Some might call Tim Allen’s new sitcom, “Home Improvement 2” but for those who took comfort in Tim Allen’s “man’s man” attitude and shtick will likely enjoy his new show premiering this fall on ABC.
“Last Man Standing,” which debuts Oct. 11, follows Mike Baxter, a Denver dad and rustic outdoorsman who wields hunting and fishing gear at work but must navigate the nuanced world of women at home, where he lives with a strong-willed wife (Nancy Travis) and three daughters. Tim Allen describes the show as “‘Home Improvement’ inside out.” Instead of three boys, its three girls; instead of power tools, it’s guns, knives and canoes. Rather than hosting a cable-access show, “Tool Time,” his character runs a video blog at an adventure gear store.
Like I said, Home Improvement 2.
It’ll be interesting to see if this show, which beckons the old-school sitcom format of a multi-camera, live-audience setup, will be able to compete with the Realty Show and other slickly produced shows that are so prevalent these days on the tube.
The LA Times reports that ABC and 20th Century Fox are putting a lot into Tim Allen’s new show to keep it current including “using expensive state-of-the-art cameras and especially large, deep sets to give the show a sophisticated and filmic quality.”
The Times went on to say that ABC received criticism last season from advertisers for skewing too female (almost 65% of its prime-time audience); it needed to draw in the men this fall.
What better way to get the male audience back then have Tim Allen wax poetic about hunting, fishing, and other things “real men” like to do.
Apparently the old “Home Improvement” crew will be getting back together for the new show. Anyone who needs a job that worked on the show will soon be employed again. The crew will include director of photography Donald A. Morgan, who won “Home Improvement” seven Emmys.
“I said, anybody who’s still alive, call ‘em up,” Allen says. “I’m hopeful that we’ll have a job for a while. Because I like it here. This is bigger than television; there’s a family developing here.”
We’ll see if the family can bring back the same magic (and ratings) that “Home Improvement” brought back in the 90s.
If not, it’s back to the movies for Tim Allen.
October 12, 2011 at 5:57
the lighting looks flat, abc execs need to look at the director’s cut. before airing the show, lot’s of light every where. missed several boom shadows across principal actor’s faces. and up-stage walls!!
October 12, 2011 at 5:57
i posted a comment earlier, you posted it then removed it!! what that tells me this website is BIASED. you only post what your people’s opinion is. FIRST AMENDMENT FREEDOM OF SPEECH. let the public really know what’s going on with TV SHOWS. the show will be canceled i think.
October 12, 2011 at 5:57
J alonzo, reply with your comment again, it might have been spammed by the settings by accident!? We would love to hear form you!
October 13, 2011 at 5:57
i just posted a comment the bob will probably delete it if they do i will e-mail to you..
October 13, 2011 at 5:57
home improvement TAPED the show at disney studios on friday nights, after the show wrapped for the night, some cast and crew would go to TIMMY NOLANS on riverside dr. in burbank ca. for cocktails, on 1 friday night a cute young girl her worked for audiences unlimited, showed up, tim’s wife parked her car in the parking lot behind NOLANS and caught tim and this young blond in tim’s car.. the next day on the set tim’s wife LAURA showed up, bad day on the set. the next friday night’s taping, that blond wasn’t there. lost her job. TIM ALLEN in real life is i could go on and on but you get the point. MODERATORS check the facts!! remember the first amendment..