‘Last Man’ won’t stump for Trump
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — In May 2017 ABC canceled “Last Man Standing” after six seasons — not because of star Tim Allen’s conservative political leanings; ABC canceled left-leaning “The Real O’Neals” the same season — but for business reasons that likely included ownership.
Fox, which owns “Last Man” and always produced the show for ABC, has revived the sitcom for the Fox broadcast network. Talks about a revival began as soon as the show was canceled but didn’t come to fruition until after the success of ABC’s “Roseanne” revival this past spring.
“I don’t think [ABC’s decision to cancel the show] was a political motivation,” Mr. Allen said at a Fox press conference during the Television Critics Association summer 2018 press tour. “I think it was a financial decision.”
When “Last Man Standing” returns on Fox Sept. 28 — in the same 8 p.m. Friday time slot it had on ABC — viewers can expect basically the same show as before.
“We’re not changing the show to be on Fox,” said showrunner Kevin Abbott. “We’re not going to sex-it-up or outrage-it-up in order to fit the profile of any given network.”
A few supporting players will change — the roles of Mandy and Boyd will be recast — but mostly the gang’s all back, including Nancy Travis as Vanessa Baxter and Wilkinsburg native Jonathan Adams as Chuck, the frenemy of Mr. Allen’s Mike Baxter, an executive for a Colorado outdoor retailer.
Mike has always been a conservative character, often butting heads with some family members.
“I think the guy’s kind of a centrist,” Mr. Allen said. “If it’s helping his business, he’s probably pro-Trump.”
“I don’t think we’ll comment on Mr. Trump specifically,” Mr. Abbott said.
“Yes, we will,” Mr. Allen interjected.
“I think he’s conservative. He’s a Republican; he holds those ideals,” Mr. Abbott said. “The character itself, I don’t think we’ll address [his feelings on President Trump] one way or another.”
Mr. Allen emphasized he is not the same as his character, that he’s
playing a role, but he added, “I personally like [ticking] people off, just getting a conversation going.”
Mr. Abbott said unlike the “Roseanne” reboot, “Last Man Standing” will be no more topical this time than in its ABC incarnation.
“We’re a family sitcom, and the central character has a more conservative view,” he said. “The ‘Roseanne’ reboot handled a lot of topical issues. We don’t really do issue-of-the-week. We consider ourselves to be a family show with a traditional character at the center of it, which is only unusual in today’s [TV] environment.”
Channel surfing
Ratings company Nielsen found in the first quarter of 2018 U.S. adults spent more than 11 hours per day connected to linear or digital media and almost six hours a day with video alone. … Discovery Family debuts a new Buddy Valastro show, “Bake it Like Buddy” (9 p.m. Sept. 8), a competition baking series.