TV Shows

‘Last Man Standing’ Season 7 Premiere Released Online Early

FOX has a treat for Last Man Standing fans: The season 7 premiere is streaming five days early.The […]

FOX has a treat for Last Man Standing fans: The season 7 premiere is streaming five days early.

The network surprised viewers by dropping the first episode of the sitcom’s revival season without notice early Sunday morning. The episode it entitled “Welcome Baxter” and reintroduces Mike Baxter (Tim Allen) and his family to audiences.

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“We want to say thank you to ALL of our loyal fans by releasing the premiere episode of Last Man Standing EARLY! Watch it NOW before it airs Sept. 28 at 8/7c on FOX,” the network said alongside the clip’s release.

The show is quick to poke fun at its 2017 cancellation by ABC in its opening moments. Kyle Anderson (Christoph Sanders) is shown frustrated on the family couch while watching TV. Baxter family matriarch Vanessa (Nancy Travis) intervenes to ask what the problem is.

“I’m trying to DVR my favorite show, but its not on,” Kyle says.

Vanessa replies, “Well maybe it got cancelled. The TV business can be a heartless bastard.”

“Cancelled? Why would they cancel a popular show that everybody loves?” Kyle coyly snaps back.

A booming voice then intervenes from a neighboring room, much to fans’ delight. It is Mike, back with his signature comedy chops.

“Maybe they’re a bunch of idiots,” Mike says, insisting they look for the series on a different channel.

Vanessa replies, “Mike, they don’t just take a show off one network and put it on a different network.”

Kyle then finds the show, and the couple has a near-fourth-wall-breaking moment to bask in their excitement.

“Am I wrong, or is it way better on this network?” Mike says.

Mike then sends love to Last Man Standing‘s fans that supported the show in its off-period in another extremely referential line.

“It’s pretty rare, but the show must have a bunch of loyal, kick-ass fans,” he says.

From there, the rest of the Baxter family comes back into picture, and even pokes fun at the recasting of Mandy Baxter (Molly McCook), who was formerly played by Molly Ephraim.

Last Man Standing airs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

Photo Credit: FOX