ABC’s Tim Allen comedy Last Man Standing is making another showrunner change.
Tim Doyle (Rules of Engagement) is stepping down as showrunner ahead of the comedy’s expected fifth-season renewal, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
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Doyle, who boarded the series ahead of season two after stepping in to replace Kevin Abbott — who stepped in for creator Jack Burditt — will be succeed by Matt Berry, who has served as a co-exec producer and writer since last year. Doyle’s deal with the series was up at the end of season four and he has opted to move on.
From 20th Century Fox Television, the family comedy has been a reliable performer for ABC on Fridays at 8 p.m. despite its April 17 season four finale coming in down 21 percent year-over-year and off 8 percent week-over-week. While not a breakout performer like some of ABC’s other family comedies, Last Man Standing is nearing its 100th episode — a key benchmark for syndication — and is expected to return to the schedule for the 2015-16 season.
Berry, repped by CAA and Hansen Jacobson, counts Lifetime’s Devious Maids, ABC’s Malibu Country, Desperate Housewives and Reba among his credits.
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Email: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
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