(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?
The reasons ABC is giving why they cancelled Last Man Standing, is just a way they are covering up for their poor decision into caving in to liberals.
If they decided not to do comedies on Friday’s , then move your second rated comedy show to a different night , and then comparing Last Man Standing to other low ratted shows is another cover up .
I will not be viewing anything from ABC anymore .
I so agree. If people don’t like Tim’s political digs, get over it. Last Man Standing is one of the best TV shows on TV. It is realistic, it teaches lessons on real life happenings. If all networks caved in to liberals only or conservatives only it would be sad. You can never ever please everyone. The way it is looking we will have nothing but stupid reality shows like The Wives of orange County, and shows about fat people, little people, people with a large number of children, etc. Please bring a true family show like Last Man Standing,… Read more »
Hopefully another network will pick it up!
I hope so!!!!!!!
A terrible decision. No matter how they twist their reasoning we know the reason. The show was “family entertainment”, no smut, no foul language. It seems the networks cater the people that like that kind of thing, not family entertainment audiences. Tim Allen is a conservative and their are many conservative families out here in the red center of the country. His show was great entertainment on a Friday evening. We will continue to watch it on CMT and Hallmark and maybe one of those networks will pick up a winning program.
Literally the only sitcom I watch. I gave others a chance but they do not compare in quality. Last Man Standing should not be cut. I will not be watching whatever comes on in its place. I am very disappointed in ABC’s decision to cancel LMS.
Last Man Standing should never have been cancelled same with Dr Ken BUT I guess it was lacking Sex scenes.
Poor decision and the reasons provided don’t hold up. LMS has been doing a great ratings job in a “Friday” night time slot; one of the toughest nights on television. Looking at salaries of others on television and what Tim Allen made per episode on his last series, money can’t really be the deciding factor either. Call it what it is. It’s a silencing of unpopular speech. We’ve become a nation of intolerant powerful people. Where is that pendulum when it’s needed…?
ABC owned Home Improvement, and it was a hit in the same vein as Modern Family. They could afford Allen at more money. If you look at CBS and Two Broke Girls, you will see the same decision making. You folks are the ones making this about politics.
Why would you cancel one of the few genuinely funny shows? Just look at the opening picture – a white man, and a black man, claiming to dislike each other, but secretly are friends, dressed up as Trump. If that picture didn’t make you laugh….
I think that is the secret of Last Man Standing; funny, and fresh
Boycott ABC…just like target! Hit them where it hurts.
I have blocked it on my remote control…ABC…shame on them!!! I hope another network would pick it up.
It was just politically motivated, no other reason. Trump won…liberals are pissed.
Friday night is a hard night to find good shows on television. Last Man Standing is a good, funny show. I don’t know why the network wants to get away from comedy’s on Friday nights but I won’t be watching. I stopped watching Once Upon a Time awhile ago on Sunday night and now I’m cursed to it being moved to Friday night. Thanks alot, ABC.
Stopped watching ABC a long time ago. The shows are full of crap. All they care about is being PC. I never heard of any of the shows mentioned that supposedly were cancelled. The ABC Chief is full of ****.
Right on !!!
If you don’t watch ABC, why do you care what they do with Last Man Standing?
ABC should get ready for boycotting. I will probably DVR a few shows to find advertisers to explain to that we will not buy products from people who advertise on a network that drops a top rated family comedy because of the network’s political bias.
“Last Man Standing” should definitely be renewed. The ABC Chief’s speech is a bunch of BS. This is a great show and has a loyal audience and following…there is definitely something more than what he is saying about the reason it is being cancelled and I am leaning toward the political issue. So I guess Freedom of Speech on a TV series is only allowed if you are on the correct side of network politics. ABC is cutting of its nose to spite its face by not renewing this amazingly funny show…with the way today’s world is, we need all… Read more »
I definitely won’t be watching ABC on Friday’s!!! I watch reruns whenever I can find them. “Last Man Standing” is a great family show and there on not many on these day!
I won’t be watching it at all, blocked that station on my TV remote
I love this show. There are 168 hours in the week, this was my 31 minutes of time to enjoy a funny show that told it like it is with good family values. Shame on ABC and the liberal agenda. I will no longer watch anything on ABC! Goodbye to thier sponsers too.