It was considered the perfect sitcom for the Trump era, hitting ratings highs in its sixth season. But that didn’t save Last Man Standing from a cancellation today.
ABC has opted not to renew the longtime Friday 8 PM anchor for Season 7 despite the fact that the blue-collar sitcom was ABC’s second most watched comedy this season with 8.1 million viewers in Live +7, only behind flagship Modern Family (8,7 million). It was the third most watched ABC scripted series overall behind Grey’s Anatomy and Modern Family.
The Tim Allen-starring multi-camera sitcom often had gone down to the wire on renewals, with ABC and producing studio 20th Century Fox TV wrangling over the series’ license fee. ABC is supposed to cover the cost of the show at this point in its run, and LMS is on the higher end for a multi-camera sitcom because of the marquee salary Allen commands, but 20th TV had agreed to license fee reductions in the past and reportedly were open to another one. This time, there was no negotiating or bargaining, with ABC simply deciding against another season.
With a central character who is a political conservative and devout Christian adhering to traditional American values, the blue-collar comedy appeals to viewers in the Heartland, a constituency that helped elect Donald Trump as president and has been energized post-election as evidenced by the ratings success of new USA drama Shooter.
That was also a swath of America ABC had been looking to reflect better, mostly on the drama side, as the network’s entertainment president Channing Dungey has noted this season.
In its sixth and final season, Last Man Standing averaged a very respectable for any night and especially Friday, 1.2 Live+same day rating in adults 18-49 and 6.4 million viewers, regularly winning its 8-8:30 PM time slot. While most returning shows were down year-to-year 20-30%, LMS was virtually flat, off just by 5% in total viewers and adults 18-49 (L+SD).
The cancelation is a financial hit to 20th TV, which had sold LMS in syndication where the sitcom has been doing very well, a rare off-network ratings success story these days.
Bad move, ABC!
This bums me out. Tim Allen makes me laugh so hard.
Yeah, seems like every show he has they cancel them…Tim the tool man… I loved it…and now last man standing…why don’t they cancel some of the reality TV crap…
Because it doesn’t fit their agenda or their playbook. ABC hates what it can’t control.
It was expensive, not their property, and not at all funny.
ABC has it’s head way up it’s azz!
Absolutely correct!
The network’s liberal bias, rears it’s ugly head again! How else can you explain
Taking off a successful show, but retain some the other crap on TV.
Ha ha. “B” is obviously a provincial liberal. LMS was funny with poignant wit.
They have a liberal agenda….
Oh,please–the show (which I never watched) was on and clearly popular long before trumpf even got into office. Read the article—ABC dosen’t own the show, and simply decided it was too expensive to maintain. Enough of this conservative/liberal BS. Everything in life dosen’t revolve around our political persuasions. I mean ABC also just canceled American Crime, a great drama which could be said to have a liberal viewpoint. So enough of silly conservatives are being attacked conspiracy theories, because they’re ridiculous.
I am a self-proclaimed bleeding heart liberal, and I loved the show.
Mike Baxter and Archie Bunker always crack me up.
Almost as much as watching these free-market conservatives calling for what amounts to conservative affirmative action. They want to boycott ABC to force them to air a show the network had deemed to not be cost effective, so that the conservative viewpoint will still be out there.
That’s the way liberals/progressives roll.
Blackish show is the same way but worse and they are still on. Hollywood shouldn’t take things like this show off the air. This is real life. They should play politics I mean abc. They should go by ratings.
Like SNL. Oh it’s ok to make FUN of our president you just can’t like him or your show gets cancelled
Correct
I agree
AGREE!
The best
Same here.
Sad day to cancel the single best program.
Maybe Heartland America should buy them out and start there own righty based network
I guess that my demographic doesn’t matter anymore. White, 43, female, straight, republican, and a very happy and satisfied stay a at home mom. We watched it as a family. Thanks ABC.
The family van now bond around Ion or Hallmark programming.
Exactly, ours also. We only watched LMS and the middle on other channels. I think we all know that was a political move.
Oh boo hoo for wHite people.
I’m not white. ABC is just being petty because Hillary did not win. God forbid a show that tells both sides!
You are absolutely right! ABC snowflakes
Why does a show have to show any side?
Do you honestly think ABC didn’t pick up the show because Hilary lost the election? It’s a multi-billion dollar company. They care about money, nothing else.
The irony, it burns. “ABC snowflakes”? What do you call someone who’s whining on in the comments about their favorite Trump sitcom getting cancelled?? Snowflake!
This show was quite funny and went completely against the liberal Hollywood agenda.
Truly it’s boohoo for your racist comment.
Exactly. Does not have a d*mn thing to do with race. It’s a funny show. Should not be cancelled. I hope someone else is smart enough to pick it up!
B is way way way left or a troll.
The show was the second-highest on ABC bringing in loads of cash right behind Modern Family.
You know damn well down deep it was because he was on the right and and not for the hollywood liberal agenda…
Yet Modern Family gets renewed two more years…
Hmmm.
Hater. Let go of your rascist hate before it kills you.
Get over yourself. It is a top rated show. Funny and entertaining. Brought in money. Given all that doesn’t make sense to cancel.
