‘Last Man Standing’: Mike Baxter Welcomes Foreign Exchange Student to Baxter Home

The Baxter home now has another resident. In this week’s episode of Last Man Standing, Vanessa welcomed a foreign exchange student into their home.

In “One Flew Into The Empty Nest,” Vanessa (Nancy Travis) reminisced about her time as an exchange student in Brazil since there is a foreign exchange program hosting potential students in Colorado. Vanessa cannot convince Mike (Tim Allen) to go to the event, so she goes by herself.

Once there, Vanessa met Jen (Krista Marie Yu), a student from Hong Kong dreaming of becoming a geologist. Coincidentally, Vanessa is also a geologist and the two bond over their love of awful rock puns.

Vanessa later invited Jen and her father Henry (Francois Chau) to the Baxter home so Henry can meet Mike and see where she is going to live. When Henry and Jen arrive, Mike pretended to be an entirely different person, even biting his tongue while Henry criticizes American politics.

The next day at Outdoor Man, Henry told Mike he did not want his daughter living with them because he seemed like a “weak” man who did not like to stand up for what he believes in. Mike brought in the Outdoor Man guys to introduce Henry to the real Mike. However, Mike came to realize that this had nothing to do with Mike. It was about Henry not wanting to let go of his daughter.

“You don’t have a problem with me. You don’t want her to be away from you,” Mike told Henry.

“Yes,” Henry admitted. “I’m the weak one.”

“No you’re not. It’s just being a dad. Kid wants to leave home. It’s a drag. Believe me, I know,” Mike said, referencing how his daughters Kristin (Amanda Fuller) and Eve (Kaitlyn Dever) have both left the house.

“Jen lost her mother when she was 10. It’s just been the two of us,” Henry said. “I’m afraid of her being so far away from me. I want what’s best for her, but I have doubts.”

Mike shared a proverb he heard from China: “Deep doubts mean deep wisdom.” He then goes on to tell Henry he would not be a good dad if he did not worry.

“I just think it’s our job to let our kids follow their own dreams,” Mike said. “If you want her to experience a good mother, there’s no better mother than my wife Vanessa.”

In the end, Henry agreed to let Jen stay with the Baxters. Later, Mike arrived at home to find Vanessa and Jen cooking together. Jen and Henry will go back home to Hong Kong for a bit before the next semester starts.

“Just to let you know, that wasn’t really me last night. I have a lot more attitude,” Mike told Jen.

“Well just to let you know, that wasn’t the real me last night either,” Jen ominously said.

“You know, there’s an American expression I love. ‘A man’s home is his castle,’” Mike said.

“I prefer an ancient Chinese expression,” Jen countered. “‘Man does not control his own fate. The women in his life do it for him.’”

“Goodbye peaceful kitchen. Hello hellscape of bad puns and estrogen,” Mike said at the end of the episode.

Jen is played by Krista Marie Yu, who previously starred on ABC’s Dr. Ken. Coincidentally, Dr. Ken is also a show ABC cancelled in May 2017.

New episodes of Last Man Standing air on Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.

Photo credit: Michael Becker / FOX