Last Man Standing, like most sitcoms, can get caught up in the silly, fluffy stories sometimes. However, it also does a fantastic job about telling realistic, family stories. It’s very rare that today’s sitcoms don’t take positions and political opinions, but Last Man Standing, which may appear to some as conservative propaganda, successfully analyzes all sides of different issues, and explores them realistically. This story of three sisters who believe they were treated unfairly by their parents is no different.
This week on Last Man Standing: The Baxters want to spends some time together, but Eve’s monetary request quickly leads to a huge fight among the three girls. Mike and Vanessa decide to manipulate them into getting along again. Meanwhile, Kyle accidentally has an awkward encounter with Ed, which ends up bringing them closer together.
I don’t know if there are very many people out there who related to this story, but I can tell you with complete certainty that I did. I grew up with two brothers, and became convinced as I got older that each was a different parent’s favorite, and that injustice was being done me. It’s not an easy feeling to let go of, but after a few years I consciously decided that it A) was through no fault of my brothers that I felt that way, and B) easier to be grateful for things that my parents had given me. To fight over things like this is to be divisive, which is not really what our country needs right now. All that to say, this show tells realistic, relevant stories, and I love that!
That said, I did think the Kyle and Ed story was a little off the wall and random. Or at least the details of it were. But upon further investigation, while the Baxter girls were teaching us about growing up in a two-parent, three-child household, Kyle and Ed were teaching us about relationships with surrogate fathers, and bringing perspective from someone who was parented differently. Though the premise itself was still a little wacky (seeing him naked? Really?) it furthered the Kyle/Ed relationship and brought another perspective for those who may not have been able to relate to the Baxter girls story. Also, there were a couple of really fun physical bits by Christoph Sanders.
Here are a few thoughts/funny moments:
- I would eat that thousand dollar casserole, Eve!
- “Relax, he’s moving to Phoenix! …because he’s dying”
- “I don’t swoop, I strut boldly!”- Mike
- “This is great, we should be sisters more often”
- Kyle should walk up to random guys in saunas more often. That was a fun little scene.
I will probably write a longer essay on this in the near future, but Last Man Standing is a sorely underrated comedy series, that tackles issues with professional approaches and smart, realistic stories. “Three Sisters” was another good episode that indicated that at every turn. If you’re on the fence about watching this show, consider this my first (but not my last) attempt at getting you to do so.
What did you guys think? Did you enjoy the episode? Let us know!
Last Man Standing airs Fridays at 8/7c on ABC
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