The show reflected a different point of view than the usual whiney Hollylib garbage that is spewed out. It was a fun family show. Yours seems to be the typical repressive ignorant response because. you want the world to fall in with your self indulging beliefs. Get a grip and go away.
Your the one who sounds racist!
Seriously???? Grow up.
They canceled it because Tim Allen is conservative and they had enough of him making
jokes about their loser side. They don’t
want to hear him talk about Trump.
Completely agree. It’s a staple in our household. Maybe another network will pick up Tim Allen for another sitcom.
That’s what I was thinking
Netflex
Umm- Netflix doesn’t pick up sit-coms. Best bet, Fox.
Its on Hulu
Already there.
You are absolutely right!
I totally agree… My whole family watches together
It aired for six seasons. If they didn’t like it because of their “agenda”, it wouldn’t have lasted six seasons. Tim Allen commands a high salary, and the show is not owned by ABC.
If some of you watched the show, they had Republicans,Liberals, and Independants in this show . So. It was about the money most likely.
Am I sorta sad to see it go ?? Yes. Because I can relate to Eves character. Let’s hope something just as good takes its place.
If you were to educate yourself, Natalie, you wouldn’t be a Republican any more, and you’d learn to appreciate better, funnier, smarter shows.
If she were to educate herself???? That is totally insulting which isn’t surprising coming from someone with your attitude. Have you ever considered Natalie IS an educated woman who can think for herself and not follow the fascist ideas of a bunch of liberals who want to obliterate anyone with ideas other than their own? Why don’t YOU think for yourself and not just tag along with the liberal bunk you hear others spew. ABC would have never cancelled Modern Family which I’m sure has a very expensive budget and is the only show ahead of Last Man Standing. This is all politics plain and simple.
Like SNL. Oh it’s ok to make FUN of our president you just can’t like him or your show gets cancelled abd b why us every thing centered around what political party your are. The people have really gone off the deep end
Ridiculous….that is a great show… I hate American idol…
We will miss you all on last man standing….worth every penny for all actors…
Made us all laugh out loud…Abc making huge mistake…good comedies are far and few between on tv nowadays…
Absolutely a BAD MOVE, I didn’t watch much on that stupid station and now I’ll watch even less~~~
I don’t trust ABC.
Tim Allen is an ex-con cocaine drug trafficker..he is a terrible person
You know Tim Allen? Wow!
One of the truly beautiful things about Christianity is the concept of grace and forgiveness. The notion that Tim Allen may have lived in a manner that he might now regret is completely between himself and God. Your opinion matters… not at all.
That was looooong in his past. people change you know. and saying he’s a terrible person? why? because you don’t agree with his political views. I guess your a terrible person
WOW. Decades ago.
And YOU ????
No wrong doings ????
Perfect I take it.
I agree, this was one of the best shows on TV to watch, the cast was great and seem to work well. I hope Tim Allen does another TV Sitcom in the near future.
I agree
Sqauwk doesn’t read. 20th TV was open to fee reductions. ABC didn’t even want to talk. So it’s really not about the money.
Hopefully 20th TV will be shopping it to other networks or streaming. Even if you didn’t always agree with the political jabs the show had, it was a good show. Super bummed!
I feel like you’re mentioning its conservative lean as a means to stimulate controversy over its cancellation when it really just comes down to this being a comedy from an outside studio that isn’t worth it for ABC to continue after 6 years. It is funny however that the only two shows we can point to for “conservative leaning” on all of broadcast would be this and Shooter.
ABC made a stupid move on this one. Last Man Standing should have been renewed.
I totally agree, this is what I hate about TV
Shame on ABC, LOVE TIM ALLEN
PRAY SOMEONE ELSE PICKS HIM UP …
LOOKS LIKE ALOT OF OTHER PEOPLE LOVE HIM TOTO.
Agree with you …
What was ABC thinking?????? totally agree!!
Maybe fox will pick it up or even cbs since warner produces it
Fox produces, not Warner, as you might have read above. Fox isn’t Warner.
Fox should swipe it for their Friday night and mimic how CBS took the TGIF ABC lineup awhile back.
That would be great!
Who gives a fzzzzzzzzzz…
Eat turds.
Bone appetite 2 u Edward
.
Sad to see Last Man Standing go. It was a very funny show with a very good cast. Maybe CMT will pick them up like they did Nashville. They show reruns of the show on that network.
CMT can barely afford Nashville, even with a smaller order and cuts in the production budget. It’s unlikely that they would be able to cover the cost of a show like LMS, especially with the kind of salary Allen can demand.
It’s already on CMT
Not with new episodes. It’s in syndication so re-runs play on CMT. And Hallmark Channel.
When was the last time one of the top Friday night shows was cancelled after a sixth season? Should’ve had a few more seasons on Fridays. All season long it would be 1st or tied for 2nd in the demo and pulled in plenty of viewers. LMS’ season ended in March and the timeslot replacement The Toy Box is a disaster. Whatever ABC replaces it with won’t reach a 1.0 but maybe it was behind the scenes drama that got this show killed.
