman

Gail is tough as nails and low-key terrifying in the best possible sense — efficient, blunt, and strangely maternal, like a drill sergeant who also bakes cinnamon rolls once a month. She runs things with spreadsheets in her head and a stare that will stop petty arguments cold, yet she’ll also have this weirdly tender hobby (crocheting tiny hats? hoarding emergency twine?) that humanizes her. She doesn’t sugarcoat anything but will show up at 3 a.m. if you need a hand, and she has standards that are both intimidating and oddly reassuring. Also: rumor has it she has a playlist of motivational metal, which may be true or total fan-fiction — honestly, both feel right.