The humor is right on target and makes all of us laugh at ourselves and how we play these silly games of "I'm right" and "You're definitely wrong!" The show is subtle in letting us see just how ridiculous we seem to be when we try to explain our opinions when we should be amicably compromising. How lame-brained can we get? You'll find out by watching the undeniably laughable Last Man Standing: The Complete Second Season.
The three daughters creating the Baxter household havoc are eldest daughter Kristin (Amanda Fuller, Grey's Anatomy), a single mom raising her 5-year-old son; middle child fashionista Mandy (Molly Ephraim) whose zest for life is exhausting; and Mike's favorite daughter, Eve (Kaitlyn Dever), who is always ready to participate in her father's favorite sport.
Last Man Standing: The Complete Second Season has some major differences from the First Season. For instance, Tim Allen and Nancy Travis are standards, as well as most of the supporting cast; however, the players surrounding eldest daughter Kristin have all been changed. Season One's Kristin played by Alexandra Krosney has been replaced with Amanda Fuller. Popular Jonas Brother, Nick, has been replaced as the "baby-father" Ryan with actor Jordan Masterson (The 40-Year-Old Virgin). Kristin's toddler son played interchangeably by twins Evan and Luke Kruntchev in Season One have been replaced with adorable Boyd (Flynn Morrison). Even though these changes were significant, I thought the storyline was strong enough to support them and created a more cohesive family relationship between the couple and their child.
Social and family issues are approached with parental logic and understanding as the Baxter parents try to guide their daughters -- and grandson -- into the right paths of life. Last Man Standing: The Complete Second Season doesn't neglect anyone when issues arise. Conservative Mike has a conflict with liberal Ryan not respecting him and what he's done for his son, and Ryan has the same complaint since he has returned into Kristin and Boyd's life as a father. Eve joins the ROTC and Mike follows the rules of flying the American flag as a patriotic example to family and friends. As Eve grows up, she expands her horizons by getting drunk at a friend's party. Mandy and Kyle plan a romantic evening that's sabotaged by Mike. The Baxter's holiday duck dinner is interrupted by Ryan training Boyd to be a vegetarian and teaching him not to eat animals. Kristin and Ryan take time for romance and explain to Boyd that they will be seeing each other as a couple.
Women's issues touch on the glass ceiling, employment, and hiring agenda. Other concerns reach to the illegal employment of Mexicans, bullying, dangerous physical sports, fighting, voting and racial sensitivity. Mike's employer, The Outdoor Man, stages a Buffalo Bill event where the word "people" is used to avoid politically offending anyone. Ed thinks he has mistakenly violated a federal offense by accidentally shooting a bald eagle. And even middle-of-the-road Vanessa faces the anger of ecologically activated students when she appears as an oil company geologist for Eve's school's career day.
Last Man Standing: The Complete Second Season has a little surprise for the Tim Allen fans when Jonathan Taylor Thomas (Randy from Home Improvement) joins the cast in the last episodes. This season is incredibly funny as it touches on the issues facing the family of today. The writing and cast are brilliant, and I personally appreciate the way they simply present the issues and try not to influence the audience on choice. The show confronts some of the immorality of our time, but with a perfect moral intent. A family can comfortably watch this show without worry of anything vulgar or lewd. Other sitcoms, though popular, have proven to have too much inappropriate content and go over the line of what a family feels is suitable. However, parents are cautioned of some mature content. Don't forget to check out Last Man Standing: The Complete First Season in the link below.