The last time would be this season, when Grimm ended after six seasons.
I can tell you that the cast and crew of that show was some of the best and most felled people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Nothing BTS was a reason. Quite the opposite.
Cost
It was cancelled because Tim Allen was not one of the hollywood elite Hillary supporters.
Completely agree Tina. Sorry his show got cancelled but proud of him for not being afraid to go against the Hollywood norm.
Yeah sure..that’s why ABC kept it for six seasons…
I agree, the toy box sucks.too bad.poorly written and directed.not to mention those obnoxious, little smart ass brat kids!
And your a dumb ass
I agree with you! The Toy Box is a disaster! and just doesn’t fill LMS’s shoes
Pissed about this one I don’t see why ABC would cancel a show that’s healthy right now and doing well in syndication but they don’t own it so that’s probably why. Maybe NBC should go after it nobody watches their comedies right now.
NBC might be smart to pick this up since no one in America relates to their “smart” workplace comedies that pull a 0.7. Oof.
Since it’s a Fox Production, ABC doesn’t get the syndication money. Fox will shop it around.
Sounds like politics played a roll in canceling it. One of my favorite shows to watch. Love Tim Allen.
Where did you get that? Oh, your reactionary victim complex.
I guess Yahoo News has the same complex. Their story stated explicitly that it was due to the politics and past comments made by Tim Allen.
Yeah, Yahoo isn’t really news. It was cost, 6 years and it get expensive. Tim Allen being a ho for Trump didn’t kill the show last season so that wasn’t it now.
Virtually every left-leaning news outlet including entertainment ones like this are suggesting or flat-out claiming political beliefs played a part in the cancellation. Let’s also not pretend there hasn’t been many people on the left celebrating the show was cancelled on twitter.
Not sure how so many see politics as reason for cancelling. Tim required high salary and that was transferred to ABC to pay so money decision.
I guess you missed the part where it said in previous years the network picked up production costs and was assumed to do so again, but then canceled. They’ll pay a former failed quarterback a bundle to host a rehashed show, but not a performer that can actually make people laugh without resorting to bathroom humor.
Bad news. Big mistake.
This was actually a very funny show. It was new version of All in the Family with a conservative dad, a liberal son in law and daughter. It tackled race and other hot button issues in a funny and,often meaningful way. Hopefully another network will pick it up.
I never thought about that but your right. Two left and one middle/right daughter. I just watched it because it was a fun show. I never thought of it as some kind of political statement.
This seems to be 100 percent about politics. ABC saying they need to do a better job reaching the red states was just a lie.
100 percent? Really? Did you read the article?
It’s an aging show with an expensive star, and despite doing fine numbers for a Friday night, it’s still ABC’s third lowest-rated comedies (above only The Real O’Neals and Dr. Ken, both of which are likely to be canceled, in L+SD 18-49).
They also don’t own it.
I also imagine that the demos aren’t very attractive to advertisers despite the solid topline number.
It kind of said it was the third highest rated. ” It was the third most watched ABC scripted series overall behind Grey’s Anatomy and Modern Family.”
Viewers are not ratings. They’re two different measurements, and ad sales are based on the latter so the the former is meaningless.
So ABC cancelled the one show that appealed to the very audience Dungey claimed she is trying to win over and felt was underrepresented? I have a feeling this decision will come back to bite Dungey in the behind.
Speechless is supposed to appeal to the same demo. The Middle as well. And, on the pilot side, Raised by Wolves and Charlie Foxtrot.
If ABC is footing the bill and not making any money off of it there’s no reason for them to continue. Fox will shop the show around, but with Allen pulling a quarter million per episode, it isn’t a surprise ABC is letting it go.
BIg bang theory and modern family still around but they cancel this? Morons are running the institution.
BBT and MF have much higher ratings.
Schedule them on Friday nights and see how they do.
Put LMS on any other night but Friday and see how it does.
That’s a silly false equivalence.
Modern Family is so damned lame!!! Takes a moron 2 watch.
👍I agree 100% with you…
All the actors on big bang get a million per show
Astoundingly stupid move. How can you do better than #1 in your time slot?
And just for the record, this true-blue liberal loved the show.
So few programs on TV that are actually funny. Must have been watched by the 50+ crowd, the one ad agencies shun. Gee, and to think we actually have money to spend…
ABC has been hoisted by its own petard. They started preaching the younger demo gospel in the 1960s, and now it’s biting them in the posterior.
Hopefully another network picks it up since it was a good performer on friday nights. Maybe cmt might pick it up since reruns air on that channel.
The demos and financials of the show aren’t going to be any more attractive to another network.
oooh, the contest for the new worst show on TV is heating up!
Please give it one more year!! Great show!!!
Are you kidding? Dumbest move of the season.
Somebody please bring LMS back. One of the true family friendly shows on TV. It was hilarious.
It was the best show on Friday night! Too bad they don’t get it! Maybe Fox can pick it up they understand middle America!
YES. YES. YES. GO FOX
Stupid ABC.
Worst show on the air. Politics had little to do with it. It was a bore.
Your face is a bore
are you crazy or what? this was the funniest show on tv.