In episode 4 of The Last Man on Earth season 2, Phil Miller was in a very tight situation as he inflicted self-punishment for himself through confining in a certain area of the house for five weeks and putting on a shock collar as punishment for his sins.
Flavorwire described Phil Miller, a.k.a Tandy, as a "slob, human garbage, godforsaken tool and homicidal maniac", not to mention annoying and selfish. Many people agree that these words greatly describe Phil because of his actions. However, he was well aware of what he did and that he faced the consequences without question. He even created his own punishment by putting on a shock collar and increasing his solitary confinement from a week to five weeks.
But the recent episode depicted much more than Phil's own punishment. It also depicted how people around him dealt with Phil's dilemma. Melissa in particular was testing Phil's self-control by putting a bucket of ice cold beer far enough for him to reach even with his feet.
Phil's chance for redemption came when a fire broke out. Unable to wake up the others, Phil did the best he could to stop the fire, withstanding the shocks he get when he goes beyond the perimeter. This scene clearly depicted Phil's sincerity and courage despite how the others treated him. Such heroic act ultimately led others to decide setting Phil free, though reluctantly.
Meanwhile, the last scene on Todd, however, created quite a stir to the audience as he was seen sneaking up to in the middle of the night to some space-like garage. As many people know, Phil has a brother named Mike stranded in a space station. The next episode, as previewed in Latin Post, might focus on Mike living in space.
According to another post in Entertainment Weekly, Todd's actions of keeping a secret "would certainly create some good drama" to the next episode.
Phil's antics were a comedic relief to many viewers, but it also taught many a lesson on facing the consequences and getting back up from a fall. Phil's punishment made him realize his mistakes and that he learned to apologize.
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