Tim Allen Excited for 'Last Man Standing' Season 8: 'We Just Don't Make Fun of Stuff... Except Liberals'
The core principles behind the comedy are what set “Last Man Standing” apart, according to star Tim Allen.
The show had been a hit on ABC, which axed it in 2017, and then gained a new lease on life with Fox in 2018. On Thursday evening, it returned for its eighth season.
In an interview with Fox News, Allen said one of the issues handled differently on “Last Man Standing” is politics.
He said the difference stems in part from his take on how Americans really feel, based on his own travels as a stand-up comedian.
“I go out on the road and this is it. This is a nonpolitical show. I love that the guy, the dude I play, has an attitude,” Allen said, speaking of lead character Mike Baxter.
“I love that he’s Archie Bunker, as I’ve said from day one. It’s Archie Bunker that went to U of M. He’s an engineering and marketing guy, so he’s bright, but he has an attitude and he’s angry,” Allen said.
Allen said that as he travels, “I don’t see politics like people see it.”
He said the slice of America he sees “is kind of the base of this country and that’s what this show celebrates.”
He then listed the show’s core principles.
“We don’t make fun of religion. We’re not pushing religion. We don’t make fun of relationships. We don’t push it. But we honor family,” he said.
“And we honor connections with friends and we honor making decisions that are good for your community. It’s this little subtle thing these guys do.”
One group, he admitted, might come in for a bit of extra scorn.
“We just don’t make fun of stuff … except liberals,” he said, before laughing and clarifying that he was kidding. “Whatever the button is to push, we like to push that button. Right now the tender stuff is what … what do they call it, snowflakes? Whatever that PC, correct — we like pushing that a little bit.”
Allen spoke about the challenges of a hit show returning to high expectations.
“It sounds redundant, but this year it’s a very difficult thing — situation comedies on television on any network,” he said.
According to Allen, the time frame of a sitcom requires a fast pace to tell a story in the limited time allotted.
“Getting this to have an arc in 18 minutes or 22 minutes with commercials — what it eventually does and the staff that we got — we’re like a pro football team that came back because I don’t know how to describe the writing staff on this show, the leadership in this show, the crew on this saying, ‘We are veterans.’ I’m always amazed that they’ve come up with a new idea at all,” he said.
During the interview, Allen and series co-star Bill Engvall, who plays the character of Reverend Paul, were asked about the show’s longevity.
“I’ll tell you this, that I’ve been amazed … I think I’ve done four or five episodes as Reverend Paul. But how many people on my social media will say, ‘Hey, we saw you on “Last Man Standing” again.’ It’s just this wave that just continues to roll and it hasn’t crashed yet. And it’s like, I am thrilled,” Engvall said.
“Hasn’t crashed yet. Huh … yet,” Allen commented with a comedic jab at Engvall. “However, if we added more Reverend Paul episodes, we could make sure it goes in for a soft landing when it crashes.”
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