(ABC / Tony Rivetti)
Ever since ABC cancelled Tim Allen’s Last Man Standing TV show last week, fans have wondered if the family comedy series got the axe, partially in reaction to Allen’s conservative politics. ABC entertainment president Channing Dungey told reporters today, that the Last Man Standing cancellation came down to a business decision.
The Last Man Standing TV series follows straight-talker Mike Baxter (Tim Allen), a man surrounded by women. The ABC cast also includes Nancy Travis, Molly Ephraim, Kaitlyn Dever, Amanda Fuller, Jordan Masterson, Flynn Morrison, Jonathan Adams, Christoph Sanders, and Hector Elizondo.
TV Line reports:
[In] a conference call with reporters on Tuesday, ABC entertainment president Channing Dungey waved off the suggestion that Allen’s politics informed the axing.
“Look, sadly, a large part of these jobs [as network bosses] is managing failure. We have to make the tough calls and cancel shows that we otherwise would love to stay on the air,” she said. “But I cancelled Last Man Standing for the same business and scheduling reasons that I cancelled The Real O’Neals, Dr. Ken, The Catch and American Crime.
“Last Man Standing was a challenging one for me, because it was a steady performer in the ratings,” Dungey acknowledged, “but once we made the decision not to continue with comedies on Friday, that was where we landed.”
ABC this fall will open Friday night with Once Upon a Time‘s seventh season. Marvel’s Inhumans will follow at 9/8c, then cede that time slot to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. after its 8-episode run ends. Explaining that combo, Dungey said the network was curious to see how Once performs away from Sunday night football, and that there has always been viewer interest in seeing the fantasy drama paired with S.H.I.E.L.D.
Of course, Last Man Standing was also a pricey sitcom, fueled by TV vet Allen’s salary, and it also is produced not by ABC but 20th Century Fox TV. Addressing the ownership issue, Dungey said, “I wouldn’t say that that was the sole factor in not bringing Last Man Standing back.”
Last Man Standing: A Look at the Ratings
The sixth season of Last Man Standing averaged a 1.15 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 6.41 million viewers. Compared to the fifth season, that’s down by 5% only in both measures. That’s not a big decline for a show six years into its run.
Although when sorted by ratings demo numbers Last Man Standing ranks 12th among the 25 scripted ABC TV shows we’re tracking, in terms of average total audience size it’s a top three show.
Remember, the sitcom racked up those numbers on Friday nights, when the audience is smaller. Since Last Man Standing was the Alphabet Network’s 2nd most-watch sitcom (following Modern Family), fans were understandably surprised by the cancellation.
What do you think? Were you a fan of the Last Man Standing TV series? Should it have been cancelled or renewed for a seventh season on ABC?
This is the only show on TV that my husband and I watched together and the only show that makes us laugh out loud. It’s a great show and should be reconsidered!
One of the best family shows cancelled! Awful shows like The View still on..obviously it has everything to do with politics. It was nice to have one program with family values.
The View should have been gone a long time ago. Those women are just plain rude. Talk about trash talking…. they all do and I just cannot decide who is the worst.
Last Man Standing shouldn’t be cancelled. Its a family show that we all enjoy. But I guess ABC dosent care about the viewers options.
I think it is a fantastic show and honestly am really mad it is cancelled. My entire family enjoyed watching it together. ABC should be ashamed of themselves and clearly don’t care about the viewers because the ratings had had it in the top three and you cancel it????? Not a very smart move at all!!
Last Man Standing and DR. Ken was the BEST comedy show ABC had. ABC use to have good comedies long time ago and now they don’t have nothing good on there. ABC doesn’t have as good of sitcom’s like CBS does.
Real dumb move by the network and the backlash is going to hurt them bad. I will be boycotting Modern family.
I am a disabled person. I only get out of the house to go to my doctor’s appointments. I always looked forward to seeing “Last Man Standing”.
PLEASE, move the show to another night!!!!
So move the show to another night!
This is the type of decision that loses viewers. With no Last Man Standing I have no reason to watch ABC
They can try and sugar coat all they want and their excuses still stink! It was a BAD decision ABC and I hope alot of people boycott your network! It was the only good show out there to watch and I hope a cable channel picks them up because it is too good a show NOT to air! You should just be ashamed of yourselves! It was a BAD ‘business’ decision and I will never believe it wasn’t left wing suggested! You got rid of the ONLY good sitcom out there but yet you kept the trash on the air!!!
This will probably be deleted, but at least one person will read this. Last Man Standing comedy show was one of ABC’s top rated and money making show. I agree with everyone I have spoken to that this show was cancelled because of politics. Shame on everyone who had a hand in this. ABC’s new line up of Friday night SUCKS!!!!! And you all know it! Grow a spine and a set, give the people what they truly want. I can move on as well as most people can. But, you all know what you did and your hands are… Read more »
You’re completely wrong. On all accounts. It isn’t even in their top five for ratings. They make almost no money on this show. THEY DON’T OWN THIS SHOW. 20th Century Fox owns this show, ergo Fox makes almost all of the money for DVD sales, syndication streaming services and half the advertising dollars. This is not rocket science. It’s a show primarily watched by old retirees. Which do not earn as much with advertising revenue as the coveted 18 to 49 demo. In fact last man standing is ranked 15th for ABCs scripted television on the 18 to 49 demo.
And let’s hope you don’t make it to the “old retiree” age
That was no explanation. These are the types of decisions that lose viewers. No Last Man Standing no ABC
That was no explanation, it was just a blow off. These are the type of decisions that lose viewers. No Last Man Standing no ABC
So move it to another night! I don’t believe his story, Last Man Standing was the best show! I looked forwarding to watching and also made the 4 hour trip to watch it tape. I think ABC will be turned off my TVs if they can’t find a way to bring it back!