SIGforum
Tim Allen's "Last Man Standing" Cancelled Despite Decent Ratings, Was It His Politics?

This topic can be found at:
https://sigforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/720601935/m/4900031424

May 12, 2017, 10:14 AM
PASig
Tim Allen's "Last Man Standing" Cancelled Despite Decent Ratings, Was It His Politics?
My wife and I LOVE this series and watch it in reruns and on Netflix all the time. One of those rare TV shows that doesn't portray conservatives as dangerous lunatics but as regular, normal people. The two older daughters on the show are VERY easy on the eyes too, a bonus. Big Grin

Now it's been canceled after 6 seasons of pulling in decent ratings for an ABC show in a Friday night time slot. Some people are starting to suspect it was Tim Allen's politics and not ratings that led to the show's demise. Still, 6 years IS a decent run for a sitcom like this one.

quote:

Was Conservative ‘Last Man Standing’ Canceled Because of Politics?
As Tim Allen's show is axed, evidence mounts that those on the right have it harder in entertainment land

The conservative comedy series “Last Man Standing” was the third most watched scripted show on ABC (behind “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Modern Family”). The Tim Allen-starring sitcom averaged 6.4 million viewers in its final season (quite a feat today) — and it regularly won its time slot on Friday night.

Despite all of this, “Last Man Standing” has been canceled after six seasons.

Tim Allen’s sitcom appealed to America’s heartland. It focused on a main character who was a devout Christian and political conservative who targeted everything from Hillary Clinton to political correctness in his comedic tirades...



Was Conservative ‘Last Man Standing’ Canceled Because of Politics?


May 12, 2017, 11:08 AM
smschulz
In as much as it is a good headline there must be something else going on. Can they be so stupid to cancel a "money maker" (if it was)?
May 12, 2017, 11:25 AM
sigmonkey
....................................................................................................Tim Allen's Right.




"the meaning of life, is to give life meaning" Ani Yehudi אני יהודי Le'olam lo shuv לעולם לא שוב!
May 12, 2017, 11:45 AM
Z06
..................................................................................................I see what you did there.


________________________________________________________
The trouble with trouble is; it always starts out as fun.
May 12, 2017, 12:26 PM
Blackmore
I guess if you're the lead character and the scripts let you wear your politics on your sleeve, Hollyweird will eventually punish you.

Joe Mantegna has lasted 10 years on Criminal Minds but is part of an ensemble cast with no conservative message - they've left him alone.


Harshest Dream, Reality
May 12, 2017, 12:39 PM
bendable
he knew the job was dangerous when he took it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiZZ0IJL2_w





Safety, Situational Awareness and proficiency.



Neck Ties, Hats and ammo brass, Never ,ever touch'em w/o asking first
May 12, 2017, 12:58 PM
Orguss
I originally thought it was going to be cancelled midway through the third season based on an article I read way back when. I am honestly surprised that it's lasted five seasons.



"I'm yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet raised to an alarming extent by Hollywood and Madison Avenue, poised with my cynical and alienated peers to take over the world when you're old and weak!" - Calvin, "Calvin & Hobbes"
May 12, 2017, 01:49 PM
mo4040
Could be simply about money (cast wants more per episode, etc) or other non-political issues. TV/Hollywood is weird about stuff.

EDIT:

According to Variety Magazine, it was due to declining ratings.

TV only wants "the new hotness." Once ratings decline below a certain threshold...out you go.

Lower ratings=lower ad revenue.


__________________________
"just look at the flowers..."
May 12, 2017, 06:02 PM
Chach
I figured with the stale plots it was going to be cancelled either this year or next. It was falling victim to every show with child actors, they grow up. While they handled it well for the most part, it just wasn't becoming feasible to have a show about a man living in a house full of women when all his daughters have moved out and it's just he and his wife. That's when it turns into Empty Nest.


_________________________
- El Guapo
www.fotki.com/chach


May 12, 2017, 08:36 PM
rscalzo
The ratings were some of the better ones on Friday night. Last week I saw an article that said they were a lock to get renewed.

Politics had a lot to do with it.


Richard Scalzo
Epping, NH

http://www.bigeastakitarescue.net
May 12, 2017, 08:46 PM
Aquabird
quote:
Originally posted by smschulz:
In as much as it is a good headline there must be something else going on. Can they be so stupid to cancel a "money maker" (if it was)?


Simple answer is YES, yes they can.


NRA Life Endowment member
Tri-State Gun collectors Life Member
May 12, 2017, 09:09 PM
DoctorSolo
quote:
Originally posted by sigmonkey:
....................................................................................................Tim Allen's Right.
quote:
Originally posted by Z06:
..................................................................................................I see what you did there.


