I’ve written about Tim Allen’s Last Man Standing several times on TrigTent. I was always amazed that a show could exist on network TV that blasted President Obama and Hillary Clinton. It was a rare jewel. An anomaly.
Not that it should be. In a country that espouses freedom of thought and expression, television in America is shockingly one-note. Everything, from dramas to comedies to action/adventures is tinged with liberal views. Don’t believe me? Name recent TV shows that actually, openly, support conservative issues like gun rights, pro-life, or traditional marriage.
That’s okay, I’ll wait.
Now list all the shows—from the last twenty years—that push liberal causes. You’ll run out of breath naming all of them.
The fact that Tim Allen’s Last Man Standing could even air during the Obama administration was a miracle. During an era where liberals were riding high on the hog, here was a show that took shots at their Golden Boy, in every episode. I guess ABC/Disney really loved Allen, or they thought one show with a conservative slant couldn’t do much damage.
(For those giving a hissy fit that a show would dare be conservative, keep in mind that—while Tim’s character and one of his daughters were decidedly GOP—the rest of the characters were outspoken liberals. Imagine that, the show gave everyone a chance to speak their mind!)
Then Donald Trump was elected President. And the liberal elitists lost their minds. For one thing, celebrities on the left couldn’t believe America didn’t goosestep along with their demands. We saw unprecedented noise from Hollywood liberals imploring Americans to vote for Hillary Clinton. Joss Whedon coerced the Avengers to make a PSA. But they failed.
Perhaps ABC realized that Last Man Standing was having an effect on America. So, they promptly killed it. The network claimed it had to do with contract negotiations, but let’s be real. LMS was a hit show, bringing in huge numbers. Given TV’s slow decline, they’d have to be crazy to kill a successful show. Unless, of course, politics were involved.
Even Allen said Hollywood is scared of likable conservatives.
https://youtu.be/7hixJrq_tJg
You don’t have to go out on the limb to suggest ABC, in some way, was getting back at conservatives for electing Donald Trump. Especially considering how the mainstream media—ABC included—have conducted a smear campaign against the President since the election. Their goal, quite openly, is to oppose his agenda at every turn. An unbiased media is a fantasy. Naturally, they had to kill anything in their corporate family that would undermine that goal.
So, one of their top sitcoms—and funniest to boot—had to go.
Boy, how things change in only a year.
This same network negotiated like a beast to secure a revival of Roseanne. The classic 90’s sitcom still had a lot of love from Americans. Bringing it back, with the entire original cast, would be a godsend to the network. There was just one problem: the real-life Roseanne was a Trump supporter.
ABC took the risk, and it has paid off. The premiere episode brought in over 20 million viewers. That was an episode where Roseanne spoke fondly of the President and thanked God “for making America great again.” Surprise, surprise, it was a huge hit.
Word has recently spread that ABC is trying to suppress political topics in Roseanne’s next season, but the genie is out of the bottle, guys. The same network that killed a conservative show is winning big, thanks to Roseanne’s unapologetic look at American politics. Recent episodes addressed the impact illegal immigration has on working-class homes. Once again, they provide perspectives from all sides. Unlike liberal shows.
It’s clear that Hollywood is learning, ever so slowly, that suppressing conservative ideas does not work. That, perhaps, embracing them to an extent can yield massive results. ABC discovered this with the Roseanne reboot. And Fox is following with their announcement that they are bringing back Last Man Standing.
A day after Fox slaughtered most of its beloved, if low-rated, live-action comedy slate, the network has officially announced its plans to revive Tim Allen's multi-cam sitcom Last Man Standing a year after ABC sent it to the discard pile after six seasons, clearly hungry for a politically right-leaning revival of their own.
For those who've forgotten—or tend to steer clear of Allen's hokey brand of machismo—Last Man Standing stars the Home Improvement alum as Mike Baxter, a married father of three girls who tries to maintain his manliness in a world increasingly dominated by women. Yes, really. That's what it's about. So, get ready for a bunch of jokes about how #MeToo has gone too far, probably. (E News)
While I think there is room for a wide variety of subjects on TV, there is a clear trend happening. After several years of constant attacks from the media, conservatives are finding relief. In the very place that once rejected them. Roseanne’s embrace of conservative issues was like a massive breath of fresh air. Bringing back Last Man Standing will be the same.
Conservative audiences will throw their support behind shows like this. Liberals might like to brand us as hateful bigots, but we have a lot of love to give. When we see that people, or a network, is actually paying attention to us, we show them a tidal wave of support.
Hopefully, the revived Last Man Standing will be just as good as the original seasons. Perhaps more networks will learn to embrace a diversity of thought in their lineups. They might be pleasantly surprised to discover what happens as a result.
