What’s next for Last Man Standing? Recently, star Tim Allen and executive producer Kevin Abbott spoke with TVLine and TVInsider about the future of the FOX TV show.
The sitcom revolves around Mike Baxter (Tim Allen), the marketing director of the Outdoor Man sporting goods stores and a “man’s man”. His family doesn’t see eye-to-eye with him so it can sometimes be a little tough for Mike to stand his ground and stay in touch with his inner man. The cast also includes Nancy Travis, Hector Elizondo, Amanda Fuller, Christoph Sanders, Molly McCook, Jordan Masterson, Jonathan Adams, and Krista Marie Yu.
Last Man Standing just wrapped its eighth season after production was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic. EP Kevin Abbott told TVInsider they didn’t intend episode 21 to be the finale:
Had I known even what it was going to be like … I believe we would have changed some things in Episode 21 … I said, “Episode 21 can’t be the season finale. We sent Kristin off in labor. You can’t end a season like that.” Of course, you totally can, it’s a great season ending as a cliff hanger. When a show is as late in its run as we are, I’d feel an obligation not to end on a cliff hanger because we might not come back. I don’t want to pose some big issue and then not be able to answer for our devoted fans. So I really wanted to shoot Episode 22 and I held on for as long as I could, but it was obvious that we couldn’t do that, we couldn’t guarantee safety of everybody involved. So we had to shut down.”
And what about a ninth season? FOXhas not yet announced a renewal but Abbott feels “confident” the series will return:
I mean, I think we’re in the situation we were in last year in terms of if it were a normal year. I would feel very confident that we would be back. As confident as you can feel in this general environment. I would say we would be favored to come back, let’s put it that way. And in that instance, I would want to shoot the show that we didn’t get to shoot because it’s a great episode. I can’t imagine that in this changed universe that that exact episode could just be re-shot and put on the air and feel correct, you know what I mean? Hospitals changed drastically. People now have a very different opinion of hospitals than when we shot that episode.”
Lastly, fans may have noticed Boyd’s (Jet Jurgensmeyer) absence during season eight. Abbott told TVLine the actor had another commitment at the time:
Actually, the actor [Jet Jurgensmeyer] had another commitment. He’d asked to do another show, so we had let him out…”
What do you think? Do you watch Last Man Standing? Do you want a ninth season?
Please do NOT cancel this show!! There are so many terrible shows on television these days. Not much worth watching at all. This is the only comedy show my family loves to watch every week. In between we watch reruns! It is smart, funny, down to earth, and did I say smart? The writers are exceptional. The actors – exceptional. And we all know anything with Tim Allen in it is going to be good. In the times we are living, great comedy done well, with a fantastic cast is a welcome relief from the stresses of life. Please do… Read more »
Yes please keep going although I would love to see original Mandy back
My left-wing,liberal brother loves the show. I’ve seen a few episodes,not as much as I’d like,but what I’ve seen I’ve enjoyed.
PLEASE, have season 9 of Last man standing. My wife & I look forward to EVERY show. We start our day. every morning off with at least 2 recorded shows. We have ALL shows recorded. Best comedy ever….
Renew Last Man Standing. It’s one of the BEST shows left on tv.
I like LMS but if the cast keeps changing it will dwindle to nothing special. I really miss the old Mandy, but the new one sort of grows on me. I hope they get another chance to get it right.
YES! A cleverly written show that doesn’t insult our intelligence and continues to make us laugh out loud. Love this show for the current story lines and hilarious innuendo.
Please renew, the other sitcoms on TV are just SAD!
I love the show but not the exchange student, she’s to cocky. I hope Eve will come back to do a couple of shows. I think they tried to replace Eve with her to have someone for Mike to go head to head with. I don’t think she adds anything to the show. Vanessa doesn’t really have all to much to do with her to fix the empty best feeling. Still miss cute Mandy. She and Kyle made the cutest couple. The new Mandy just doesn’t do it. There will be plenty of story lines for next season with Kristin… Read more »
I love this show! I don’t like that Mandy was replaced. I do hope for many more seasons!
Renew Great show
Yes please renew. Love this show and the casting is perfect.
Always renew never stop
We watch Last Man Standing. Tim Allen is always funny and also a common sense person, not the typical celebrity type. I hope the show continues. ABC got it so wrong when they cancelled that show-it was one of the top shows. Miss the original actress that played the middle daughter-she and Tim Allen had a funny, good chemistry together.
Please, please do not take this show off the air. We look forward every week to see the baxters…..
Great show! I certainly hope we get more seasons.