You guys Big Grin
May 13, 2017, 10:55 AM
firemancjack
quote:
Originally posted by Blackmore:
I guess if you're the lead character and the scripts let you wear your politics on your sleeve, Hollyweird will eventually punish you.

Joe Mantegna has lasted 10 years on Criminal Minds but is part of an ensemble cast with no conservative message - they've left him alone.


Hollywood leaves the libtards alone that wear their politics on their sleeves


"Don't piss down my back and tell me it's rainin!" ( Fletcher in The Outlaw Josie Wales)
May 13, 2017, 05:32 PM
bendable
Jay whats his name Leno was no giant help in the viewer numbers dept.





Safety, Situational Awareness and proficiency.



Neck Ties, Hats and ammo brass, Never ,ever touch'em w/o asking first
May 13, 2017, 10:11 PM
98XJRC
I forget where I read it but they are claiming something along the lines of a dispute between the production company 21st Century Fox and ABC. Granted I don't buy it an have a feeling Tim's constant shots at the left finally did it in. The wife and I loved the show and are both disappointed that it was canceled.
May 13, 2017, 11:07 PM
iron chef
For all its SJW leanings, Hollywood nonetheless is first and foremost a business. Clint Eastwood is one of the most respected active directors. Arnold Schwarzeneggar is still considered an A-list box-office draw. Dwayne Johnson was the highest paid actor in 2016, and yes, he's openly Republican. Even anti-Semite Mel Gibson has worked his way back into Hollyweird's graces (and bankability) with Hacksaw Ridge. And man, if there's one group you don't want as an enemy in Hollywood, it's the Jews - yes, even more so than the Gay Mafia.

Money talks; bullshit walks. If Tim Allen were making that much money for ABC, his show never would have been put on the chopping block. If it has enough of a following, then another network will pick it up. That's happened a lot in recent years.

I've never seen Last Man Standing, but I suspect it ran its course. Most successful drama and comedy shows have a good 5-7 seasons in them. Among the wildly successful ones (e.g., Cosby Show, Seinfeld, Friends, Two and Half Men, Big Bang Theory) that last beyond 7 seasons, even their most devoted fans will concede their show 'jumped the shark' around seasons 5-7. Home Improvement was one of the most popular and profitable sitcoms in its day, and it only lasted 8 seasons.
May 14, 2017, 07:47 AM
mrapteam666
When me and the girlfriend watched the season finale, as the show was drawing to a close, she said "this is the end and or it will be cancelled shortly."

I asked why. She stated: the middle daughter got married, the youngest finally got her wish to go to a service academy not West Point but the Air Force, and everyone will be out of the house. So it has run its course.

I love the show but near the end of last season and the shows this year were as one member stated stale, and I didn't enjoy watching them.

I loved all the other seasons but the last 1.5 years were tough for me to watch.

As much I loved the show I think it is the right time to end it.

I think we will see some of the others ones ending within the next year or so. Those are (my favorites by the way) The Goldbergs and The Middle.
May 14, 2017, 09:12 AM
mcrimm
Until this thread, I had never heard of the show. I find current TV sitcoms are written and produced for a different type of individual.

So......last night we watched the first 3 episodes on Netflix.

It's not Home Improvement but I actually laughed a few times.....and a few times is more than I would laugh as a week's worth of current network sitcoms.

Tim Allen makes the show and I could see myself in him when he got his grandson kicked out of preschool.

Keep leaning right, Tim.

Mike



I'm sorry if I hurt you feelings when I called you stupid - I thought you already knew - Unknown
...................................
When you have no future, you live in the past. " Sycamore Row" by John Grisham
May 14, 2017, 08:14 PM
jigray3
I enjoyed the show, very good cast. Sorry to see it go. I was surprised to see a show like that could find a home on a major network. Oldest daughter and her husband were the Meathead and Gloria political foils, but Tim Allen was no Archie. His arguments were pithy and cogent. They lost me a bit when the wife started to display liberal stripes out of the blue. Leno did nothing for the show, but the black neighbors across the street were a bullseye. The writing was pretty brave and non PC in its approach, particularly on race. Hector Elizondo was very good as well.




"We have a system that increasingly taxes work, and increasingly subsidizes non-work" - Milton Friedman
May 15, 2017, 09:23 AM
Expert308
I never watched it on the network, but "discovered" it on Netflix last year and I've been watching it there. Love it, except I find Ryan really annoying and skip some of those episodes, but then Mike/Tim usually shoots him down. Big Grin

I do agree that any series will run its course eventually and it'll be time for it to be retired.