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2 • December 11 - 17, 2016 • Brainerd Dispatch By Shona Dustan TV Media W ill Forte ("Saturday Night Live") has long been an staple of the comedy world. A consistent underdog, Forte's comedy is his very own, a particular blend of silly and crass absurdism that has a tendency to fall flat with broader audiences as often as it succeeds. Forte, how- ever, has officially hit his stride, and despite any previous swings and misses, his current television series is on fire. A new episode of "The Last Man on Earth" airs Sunday, Dec. 11, on Fox. Now well into its third season, critics and viewers alike are singing its praises — the series has even been nominated for five Emmys in its short life, and Forte has worked hard for this success, as he told In- diewire: "I'm part of the writing and part of the editing, too, and I can't do that stuff during the week while I'm acting. I have to act, and then I write afterward, so it's like seven days a week. I catch up on the edit- ing on weekends, and the writing on weekend nights." The show has come a long way in its two-and-a-half seasons to date. At the beginning, viewers watched as Forte's character, Phil, wandered a deserted America one year after a virus killed off almost everyone on the planet. Being alone for long pe- riods of time can drive anyone a lit- tle mad, and the choices Phil made with no one around to judge him were hilarious to observe, and even caused many viewers to contem- plate what they'd be like under simi- lar circumstances. But that aloneness was short- lived. Along came Carol (Kristen Schaal, "Bob's Burgers"), a shrill, strange woman, just as weird a Phil, but somehow in total conflict with his personality. Being, to their knowledge, the only two people on Earth, they set aside their differenc- es and began to build a life togeth- er, even getting married (as married as you can get with no clergy or government officials left on the planet) to seal the deal. And then the gorgeous Melissa (January Jones, "Mad Men") rolled into town. And that's how the series does it: it reels you in with a delightful setup that makes you think you know where things are going, then deliv- ers a punchline that sets the show on a different track entirely. Execu- tive producer Chris Miller told In- diewire: "We don't wanna do some- thing that feels extra safe because why bother? ... I think audiences appreciate that you are pushing the boundaries of what a TV show can do. I'm really excited about where the show is going now and how fun and daring and funny it is." Besides Forte, Schaal and Jones, the series stars Mel Rodriguez ("Getting On") as Todd, a sweet, giving man whose niceness woos Melissa and other women, but an- noys Phil; Cleopatra Coleman ("Neighbours") as Erica, an Austra- lian political nerd with a surprisingly criminal background; and Mary Steenburgen ("Justified") as Gail, Erica's traveling companion and a chef in her pre-virus life. These survivors band together in an effort to make this post-apoca- lyptic world bearable, and, of course, hilarity ensues. Whether it's love triangles, divorce, surprising backstories, road trips or attempts at social justice, everything this group does is tinged with Forte's signature absurdity. Phil's name, for example, is changed when, in sea- son 2, another Phillip (Boris Kodjoe, "Code Black") arrives on the scene. The two compete for exclusive rights to the name, and the original Phil loses, causing the group to de- clare that he will forever be ad- dressed using his middle name: Tandy. And Tandy it is for the rest of the series, even after Phil No. 2 departs (I won't tell you how — spoilers! — but it's oh so dramatic). I would argue that it's the fun un- predictability that draws in the caliber of guest stars the show enjoys as much or more than the Emmy nomi- nations or the show's gener- al popularity. Oh, didn't I mention the guest stars? Since Alexandra Daddario's ("True Detective") appearance in the very first epi- sode as Tandy's literal dream girl, there have been more great casting surprises: Forte's former "SNL" castmate, Jason Sudei- kis ("Son of Zorn"), for example — he showed up in seasons 1 and 2 as Mike, Tandy's as- tronaut brother, who has been in orbit since before the virus struck. Kenneth Choi's ("The People v. O.J. Simpson: Ameri- can Crime Story") Lewis, a gay arborist, arrived this season, and he's been a very funny addition to the core crew of survivors. Mark Boone Junior ("Sons of Anar- chy") guest stars as Pat this season, an ice cream truck driver and tennis pro whose dark side is a little insane. It's Pat who brings Lewis to the group, along with an- other character played by a high- profile guest star: Darrell, played by Jon Hamm, is killed almost immedi- ately by Melissa, which is a hilari- ously meta joke since Hamm and Jones played the ill-fated husband- and-wife team at the center of "Mad Men." In this week's new episode, Tandy works hard to cheer Car- ol up when Gail departs, whisking her off on the honeymoon the once-mar- ried pair never got to have. All signs point to comedy as the survivors continue their outra- geous antics when "The Last Man on Earth" airs Sunday, Dec. 11, on Fox. 'Last' laughs Fox's absurd comedy enjoys continual success Cover Story this week Will Forte and Kristen Schall in a scene from "The Last Man on Earth" 001509642r1 Kinship Partners Inc. Match of the Month For more information about Kinship Partners, call (218) 829-4606 or visit www.kinshippartners.org Be a Friend. Be a Mentor. Photography donated by Ken's 5th Street Photo and Frames Why not start your own friendship journey? Kinship Partners is pleased to honor Bob Schafer and Wesley Parker of Staples as its newest Match of the Month. Bob and Wesley enjoy a variety of activities from hunting, fishing, kayaking, swimming, to anything mechanical. Bob said, "After raising my children I am excited about embracing all the childhood fun Wesley, and I have together." Wesley smiles from ear to ear when telling stories about his time with Bob. Wesley said, "Bob is like a Grandpa to me." He pauses, reminiscing another special memory, and then adds that they have a lot in common and when they are together they have so much fun. Kinship is grateful for the matches like Bob and Wesley; they demonstrate the value that mentorship brings to both of their lives. 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