Tim Allen Family Comedy 'Last Man Standing' May Return to Television
The Tim Allen family sitcom "Last Man Standing" might return to television later this year, bringing back the popular program a year after its cancellation.
The entertainment news website TVLine reported last week that sources had told them that Allen was in the process of finalizing a deal with Fox for the program to return to television.
"Allen has, per sources, signed a deal for a potential Season 7 and conversations are underway with key cast members and EPs from the original incarnation to join him," reported TVLine.
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TVLine attributed the renewed interest in "Last Man Standing" to the success of the rebooted TV series "Rosanne," whose main characters are noted as being Trump supporters.
"They heard all your voices people!! LMS just might be a reality. Keep it up. Who wants more #LastManStanding?" tweeted Allen last Thursday.
In May 2017, ABC announced that they canceled "Last Man Standing" even though it was a steady performer in the ratings. The program was generally viewed as having a conservative message.
While other, more liberal shows were also discontinued by ABC, many looked at the refusal to grant "Last Man Standing" a seventh season as suspicious and possibly an attack on conservatives.
"If comedy 'remains a priority' for the network, as it said on Tuesday's call, why would it cancel its second-highest-rated comedy series?" asked Breitbart.com last year. "Is there any other show in history that has not only retained its audience but has beaten most other comedies of its type that has been canceled as abruptly? Ever?"
Others, however, including one column on The Daily Banter, argued that the decision to cancel Allen's show had nothing to do with politics and everything to do with good business practices.
"According to 'Vox,' the show was getting increasingly expensive with each season, and it was popular with audience members over 50, which isn't the most profitable advertising demographic," read the 2017 column.
"On top of that, ABC's recent acquisition of 'American Idol' blew a sizable hole through their programming budget and schedule forcing them to axe several other shows as well."
For his part, Allen expressed shock at the cancellation, while hundreds of thousands of people signed a petition calling on the show to be saved.
"'Last Man Standing' was not just selling conservative ideals though, as some of the characters in the show are clearly of the liberal persuasion, yet the characters on the show all manage to get along and take care of one another, despite their politically opposed views," stated the petition.
"The show is about more than politics though, it is about family. In fact, politics is only a secondary part of the show, but one in which many Americans can readily identify."
