20th Century Fox Television
Another "Last Man Standing" reunion has taken place on the set of ABC's "Shifting Gears" — but don't expect to see this one on screen.
Molly McCook and Christoph Sanders, who played Tim Allen's TV daughter Mandy Baxter and son-in-law Kyle Anderson on the long-running sitcom, recently stopped by the set of his current ABC comedy.
The reunion was documented in an Instagram post — "Some things never change," McCook captioned their group selfie — but TVLine has confirmed that McCook and Sanders were simply visiting their former co-star, not filming guest appearances.
McCook joined "Last Man Standing" in Season 7, taking over the role of Mandy from Molly Ephraim when the sitcom moved from ABC to Fox. Sanders, meanwhile, played Kyle throughout all nine seasons, initially as an employee at Mike Baxter's Outdoor Man sporting goods store before becoming his son-in-law. (Their visit follows a similar behind-the-scenes reunion with Kaitlyn Dever, who surprised Allen on the "Shifting Gears" set last year.)
Several of Allen's former sitcom co-stars have appeared on "Shifting Gears," including "Last Man Standing" veterans Nancy Travis and Jay Leno, as well as "Home Improvement" favorites Patricia Richardson, Richard Karn, and Debbe Dunning.
Molly McCook recently reflected on replacing Molly Ephraim on Last Man Standing
20th Century Fox Television
The on-set reunion comes shortly after McCook reflected on her experience joining "Last Man Standing," including the challenges of replacing Molly Ephraim and winning over the show's existing fan base.
In a November 3 TikTok video, McCook revealed that producers were enthusiastic about her audition, but the network was initially hesitant to cast someone who looked so different from her predecessor. She also recalled how Sanders, whom she already knew socially, helped her prepare for their chemistry test.
Even after landing the role, McCook faced resistance from longtime viewers. "A lot of people weren't happy that it was me and that's okay," she acknowledged. "I had to really earn people's trust and that took a while."
Ultimately, McCook said she was grateful for the experience: "I miss it literally every day of my life," she said. "Best job, best people."
As TVLine previously reported, producers considered bringing Ephraim back during the show's final season, potentially putting both Mandys on screen together. But showrunner Kevin Abbott said they never landed on an idea strong enough to justify the reunion, and ultimately pursued a different meta crossover: Allen reprising his "Home Improvement" role as Tim Taylor.
"Shifting Gears" Season 3 — which kicks off with a "2 Broke Girls" reunion between Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs — premieres with back-to-back episodes Wednesday, January 6, at 8 p.m. on ABC. Seasons 1 and 2 are currently streaming on Hulu.
