Last Man Standing Review

“Last Man Standing” marks Tim Allen’s comeback to situational comedy on ABC. Allen stars as Mike Baxter, an ultra conservative grandfather with three teenage daughters, Kristin (22) played by Alexandra Krosney—a single mother, Mandy (17) played by Molly Ephraim and Eve (14) played by Kaitlyn Dever—who was once Baxter's little soccer playing tomboy, but now a developing teenager. Mike is a Marketing Director of the catalog for a wilderness-goods company called Outdoor Man. Mike is mans man, but not really a tough guy. He’s always trying to maintain his masculinity and more importantly, ensure that his grandson Boyd takes after him in that suit.

Mikes wife Vanessa Baxter(Nancy Travis) is a geologist and still coming to terms with her new role as grandmother to two year old Boyd. Vanessa seems concerned with being hip and modern, while Mike remains old fashioned and defensive, always trying to overcompensate, because he feels like the world has changed too much for him. Mike would rather go back to the good old days when men were men, while Vanessa is trying to catch up to her daughters. There was a humorous moment where we see Vanessa in an attempt to be cool shopping at one of her daughters favorite stores trying on a pair of shorts as if it were a top.

The show has a few snickers here and there, but overall I think it’s a step down from Allen’s success with “Home Improvement” which lasted for eight seasons also on ABC. The jokes were a little dry and typical and the viewpoints of the characters are too narrow. Some points that are made by Mike are relevant like when he mentions the fact that children are too overprotected nowadays. To me the show seems like it would attract an older audience that could identify with Mike and Vanessa Baxter.