‘Last Man Standing’: Mike Makes Ryan’s Big Final Season Move a Nightmare

This week’s Last Man Standing episode showed how Ryan was preparing to make a major change in his life with Kristin, but Mike tried to sabotage his son-in-law. Ryan (Jordan Masterson) hoped to move to a new home on the same street where Mike (Tim Allen) and Vanessa (Nancy Travis) live. However, the Outdoor Man owner was not excited about it. The situation was hilariously juxtaposed with Vanessa’s attempt to revive the Outdoor Toddler kids campaign with Ed (Hector Elizondo) for the new Baxter grandchildren. Mike and Ryan’s situation, Mike was a real “Outdoor Toddler” himself, leaving fans laughing at home.

At the start of the episode, Ryan told Mike he needed some advice. “I gave you advice last week! When is this ever going to end?” Mike asked. Ryan ignored this and revealed that one of his customers, Mrs. Oliver, asked if he wanted to buy her house. The only problem is that she lives on Mike’s street. The house needs some work, but Chuck (Jonathan Adams) thinks it is a good idea. Mike asked Ryan if he was really interested in this or if he was only thinking about it because the opportunity arose. After Ryan left, Mike told Chuck he planned to buy the house himself!

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The next day, Mike told Chuck he just put an offer on Mrs. Oliver’s home. “You’re always thinking about other people and how you can screw them over!” Chuck told him. At that point, Ryan walked into the Outdoor Man office to share some news. Mrs. Oliver told her someone else made an offer, and it was much more than she was asking. But it was not Mike… it was Chuck! Ryan was surprised to see that both of them were stealing the house from him. “Now I know how Julius Caesar felt when Brutus stabbed him in the back,” Ryan said. “Et Tu, pickles,” Mike told Chuck.

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Later, Mike offered to stop calling Chuck pickles if he dropped the offer on the house. Chuck said he would, but Mike didn’t buy that. Incredibly, Chuck already did that, so Mike would be the only person competing to crush Ryan’s dream. In another twist though, Mike already dropped his offer too! Ryan then came in to boast about Mrs. Oliver telling him he has a beautiful family. Kristin and Ryan are already looking at financing to move in! Ironically, Ryan had no idea that Mike actually helped!

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In Mike’s “Outdoor Man” vlog, he spoke about putting “bad blood” aside in a “friendly competition.” He noted how even Katy Perry and Taylor Swift could put their differences behind them to become friends. Mike was actually referring to the competition between himself, Chuck, and Ryan. However, Vanessa actually thought he was referring to her own problem, which was picking either Mandy’s (Molly McCook) daughter or Kristin’s (Amanda Fuller) to be the new “Outdoor Toddler.” 

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Later, Vanessa explained to her daughters that competition could ruin their relationship. They also don’t want that happening for their own daughters. They apologized for putting each other down. Afterward, Vanessa decided she would recommend Ben, her sister’s son, to be the new “Outdoor Toddler.”

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“Mike Baxter a hear all and see all person and he comes up with great names like pickles,” one fan wrote about Mike’s nicknaming habit. “Sounds like Vanessa wants s’more of the good times,” another fan wrote about the final moment between Vanessa and her daughters.

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“Outdoor Toddler” picked up where last week’s episode left off. The show finally brought back Jen, who was missing from the first few episodes of the season. In “Jen Again,” she thought she was moving back with the Baxters just for a week, only to find out she was going to live in Colorado for a year. She was afraid her father would be in danger in Hong Kong because he planned to speak out against the government. Vanessa and Mike convinced her to stay though. That way, she would be safe in America and her father would be able to speak his mind. Last Man Standing‘s ninth and final season airs Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. ET on Fox.