Welcome to Watch TV. Drink BEER.
Week 35 Vibe: Arizona Desert, Raisin Balls, and Baked Beans
The TV.
Last Man on Earth. Season 1. Episode 3. Raisin Balls and Wedding Bells.
WATCH IF YOU LIKE: New Girl, SNL, Good Place
Stream on: Hulu
EPISODIC or Stand Alone
Episode Description
Phil has learned that while he might be the last man on earth, he is not the last person on earth. His new planet-mate, Carol, insists that she can’t have sex with someone unless she is married and eventually Phil reluctantly agrees. After watching Carol’s despair when he fails to get the rings, Phil has a change of heart and commits to making his marriage with the last woman on earth work. He sees that Carol’s approach to this new life is ultimately better for the both of them. Carol meets him halfway, indulging some of his favorite post apocalyptic activities including playing with a flame thrower and in-house racquet ball. They have very loud-talkative sex and then “church-mouse sex.” Just as the marriage is starting to work, Phil crashes into a speeding limousine driven by a shockingly beautiful blond woman.
Why This Episode
The start of this show is phenomenal, from the top notch pilot and introduction of Kristen Schaal as Carol to this episode, Last Man on Earth is hilarious and innovative. The show combines silly comedy with real genuine character growth. I love the evolution of Will Forte’s character from a suicidal man-child into someone looking for optimism and deciding to make the best of his situation. Its a brilliant comedic take on what might happen if the world’s population was destroyed by a virus. Also, I watched this show for the first time in 2020, the year Last Man on Earth is set, during our global pandemic which was a strangely cathartic viewing.
The BEER.
Apocalypse IPA
Brewed by: 10 Barrel Brewing | 6.8% ABV
DRINK IF YOU LIKE: pFriem IPA, Elysian Space Dust
Beer Description
A little bit dank and a little bit piney, this ale is a classic West Coast IPA. The smell is hoppy and citrus forward, and the taste is a hoppy bomb of flavors orange and pine and grass. Its a slow sipping IPA, packing a decent amount of bitterness (70 IBU), but keeping balanced with the roasted sweet malt flavor. This beer is for true IPA drinkers who enjoy the feeling of a little bite and burn with a medium body. Its a great beer for the end times.
Why this Beer
When you’re the last man on earth, you need a strong ale to mitigate the stress and loneliness. When you’re the last newlyweds on earth, you need something to celebrate with. The Apocalypse IPA, aside from the perfect name, is a quintessential IPA that is great for the start of spring. Coming from Bend, OR, 10 Barrel is known for it’s excellent range of IPAs, and consistently makes balanced crowd favorites worth featuring in this blog. Plus, historically IPAs were made to last, as British colonizers in India missed their English Pale Ales. The exporters in the UK began adding extra hops to the beers in order to preserve them for the long journey to India, hence the name India Pale Ale. The long lasting style would make a great treat for Phil as he embarks on the next chapter of the apocalypse.
Tasting Notes
The thought of electing someone to be president is a great start to this episode, and something that comes into play throughout the first season of the show. Its aligns with Carol’s values and desire to continue following the systems and rules of their past life, and is a great way to continue building her character. For example, as someone with a fear of public speaking, Carol doesn’t think she can be president… a little sweet moment of irony in a world with no public.
This episode explores the types of characters you might have during the apocalypse. Carol is the kind of girl who makes the best of things. This lead to her creation of the raisin balls, telling Phil that she thinks they might as well dig into the life they’ve been given. However, the Raisin Balls have turned rotten… maybe a bit of foreshadowing.
Phil is the type of person who burns a tower of TP, a popcorn tray, wigs, and flaming shots with a blow torch. He spends his time exploring general destruction and lawlessness, living without rules or structure.
The ways in which both characters carry on into the new world reflects why Phil ended up where he did and Carol ended up where she did. The nihilism and unstructured approach made him turn suicidal, while Carol seemed fairly happy and optimistic in her approach to carry on with life in a somewhat normal fashion. I love that these conflicting approaches are forced together, and is why I find this show and its premise so intriguing. Eventually, Phil realizes that Carol’s worldview will serve him well, and he agrees to the marriage knowing he’d rather live in a world where he puts up with Carol’s tendencies and rules than live alone again.
The newlywed’s sex scenes really make me laugh, and I love Carol’s declaration, “I can’t believe I just had sex with the president of the US.” The choice for Carol to be loud in every aspect of her life is another wonderful character trait that keeps the comedy coming.
An iconic television moment occurred with the introduction of January Jones! Just when Phil gives into his destiny with Carol, a second woman appears who is more beautiful and immediately less obnoxious. Its a great twist, the writers continue to give themselves great ammo to build the plot through multiple seasons.
Fun Fact: Fox would not let Will Forte show any sexual motion, humping, or heavy petting during the sex scenes of Last Man on Earth. The result was Schaal’s incredible choice to be a very vocal lover shouting about camping and planting his pole. Its an incredible result of network TV restrictions.
Thanks for reading! See you next Tuesday. Cheers!