The Tim Allen-starring blue-collar comedy Last Man Standing will be brought back to TV as Fox has picked up the popular series after ABC abruptly canceled it last spring.
“Excited? Team LMS was in the sixth inning, ahead by four runs, stands were packed, and then for no reason, they call off the game. It leaves you sitting in the dugout, holding a bat and puzzled. Now we get the news from Fox that it’s time to get back out on that diamond — hell yes, I’m excited!” Allen said in a statement on Friday.
“Now we get the news from Fox that it’s time to get back out on that diamond — hell yes, I’m excited!” Allen added. “When I heard the offer to create more episodes of Last Man Standing, I did a fist pump so hard I threw my back out. It’s the fans! I could not be more grateful for the fans who wrote petitions and kept up the passion and incredible support for the show. And a fist pump, ouch, for [Fox Television Group CEOs] Dana Walden and Gary Newman at Fox for not only listening to the fans, but for making the bold move to bring Last Man Standing back. I’m sure audiences will be curious to see what we look like after all these years. Oh, has it only been one year? Well, just goes to show you — a lot can happen in a year.”
Original series regular cast members Nancy Travis, Jonathan Adams, Amanda Fuller, Christoph Sanders and Jordan Masterson are all expected to return.
While a air date wasn’t announced, Fox is expected to bring the acclaimed show back with a full 22-episode season slate within a year.
News of a possible Fox pick up emerged last week with Allen taking to Twitter to praise those who raised their voices in protest after the highly-rated comedy wasn’t renewed for a seventh season by ABC.
“They heard all your voices people!! LMS just might be a reality. Keep it up. Who wants more #LastManStanding?” Allen tweeted.
Allen fired off a tweet on Friday thanking Last Man Standing diehards.
“Thanks to all you guys for the support,” he said. “We are back!”
Last Man Standing was ABC’s second-highest-rated comedy behind Modern Family, averaging, in its sixth season, 6.41 million live viewers and was nominated for two Primetime Emmys.
ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey defended her decision to cancel the show, citing business and scheduling conflicts. ABC later said Allen’s conservative political views were not part of the decision.
Allen, however, said ABC wasn’t willing to feature a funny successful show starring a conservative character.
“But there is nothing more dangerous, especially in this climate, than a funny, likable conservative character,” the actor added. “He is mitigated on the show by a family of women who had a difference of opinions, but [Mike Baxter] was a likable guy and a principled guy about work and ethics and all this stuff, I think.”
ABC placed the fantasy drama Once Upon a Time in the Friday time slot that Last Man Standing once dominated. Once Upon a Time was never able to draw nearly as many viewers as its time slot predecessor and will end after seven seasons.
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