Since starring on Friends, actor Matt LeBlanc has been busy working on several television series, the latest of which is the CBS sitcom Man with a Plan. Over the years, fans have certainly appreciated LeBlanc’s portrayal of husband and father Adam Burns as the character took on more parenting responsibilities after his wife Andi (Liza Snyder) decides to go back to work.
As expected, the series was hilarious, and it enjoyed rather decent ratings (its first season reportedly averaged 6.2 million viewers). Despite this, however, CBS made the decision to axe the sitcom after four seasons and even today, fans are still wondering why.
Matt LeBlanc’s Character Was Partly Based On Himself
LeBlanc came to Man with a Plan just after working on the award-winning comedy Episodes (where the actor played an exaggerated version of himself). And around this time, he knew he wanted to portray a role that was closer to home. “I had an idea that I wanted to play a family guy,” LeBlanc recalled while speaking with Entertainment Weekly. “I haven’t done that before.” He also thought he’d do it sooner rather than later. “I’m almost 50. It seems like the right time to shift gears into that.”
Fortunately, the show that was inspired by series creators Jackie and Jeff Filgo’s own family life was a perfect fit for LeBlanc. It also seemed that the actor was ready to go back to the multi-cam set-up. “I mean, I have more experience on a multi-cam stage than I do anywhere else, so it’s a lot of fun.” LeBlanc explained. Not to mention, the show’s production schedule was not too rigorous, meaning LeBlanc could still spend time with his family. “I’m home for dinner every night. I can help my daughter with her homework,” the actor revealed.
On the show, Adam played a contractor, a career background that was inspired by LeBlanc himself. Prior to becoming a Hollywood star, the actor had dabbled in construction and worked as a carpenter at one point. Not only that, LeBlanc and his character had other things in common. “He likes cars,” LeBlanc explained. “We talked about having a project car in the garage to have a man-cave thing and take storylines in there.” Unfortunately, LeBlanc had to stop playing Adam after four seasons.
Here’s Why CBS Axe This Matt LeBlanc Starrer
Back in May 2020, CBS announced its decision to cancel some of its shows and as it turned out, Man with a Plan was one of them. This happened after the network renewed much of its established series and there were high hopes that LeBlanc’s sitcom would get a renewal too. At first, it seemed that the sitcom would be granted at least one more season, seeing as networks had decided to ground broadcast pilots due to the COVID-19 shutdown that brought Hollywood to a halt. Around this time, it was thought that shows on the bubble would be relatively safe as networks preferred to work on established shows as opposed to a pilot that hasn’t been tested yet.
And while Man with a Plan had solid viewership, the show was reportedly “pretty expensive” to produce, according to Deadline. This, inevitably, factored into the network’s decision to cancel it. According to reports, LeBlanc was paid $200,000 per episode on the show. Sadly, Man with a Plan was the only established series not to get a renewal that year. The other shows that CBS opted to axe were freshmen.
The Recent Merger May Have Also Played A Factor
There’s also reason to believe that it wasn’t just high production cost that led CBS to axe the LeBlanc starrer. Around the time that CBS had made its decision, the network’s parent company, Viacom, had seen some major changes. CBS had split from Viacom in 2006 but they reached a merger agreement in 2019). Following the merger, the company expressed its commitment to delivering “at least $500 million in synergy savings within two years of the closing,” according to Variety. At the same time, the network had also been determined to renegotiate license fees at lower price points.
This essentially lengthened the renewal process for CBS, which is typically known for granting its established series early pickups. In addition, the move inevitably led to CBS shows getting canceled for financial reasons. This ultimately dashed Man with a Plan’s chances of getting renewed.
What’s Next for Matt LeBlanc?
Man with a Plan may have landed on Netflix after its cancellation but there are no indications that the streaming company is willing to produce a fifth season for the sitcom. As for LeBlanc, fans can expect to see him next in the highly anticipated Friends Reunion Special on HBO Max. Other than that, it seems LeBlanc may not be rushing to take on another show (or film). “I'm not looking to be an A-list movie star. I'm happy where I am,” the veteran actor once told Watch! Magazine. “I feel successful. And I feel fulfilled.”