Has 'Last Man Standing' Jumped The Shark?

[landtuna]

Mistakenly posted on the Phoenix board.....Posted here for your comments:

I've watched the entire season so far and was hoping that the show would at least equal the quality of "Home Improvement" but, alas, it seems to be jumping the shark.

A couple episodes have been very good. My favorite one is where the girls do the "Pie Rack" song and Tim is dealing with his new lesbian motorcycle-riding next door neighbor. Unfortunately, the writing hasn't been consistent and in last night's episode the guest star was that unfortunate and talentless piece of work, Kim Kardashian. Next week's promo advertised the return of Tony Stewart.

It's been my experience that when the show starts bringing on "guests" it is usually on the way down. That was certainly the case with Kim K. Tony might be more interesting than Kim K. but he certainly is no actor and standing around receiving accolades from Tim is old hat.

I was hoping this would be another quality comedy but it doesn't look like it is meant to be.

 

[dmargalotti]

I've enjoyed the show so far but I didn't like the Kim K. episode either although I think that's mostly because I don't care for her at all.

What I think is interesting is that you mentioned how you were hoping Last Man Standing would match the quality of Home Improvement and that when a show starts to bring in "guests", it's usually on the way down. As I recall, Home Improvement had numerous appearances by special guests during the shows run. Everyone from race car drivers such as Robby Gordon, Mario and Michael Andretti, and Al Unser to astronauts, sports stars, and musicians. Do you think that tactic hurt Home Improvement also?

 

[Mark Giardina]

With the exception of a very few actors, most TV stars who were successful on one series don't find similar success on another.

Examples: Andy Griffith had a few 'bombs' before landing back on his feet as Matlock.
Ray Romano's recent series on cable TV about men nearing their 50s lasted two seasons.
David Jannsen's O'Hara- US Treasury lasted one season.
Chuck Connor's "Branded" lasted two seasons.

Tim Allen will always be remembered as Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor.

 

[landtuna]

What I think is interesting is that you mentioned how you were hoping Last Man Standing would match the quality of Home Improvement and that when a show starts to bring in "guests", it's usually on the way down. As I recall, Home Improvement had numerous appearances by special guests during the shows run. Everyone from race car drivers such as Robby Gordon, Mario and Michael Andretti, and Al Unser to astronauts, sports stars, and musicians. Do you think that tactic hurt Home Improvement also?

I don't think it hurt HI because (a) it hadn't been done before (on that show anyway) and (b) the show was a "man's show" where those guests would be appropriate and appreciated. Perhaps that is what the producers thought about putting Kim K. on LMS - that it is more of a woman's show. I would disagree with that since it still seems Tim-centric but there is definitely more estrogen on LMS than on HI.

In any event, the race car drivers, astronauts etc., didn't do much on HI except stand/sit and smile and accept accolades from Tim/Al. IMHO that didn't add a whole lot to the show. I thought the occasional guest Bob Vila did a much better job and some of the competition between Bob and Tim were the best parts of the entire show.

 

[quadraphonic]

What was Kim Kardashian's role in Last Man Standing?
[I've never seen her do much beyond standing around and kvetching.]

 

[dmargalotti]

She played herself, making a book signing appearance at an area mall. The middle daughter (Mandy, I think) who is a huge fan makes a fool of herself upon meeting Kim and trying to give her a hug. Video of the encounter makes the news and Kim comes to her home to comfort her, because her producer felt it would look good on her TV show.

 

[quadraphonic]

So it was just a little bit more face time than Andretti, Vila, and the other guests on "Tool Time" got on "Home Improvement?" Doesn't sound like they "jumped the shark," (yet ) unless she starts getting a story arc or returns a few times.

 

[dmargalotti]

If I remember correctly, Kim K. was only in 2 scenes and the story revolving around her and the middle daughter was one of two story arcs in the episode, the other being the rest of the family trying to fight city hall from cutting down a tree in their front yard.

