Jonathan Taylor Thomas hasn’t appeared on a television series since Veronica Mars in 2005, but the 31-year-old is making his return in grand fashion. The all grown-up actor will soon guest-star on the ABC sitcom Last Man Standing, headlined by his ex-Home Improvement costar Tim Allen. (The popular series, in which they played father and son, aired for eight seasons from 1991 to 1999.)
In the March 22 episode of Last Man Standing, former teen heartthrob Thomas plays a hip restaurant owner named Jon. He bumps into Kristin (Molly Ephraim) while she’s on a date with Ryan (Jordan Masterson) at his Manhattan hotspot. Jon immediately offers her a job and then offers to drive her to work on her first day. It’s then that he meets Kristin’s parents, Mike (Allen) and Vanessa (Nancy Travis).
Extending his right arm to shake Jon’s hand, Mike says, “Man, you look familiar.” Jon smirks and explains, “Well, you know, I used to work with Kristin.”
Still trying to make the connection, Mike replies, “That’s not it.”
“Jon just came by to give me a ride to my first dinner shift,” Kristin tells her parents. Jon adds, “Yeah, it makes sense to carpool and save the planet, right?”
After Ryan chimes in (“Yeah, whatever!”), Jon tells the family he’s just kidding. “Environmental regulations are job killers,” he says. “I’m a small business owner — I know!”
Thomas’ guest appearance on Last Man Standing airs Friday, March 22, at 8:00 p.m. EST on ABC.
