FX CEO John Landgraf reveals why “Y: The Last Man”, a fan favorite, was canceled after only one season. “Y: The Last Man” had already been in the works for significantly longer than many other shows on television when it finally appeared in 2021. The hit comic book series by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra, which is set in a future where all mammals with a Y-chromosome are inexplicably wiped off except for one cisgender man (Ben Schnetzer’s Yorick), was mired in development hell for years before eventually getting off the ground in late 2020.
It felt like an astounding creative effort when “Y: The Last Man“ eventually came. It received mostly excellent reviews and even gained a significant supporter in Stephen King. “Y: The Last Man”, on the other hand, was unexpectedly canceled before the first season had even finished airing all of its episodes. Eliza Clark, the showrunner, claimed at the time that she was committed to finding a new home for the show. Unfortunately, Clark returned last month to reveal that “Y: The Last Man” was unsuccessful in obtaining a surprise resurrection, leaving Yorick and the other characters as relics of a bygone era of television.
Network chairman John Landgraf revealed a few more information about why “Y: The Last Man” was canceled at FX’s Television Critics Association presentation (via Eric Goldman). While he thought it was a wonderful show, he thought the audience loss in season 1 was “very, really significant” when compared to other series. While viewers may have tuned in early on, it appears that they soon drifted away, maybe in the hopes of binge-watching the entire series once it was over.
Interestingly, a report published not long after “Y: The Last Man’s” cancellation suggested that the decision was made owing to the pricey nature of the long-delayed show, rather than popularity. Now it appears that those sources are erroneous, as viewership figures played a role in the show’s untimely cancellation. FX launched “Y: The Last Man” on Hulu, and it appears that the network has had more luck with other shows on the platform. Perhaps the audience for “Y: The Last Man” was limited to those who were drawn in by the comics.
It’s a shame that “Y: The Last Man” is no longer in development, especially considering there was still a lot more story to be told. When it appeared like the show would find a new home, series star Ashley Romans expressed her hopes for a potential season 2 story, but they were never realized. “Y: The Last Man’s” downfall was caused by a mix of financial and rating concerns, and now only fans can keep it alive through re-watches and internet discussion.