A social media outrage has been brewing ever since ABC revealed the Tim Allen sitcom Last Man Standing was cancelled.
Last Man Standing is cancelled despite 8.1 million viewers. Best show on network TV. Wow, I’m done! #BoycottABC
— Cory Crawford (@C13Crawford) May 15, 2017
Last Man Standing was an Allen vehicle that premiered back in 2011 and was notable for its high ratings and conservative viewpoint. The show raked in 8.1 million viewers in its seventh season and was seen as break from the many “liberal-minded” sitcoms on network TV.
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The cancellation is being viewed as a political act by many of the show’s fans, with the hashtag “#BoycottABC” going viral on Twitter.
“Last Man Standing is cancelled despite 8.1 million viewers,” said Twitter user Cory Crawford. “Best show on network TV. Wow, I’m done! #BoycottABC”
According the Deadline, the cancellation was attributed to production costs. ABC’s current agreement with 20th Century Fox to produce the show was expiring, and a renewal meant ABC would have to front a larger portion of costs, which included a costly salary for Allen. ABC abruptly ended negotiations and decided to wrap up the program instead.
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Despite this explanation, many see it as a mere excuse for not wanting to further promote a right-wing show.
Because ABC has cancelled #LastManStanding in political retribution, I think we should #BoycottABC
— jenny mcqueen (@jentakespics) May 11, 2017
This controversy comes on the heels of outrageous claims by Allen that being conservative in Hollywood was akin to being in “’30s Germany.”
“You gotta be real careful around here.” Allen said on Jimmy Kimmel Live. “You get beat up if you don’t believe what everybody else believes. This is like ’30s Germany.”
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According to the show’s synopsis, Allen’s character is described as an “old-fashioned” “man’s man” who works at an outdoor retailer that specializes in “guns, jerky and camouflage recliners.”
Last Man Standing is one of 10 shows ABC either cancelled or announced would be ending.
The only other sitcom that beat Last Man Standing in ratings was Modern Family. That show also was threatened by a production cost squabble between ABC and 20th Century Fox. However, ABC renewed Modern Family for two more seasons.
