When Last Man Standing returns for its first season on Fox, the show will be without a major character. Mike Baxter’s father Bud, played by Robert Forster, died offscreen and his death will be a big part of the first episode.
On the series, Bud opened a pot dispensary called Bud’s Buds, which did not make Mike happy at all. The business will be handed over to Ryan (Jordan Masterson) in the new episodes, executive producer Kevin Abbott told TVLine.
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Forster’s character was originally a recurring part, appearing in nine episodes of the series. However, his last appearance was back in the season four episode “Mandy’s Party,” which aired in March 2015.
Aside from Bud’s death, one storyline will have Mike’s daughter Mandy (Molly McCook) getting pregnant. The series will also pick up about a year after the season six finale.
“Mandy and Kyle have been married for a year,” Abbott said at the Television Critics Association press tour in August. “Now they’re starting to think about having kids, and… you’re always told that the first time you have unprotected sex, you get pregnant. But what if that’s not the case? What if… they’re not having the easiest time getting pregnant?”
Last Man Standing was cancelled by ABC after the 2016-2017 season, but was revived by Fox for the upcoming fall season. ABC cancelled the show after deciding to go with dramas on Friday nights last season, but star Tim Allen and fans felt the show was ended because of Allen’s conservative politics. Eventually, fan support swelled, and after seeing Roseanne’s success on ABC, Fox greenlit a new Last Man Standing season.
Most of the main cast will be returning, including Allen as Mike, Nancy Travis as Vanessa, Amanda Fuller as Kristin, Jonathan Adams as Chuck, Christoph Sanders as Kyle, Jordan Masterson as Ryan and Hector Elizono as Ed. Kaitlyn Dever will be back as Eve on a recurring basis.
Molly McCook will join the cast as Mandy after Molly Ephraim did not return. Jet Jurgensmeyer will also replace Flynn Morrison as Mike’s grandson Boyd.
Krista Marie Yu was also cast as Jan, a foreign exchange student who moves in with Mike and Vanessa. Coincidentally, Yu starred in Dr. Ken, the show ABC aired after Last Man Standing during its final season on the alphabet network.
Forster is a longtime character actor, best known today for his roles in Jackie Brown, The Descendants, Mullholland Drive, London Has Fallen and Heroes. Last year, he appeared in the revived Twin Peaks.
Last Man Standing returns for a new season on Friday, Sept. 28 at 8 p.m. ET.
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