Last Man Standing: Vanessa & Energy Vs. Eve & The Environment

by Amy K. Bredemeyer

What's this? Another episode of Last Man Standing that closely mirrors an episode of Home Improvement? Do you remember that episode where Randy does an investigative report for the school paper on how Binford disposes of its waste and then decides that he won't talk to his father until he does something about it? I mean, caring about the environment is nothing new, but it's not every family show that has an episode dedicated to it. Still, as recycled as it was, it made for funnier moments than Mandy's boring attempts to convince Kristin to go clubbing. Even Boyd had a blase part this storyline, where his biggest problem is wanting to watch cartoons when the power is "out." I'm trying hard not to lose faith in this series, but my interest is fading... is yours?

Last Man Standing "Mother Fracker" (S02E05): For Career Day, Eve invites Vanessa instead of Mike, the choice of Kristin and Mandy before her. [really? Mike was the "obvious choice"? I think I'd rather have my unique geologist mother come than my run-of-the-mill store-manager father.] Vanessa gives a presentation about "hydraulic fracturing" that sparks the kids to question if Vanessa hates the environment because of what she does. ["one day I'm going to have a rack like that" ? how awkward! who says that??!?] Eve, Mandy, and Ryan also question Vanessa's seismic work, so Mike decides to turn off the house's power to show the kids that you either accept that energy has to be generated somehow or you don't get to have power. [it was a little odd how quickly he jumped to punishing them for taking a stand.] Ryan leaves the house to head to his own apartment and Mandy quickly sides with power, but Eve decides to sleep in the backyard until Vanessa quits her job. [you really have to question how Eve thought that her mother would quit just so her daughter would return to the house.] But, her tent and fire are sabotaged, thanks to Mike's hiding a pole and extinguishing her source of warmth.

ABC/CARIN BAER

Eve does her best to survive in the Denver winter, even after Vanessa talks to her about compromise... but it's pizza and football that forces the young teen to shut up about energy and apologize to her mother. [at least we didn't have to see it.]

Mandy wants to go to the club with Kristin because Boyd is at his dad's for the weekend. [I don't like Ryan calling Kristin "Kris." Mandy doing so isn't much better. and Kristin making a m@sturbat0ry joke was bad.] Kristin would rather go to the movies, but a call to check on Boyd reveals that Ryan left him with Emily the Babysitter to go meet a girl at a bar. [odd way to include Ed.] The girls dash off to catch Ryan in the act, but he doesn't really get into hot water with Kristin after he points out that Boyd is growing up and they should act like they're 23, not 83. [did we abandon the Kristin-goes-to-college storyline?]