Tim Allen’s popular ABC show Last Man Standing was, by all reasonable measures, a big success. Now in its sixth season, the ratings were still going strong and the show is considered to be an ‘anchor’ program for the network on Friday nights, a notoriously difficult slot to pull ratings. None of that success, however, stopped ABC from handing down a surprise cancellation notice today. Of course, ABC is free to cancel whichever shows it wants, since it is their network. But the move has left many scratching their heads, wondering what the real reason is. The central themes of the show are a prime suspect. Here’s a show description from Deadline :

With a central character who is a political conservative and devout Christian adhering to traditional American values, the blue-collar comedy appeals to viewers in the Heartland, a constituency that helped elect Donald Trump as president and has been energized post-election as evidenced by the ratings success of new USA drama Shooter.  That was also a swath of America ABC had been looking to reflect better, mostly on the drama side, as the network’s entertainment president Channing Dungey has noted this season. READ MORE


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