It gives you a lot more room to play, and I think especially things like with Ryan and Mike, the development of relationship, and the whole Mandy and Kyle relationship… To go from where Kyle started off, to his and Mandy’s relationship, is kind of phenomenal, you know? In the pilot, he dated Kristin! He’s come a long, long way. In many ways it’s easier because they’re more complex. ĪBBOTT | While I enjoyed as they were growing, certainly to see how far they’ve come, to have that rich history behind them, is a marvelous thing. When you have an episode like this, so much of which is built on the history these characters have with each other - whether it’s Mike’s relationship with Eve, or his relationships with his two sons-in-law - do you take a step back and reflect on just how far everyone has come?ĪLLEN | Sometimes, all of us will look at each other and think of the girls when they were younger and the travails this show has gone. | We’ve all previously spoken about the longevity of the show ( and how it might outlive Home Improvement). 'Last Man Standing' Finale: Mike, Ryan and Kyle

We try to get her in the middle, but she’s very successful, so it’s all just dependent on her schedule. TVLINE | The father-daughter relationship between Mike and Eve was such an integral part of the show during those first six seasons, so it must be nice to get to write those scenes again.ĪBBOTT | Exactly, and was very Mike and Eve-centric… If we get picked up again next year, I’m certain we will always try to have at least at the beginning and the end of the season because she can commit more to that. Any time we get her back, she’s a delight, you know? I mean, as a person and as an actress, she just brings us that energy and an attitude that we don’t get in other characters, so it’s so refreshing. In the writers’ room, is there that same sense of excitement getting to write for Kaitlyn Dever, and for Eve again, after so much time away?ĪBBOTT | Absolutely. TVLINE | In this episode, Mike and Vanessa are especially excited to have Eve home for the weekend. So we had to back up.ĪBBOTT | We had also shoot everything Monday, so it was about as close as you can get to the finish line without getting there. Kaitlyn Dever was back for the last two, which was great, then Fox said we just can’t take the chance if someone got sick. We’ll tape Monday and Tuesday, that’ll be our final show. I think it was Thursday that the question became “Do we not have an audience?” but it wasn’t “Do we shut down?”ĪLLEN | It got up to late Friday in the afternoon and everybody said we’re coming in on Monday. We finished the script, the draft for, the day before. Did you guys have any sense at the time that you’d be forced to suspend production after Episode 21? Or did it feel like a regular tape night?ĪBBOTT | It felt like a regular … You’re in a bit of a bubble when you’re in production like that, especially towards the end of the season. TVLINE | Take me back to what it was like on tape night. 'Last Man Standing' Season 8, Episode 21 - Kristin and Eve Baxter You can’t end a show on that.” Well, you totally can… I’d hate to do a cliffhanger for the audience and then not get picked up and that’s the end of the series, you know? is a really good show, but it’s not a season finale. When the question had come up, there was a possibility we could shut down, I said, “I don’t want to shut down. sets up for a great premiere for a potential Season 9.ĪBBOTT | It’s funny, because I was talking to Matt Berry about that. TVLINE | How relieved were you when you realized you had something resembling a finale when you found out you weren’t going to be able to shoot Episode 22?ĪLLEN | I was pleased… It’s kind of the pseudo-finale.

Below, Allen and executive producer Kevin Abbott walk us through their makeshift finale, then tease what’s ahead in a potential Season 9. The Tim Allen Comedy was one of 100+ shows that was forced to halt production due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Eve on last man standing