I agree, quad...not exactly a shark jumper. But then again can a show actually jump the shark in it's very first season? Don't you need to be on the air long enough to establish a reputation for quality before you can jump the shark?

 

[Darth_vader]

"But then again, can a show actually jump the shark in it's very first season? Don't you need to be on the air long enough to establish a reputation for quality before you can jump the shark?"

Yup and nope. Recall some of those awful "telenovelas" (yeah, right) they ran on "My Network" in its early days. Or even "Family Guy", which as far as I'm concerned jumped the shark in its very first EPISODE......

 

[Iowan]

Maybe My Network TV could air 'Last Comic Standing'. After all, they did air 'Meet My Folks'...

 

[vchimpanzee]

No, they jumped out of a plane.

It's Tim the Tool Man with the Internet rather than Cable TV, and daughters instead of sons. I still like it a lot.

 

[landtuna]

No, they jumped out of a plane.

It's Tim the Tool Man with the Internet rather than Cable TV, and daughters instead of sons. I still like it a lot.

I lie the characters too but the stories are, for the most part, really dumb. That skydiving sub-plot was one of the dumbest.

 

[vchimpanzee]

No, they jumped out of a plane.

It's Tim the Tool Man with the Internet rather than Cable TV, and daughters instead of sons. I still like it a lot.

I lie the characters too but the stories are, for the most part, really dumb. That skydiving sub-plot was one of the dumbest.

Probably. The celebrity gimmick just keeps on coming with Mike Rowe this week. I don't know if he was famous when "Home Improvement" was on, but if he had been he would have been on it. I didn't know who he was when the Ford commercials began, but reruns of "Deadliest Catch" that I used to see the end of before movies on the My Network station on weekends were dated earlier than he began doing those commercials, so obviously someone had heard of him.

 

[landtuna]

Mike Rowe was the host of Discovery Channel's Dirty Job.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Mike Rowe was the host of Discovery Channel's Dirty Job.

Well, I'm just making the point that I know he was well-known at the times those shows I saw the ending of were made. I don't even know that other show you mentioned.

Anyway, he was a real jerk on "Last Man Standing". I think I can see why some people hate Tim Allen's macho attitude, if the way I perceived Mike Rowe is the way they see Tim Allen, but he's more of a cuddly teddy bear. Mike Rowe as his brother would never make it as the lead in a show. He's just too much of a jerk to be liked. Now the man in the Ford commercials is a different matter.

 

[landtuna]

Mike Rowe was the host of Discovery Channel's Dirty Job.

Well, I'm just making the point that I know he was well-known at the times those shows I saw the ending of were made. I don't even know that other show you mentioned.

Anyway, he was a real jerk on "Last Man Standing". I think I can see why some people hate Tim Allen's macho attitude, if the way I perceived Mike Rowe is the way they see Tim Allen, but he's more of a cuddly teddy bear. Mike Rowe as his brother would never make it as the lead in a show. He's just too much of a jerk to be liked. Now the man in the Ford commercials is a different matter.

Different strokes for different folks. I thought Rowe did a good job opposite Allen. The brothers were supposed to be in conflict - that was the whole point.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Mike Rowe was the host of Discovery Channel's Dirty Job.

Well, I'm just making the point that I know he was well-known at the times those shows I saw the ending of were made. I don't even know that other show you mentioned.

Anyway, he was a real jerk on "Last Man Standing". I think I can see why some people hate Tim Allen's macho attitude, if the way I perceived Mike Rowe is the way they see Tim Allen, but he's more of a cuddly teddy bear. Mike Rowe as his brother would never make it as the lead in a show. He's just too much of a jerk to be liked. Now the man in the Ford commercials is a different matter.

Different strokes for different folks. I thought Rowe did a good job opposite Allen. The brothers were supposed to be in conflict - that was the whole point.

I don't disagree with you.