“Last Man Standing” wraps up a nine-season run across two networks. It’s been quite a ride for star Tim Allen as he looks back upon it all.
Allen, who plays Mike Baxter, an outdoor sporting goods store executive, talks in an interview with Entertainment Tonight about the show’s cast.
“Kaitlyn Dever was 12 when the show started,” Allen said. Dever, who left the full-time cast after the seventh season, remained part of the show as a recurring character. That was so she could do other projects in the entertainment industry.
But Dever, who plays Eve Baxter, does appear in the series finale. She reportedly quarantined for seven days before and after filming the finale.
‘Last Man Standing’ Star Wondered If Cast Could Get Back Together For Fox
“When we had that year off, I called Nancy (co-star Travis) and told her I talked to the girls and we were talking about what they were doing,” Allen said.
He wondered if they could all come back as Fox Entertainment’s Dana Walden was interested in putting “Last Man Standing” on their network. The show was dropped by ABC in 2017 after six seasons despite strong ratings.
Allen said Travis, who plays his wife Vanessa Baxter, told him, “‘Just to be clear, they’re not our girls. And I am not actually your wife.’ And I went, ‘Oh right. Let me call you back.'”
ABC’s Decision To Drop Show Had Serious Impact On Allen’s Life
Speaking of the cancellation, Allen said he was deeply affected by the network’s decision.
“I took the show pretty seriously when (ABC) said that we were out and I had an alternate reality that for a control freak like me, you do control,” he said. “You go to work and there’s craft service.
“I loved going to work,” Allen said. “Very few jobs I’ve had other than standup, which I don’t like to travel and I don’t like waiting to go on stage because I get nervous, I loved that part of it. This I love. And every now and then there was a two percent chance where I’m like, ‘I’m done with this.'”
“Last Man Standing” started its ninth season in January 2021 and will end on a Thursday night in May 2021. Allen can truly say he’s been a part of two-long-running TV series. Obviously, the first one was “Home Improvement” on ABC where he played Tim Taylor.
Besides Allen and Travis, other cast members include Dever, Hector Elizondo, Amanda Fuller, Molly McCook, and Christoph Sanders.
