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?
Love this show! It is real! We don’t have much of that anymore. This is my favorite and we need a sequel if it ever does end!
I was a die hard fan the show kept me going thru some really bad times. I say keep it going. Tim Allen will know when its time to end it
We need shows like this to keep families to spend time with each other. People need laughter right now. Please at least keep it on for another season and have a fantastic ending. Thank you.
I favor the return of Last Man Standing. It is my all-time favorite. Not enough genuine tv out there these days and LMS has something for its’ audience regardless the age group.
Watched 5 minutes of the mess. Show sucks.
Yes, please continue with Last Man Standing! My family absolutely LOVES the show and the cast – including the “changes” Mandy has gone through. We need to see what happens with Mandy’s pregnancy, how Kristen’s new baby changes Ryan, & how Eve does with becoming an Air Force pilot. This is a good, clean, family tv show; to me it is along the lines of an updated Waltons. Tim Allen & Nancy Travis are a wonderful on-screen husband & wife – in fact, they are similar to how my husband and I are. Again, we really do hope this TV… Read more »
We love last man standing and could not live without it. It changed our life. We wake up everyday ready to watch a couple more episodes. Our family loves the show and we can relate to it in many ways. Please make more seasons and episodes. It changes our world and helps make everyone or at least my family better.
Yes please season 9
Gives a comic relief to our day. Love it!
Our family loves last man standing. It is an amazing show and we can relate to many things in it. We are so glad they are making new seasons and hope there’re many more to come. Please make more episodes and seasons!
Please continue this show for as long as possible. It is a refreshing comedy and is totally family oriented, which is rather unique in this day and age. Tim Allen is a fabulous actor and comedian without being vulgar. This show deserves to be continued and we deserve to have more shows like this. We don’t need “unscripted reality” shows, we need true comedy in these troubling times. Thanks in advance for continuing this show.
Please do another series and more with the Air Force cadet.
Yes please bring the show back for 5 more seasons and if need be replace the Boyd character with another actor. We excepted a blonde Mandy, why not a different Boyd. I’d like to see Mandy go thru her pregnancy and the hilarious twist and turns Kyle and Mandy could go through. Not to mention Krisen and the new baby. Looking forward to more, more more.
Love the show! Please don’t take the only comedy show left that have class not filth! We need more shows like this!
I have always loved the show! I hope it will return for many more seasons. It is a bright part if a gloom and doom world! It makes me laugh and I’m sure not the only one that feels that way!