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Hopes were high when Tim Allen returned to television with Last Man Standing, more than 10 years after his role as Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor on the hit show, Home Improvement. Last Man Standing has seen some character changes in its second season that have left audiences a little perplexed on the route the show is taking. The Baxter family led by Mike Baxter (Tim Allen) has seen two character replacements this season including Boyd Baxter’s “magical” three-year growth spurt in just one season as they replaced the original two-year-old actor with one of five years of age. Here are some suggestions the show can take to keep the confidence of the viewers in the midst of all these changes.
Last Man Standing starring Tim Allen, Nancy Travis and Molly Ephraim airs on ABC Fridays at 8:00 pm ET.
Politics and Sitcoms Don't Mix
Last Man Standing writers have added a political tension to the show, especially between Mike Baxter (Tim Allen) and Kristin Beth Baxter (Amanda Fuller). While it's understandable that there would be different approaches to parenting between Tim Allen’s grandfather character and a Amanda Fuller’s mother, adding the liberal vs. conservative aspect to the show can be problematic. Not only does this cause a stir amongst its audience but it hurts chances to build a broader audience in general. Instead of focusing on the politics of raising a child, the show should focus on more comedic issues that arise when there is such an age gap in parenting approaches.
Who Invited the Angry Girl?
In season 2, Amanda Fuller (Grey’s Anatomy) took over the role of Kristin Beth Baxter from Alexandra Krosney. While Last Man Standing isn't the first show to swap actresses (it worked on Three’s Company and Rosanne), it seems there is more to it than just a new face.
Kristin seems to have developed a whole new demeanor this season. Season 1 featured a much more mellow persona in the eldest daughter character, which coincided with her liberal outlook on life. However, the new season has brought forth a completely different persona in Mike’s eldest daughter and it can be a little strange for the viewer. While it's understandable that there will be moments of breakdowns and anger, especially when dealing with the stress of being a single mother, maybe toning down the attitude would help to ingratiate this new character into the favor of the audience.
Baby Daddy Drama
Whenever there are single parent situations, there will inevitably be some co-parenting issues that arise. While the show has touched on some -like when Ryan (Jordan Masterson) got a babysitter for Boyd on a weekend where he was supposed to be watching him- it seems there is a definite lack in baby daddy drama. Not only would this add some comedy to the Kristen character but it gives a chance for Mike to step in with his old-fashioned beliefs of what a father is and how he should act.
Not the Only Grandparents
Anyone that deals with a co-parenting situation knows that it's not just the parents that have a great deal of involvement in the child's life. Just as Mike plays a huge role in helping to raise Boyd, it would seem that Ryan's parents would also be greatly involved in the everyday life of Boyd. It would be interesting if this dynamic would be further investigated on the show, whether it is different parenting advice from Ryan's side of the family or maybe their urging Ryan to take a bigger role in Boyd's life. Also, it would be interesting to see how this would affect Mike, especially if Ryan's parents don't agree with his ideology of manhood.
Kristin's Love Life
It would be a fun twist to the show if Kristin had some love issues. While she is usually busy working and being a single mom, that doesn't necessarily mean she should be devoid of a love life. Whether it's a few dates gone wrong, a singles mixer she was pushed into attending or even a new serious boyfriend; that would create some diversity in her storyline. Not only would audiences see the reaction of Mike and Ryan but they might see how this would be for Boyd. Having a new male character featured on the show might give audiences something to hope for in terms of Kristin potentially finding a soul mate and Mike getting some more testosterone in the house.
Tim Allen didn't stray too far from his former male television character in this fun-loving ABC show, but it seems like it's not hitting a homerun in the ratings. Implementing a few of these suggestions to keep might keep the show running and keep audiences tuned-in while grabbing some new viewers in the process.
