(ABC / Tony Rivetti)
Since ABC cancelled the Last Man Standing TV show, the studio that produces it, 20th Century Fox television, is shopping season seven of the Tim Allen sitcom to other outlets. Last Man Standing also stars Nancy Travis, Molly Ephraim, Kaitlyn Dever, Amanda Fuller, Jordan Masterson, Flynn Morrison, Jonathan Adams, Christoph Sanders, and Hector Elizondo.
Will 20th Century be successful? Well, the sixth season of Last Man Standing averaged a 1.15 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 6.41 million viewers, and reruns do well in syndication, so they’ve got motive and something of a shot.
Variety spoke with studio presidents Jonnie Davis and Howard Kurtzman, who were surprised by ABC’s decision to cancel Last Man Standing. Here’s more:
“That’s the one that’s really an open sore right now,” Davis said. Kurtzman added, “We really were expecting a pickup. The fact that we didn’t get a pickup was a surprise and a disappointment. I think no one was more disappointed than Tim Allen, such a huge star with such a huge following.”
But the series, which was ABC’s second most-watched comedy last season behind “Modern Family,” may not be dead. Asked whether “Last Man Standing” would be shopped to other networks, Kurtzman said, “We’re starting to explore that. If it’s not going to go forward at ABC, of course Jonnie and I are hopeful that we can find another home for it.”
“Last Man Standing” faces an uphill climb in search of a new network. After six seasons, costs for the series are significantly higher than those for younger multi-camera comedies typically are. And the buying patterns of broadcast networks this development season showed little appetite for multi-cams among most of the Big Four.
Some streaming services have seen recent success with multi-cams, such as Netflix with “Fuller House” and “The Ranch.”
And the studio heads are encouraged by the fan support that they’ve seen for the show since ABC confirmed its cancellation last week. “We know how passionate our fans are, and we’re seeing that now,” Davis said.
Some fans believe ABC cancelled Last Man Standing, because of Tim Allen’s conservative political outlook. Earlier in the week, though, ABC entertainment president Channing Dungey said cancellation was a business and scheduling decision. Once the Alphabet Network decided to remove comedies from its Friday night lineup, there was not another good place in the schedule for it.
What do you think? Will another network or streaming outlet pick up the seventh season of Last Man Standing, or is it likely to remain cancelled? Let us know, below.
Yes I would watch it on another channel, keep the show playing!
Somebody must PLEASE pick up LMS. It is truly the best. Its not raunchy (like 2Broke Girls). Remember Archie Bunker!? LMS addresses all sides, its current and clean. Only sitcom my hubby will watch. Please, please somebody’s got to pick it up!
Please reinstate LMS!!! It’s a great comedy. Schedule it another night. If not possible, I hope another network will pick it up and air the show.
I LOVE LMS!!!!
I would definitely watch Last Man Standing on any channel that would pick it up. It is such a great show and such a shame (sham) that ABC dropped it….I will not be watching ABC anymore. They cancelled because of Tim Allen’s conservative views – which made the show even more funny! Can’t do comedy on Friday night? Why not? What a farce. We need more shows like LMS….not less. Boo to ABC.
Yes I would love to have Last Man Standing back on tv on cable on a different channel. I believe that it will have a chance of being on a different channel on cable. So people can watch it more. It is a really good show and doesn’t deserve to be cancelled at all. It deserves to be renewed for a season 7 and more seasons. But I do not want it on Netflix cause that is to expensive for me to have a watch. I want the show back on cable on a different channel so that more people… Read more »
LMS is smart, quick witted and current. Great sophisticated comedy that any network will make profit. ABC cancelled Nashville and CMT is benefiting from that show.
What a mess! LMS is the best sitcom on any channel- anyone that watches that show and follows Tim Allen knows of his humor and core intentions!!!! He always has a great message and a true American. Other comedians get away with much worse – save this show!!!!
Somebody else needs to pick this up it’s literally on all the time in syndication so whoever picks it up will probably profit from that.
LMS is such a great show, and, despite all of the “conservative view” hype, it managed to present multiple viewpoints with such great humor. But, some people don’t know how to see the humorous side of their own views. At any rate, I’m in hopes Netflix will pick it up, since it streams the reruns. It is well worth continuing.
Last Man Standing is our only must see weekly TV show. Great entertainment. I’m hoping another network picks it up!
Us too. We record all the episodes and watch them again.
Please Please Please someone take up this show! I am not ready to let it go.
I love this show. If another network picks it up, I will be overjoyed.
Please, someone take it over.
Somebody needs to pick this show up and keep it going! Its one of… if not THE best sitcom out there. It tells it like it is and that’s exactly what we need in this world, instead of being ‘politically’ correct to save someones feelings! And they do it with style, talent, humor and something the entire family can watch. ABC can use whatever excuses it wants..no room for comedy on Fridays…contract price…etc etc but I for one will never be convinced that it wasn’t a political move sponsored by the left who get ‘offended’ easy. And lets face it…there… Read more »
It’s time to man up and find an alternative to keep the program going.
This show was cancelled for political reason, the same way The Ellen DeGeneres show was cancelled, after she came out as gay. It was bull**** then and it is bull**** now.