Malibu Country, Last Man Standing: ABC Orders More Episodes

The alphabet network has ordered five additional episodes each of their Friday night comedies, Malibu Country and Last Man Standing. Both sitcoms premiered very well on November 2nd and both have also fallen in the ratings over the last couple weeks. Still, the sitcoms are performing well for Friday night shows.

The new installment order will give the Tim Allen and Reba McEntire comedies 18 installments each for this season.

Here’s the ABC press release:

ABC PICKS UP ADDITIONAL EPISODES OF COMEDIES “LAST MAN STANDING” AND “MALIBU COUNTRY”

These Join Previously Announced Pick-ups for “Nashville,” “The Neighbors” and “Scandal”

ABC has picked up five additional episodes each of comedies “Last Man Standing” and “Malibu Country,” it was announced today. These pick-ups join previously announced orders for new drama “Nashville,” new comedy “The Neighbors,” and returning drama “Scandal.”

“Last Man Standing” and “Malibu Country” air Friday nights at 8:00 and 8:30 p.m. ET, respectively, on the ABC Television Network.

Since its premiere, ABC sophomore comedy “Last Man Standing” is the top-rated show in Friday’s 8:00 p.m. half-hour with Adults 18-49 (2.1/7). Boosting its time period year to year by 76% in Total Viewers and by 91% in Adults 18-49 on average, “Last Man Standing” premiered with ABC’s biggest numbers in the half-hour in well over 2-1/2 years – since 1/1/10.

Retaining 100% Adult 18-49 lead-in (2.1/7) from “Last Man Standing” and gaining viewers, ABC’s “Malibu Country” stands as TV’s most-watched freshman comedy this season (8.7 million). The new ABC sitcom is No. 1 in the time period across all key Women demographics (W18-34 / W18-49 / W25-54) and is the broadcast leader with Teens 12-17. Like its lead-in, “Malibu Country” is producing big year-over-year increases for ABC, improving its half-hour by 85% in Total Viewers and by 91% in Adults 18-49 from the same nights last year. Among Adults 18-49, “Malibu Country” opened as Friday’s top-rated scripted series debut on any network in over 5 years — since October 2007.

“Last Man Standing” stars Tim Allen as Mike Baxter, Nancy Travis as Vanessa Baxter, Molly Ephraim as Mandy Baxter, Kaitlyn Dever as Eve Baxter, Amanda Fuller as Kristin Baxter, Christoph Sanders as Kyle Anderson, Flynn Morrison as Boyd Baxter and Hector Elizondo as Ed Alzate. The series was created by Jack Burditt, is executive-produced by Tim Doyle, Tim Allen, Marty Adelstein, Becky Clements, Shawn Levy, Richard Baker, Rick Messina, Kevin Abbott and Kevin Hench, and is from Twentieth Century Fox Television.

“Malibu Country” stars Reba as Reba, Lily Tomlin as Lillie Mae, Sara Rue as Kim, Justin Prentice as Cash, Juliette Angelo as June and Jai Rodriguez as Geoffrey. The series is executive-produced by Nastaran Dibai (“According to Jim,” “3rd Rock from the Sun”), Mindy Schultheis (“Reba,” “Titus”), Michael Hanel (“Reba,” “Titus”), Reba, Narvel Blackstock, Dave Stewart (member of the rock group The Eurythmics) — who also created the series — and Pamela Oas Williams (“The Amazing Spider-Man”). “Malibu Country” is from ABC Studios.

What do you think? Have you been watching these Friday night sitcoms? Do you like one more than the other?

More about: Last Man Standing, Last Man Standing: canceled or renewed?, Last Man Standing: ratings, Malibu Country, Malibu Country: canceled or renewed?, Malibu Country: ratings

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