Mike and Vanessa Baxter love their granddaughter Sarah — they just don’t want to be saddled with her permanently. Unfortunately, the two don’t know exactly how to break that to their daughter and son-in-law on Thursday’s “Last Man Standing.”
In TheWrap’s exclusive clip from tonight’s episode of the ninth and final season of the Fox sitcom, titled “Butterfly Effect,” Mike (Tim Allen) and Vanessa (Nancy Travis) are totally wiped while taking care of Sarah. Just after getting the little one to sleep, they get a text from Mandy (Molly McCook) and Kyle (Christoph Sanders), who have been busy with their estate-planning lawyer and have come up with “the perfect couple” to be Sarah’s guardians.
“You think they’re talking about us?” Vanessa says, to which Mike responds, “Hey, she used the word perfect.”
That’s when Vanessa and Mike decide they should probably discuss their feelings on the topic before Mandy and Kyle arrive. And of course, Mike tricks Vanessa into spilling her thoughts first: “I don’t want to be Sarah’s guardian! Oh, wow, wow. I thought we were going to do it at the same time!”
At first Mike teases Vanessa for feeling that way about her grandchild — but then fully admits he doesn’t want to be her legal guardian either. Look, they “love her to death,” but they decide they have to get Mandy and Kyle to pick someone else.
In fact, they’ll use the “age card.” So just as Mandy and Kyle arrive, Mike and Vanessa begin complaining about their aching bones.
Watch the clip above.
Here’s the official description for tonight’s episode, which is directed by series star Amanda Fuller: “Mike and Vanessa help Mandy and Kyle with their estate planning, but are disappointed with whom they plan to appoint as Sarah’s legal guardian. Meanwhile, Jen begins working at OutdoorMan and takes advice from Chuck a tad too seriously.”
“Last Man Standing” airs Thursdays at 9/8c on Fox.