What on Earth is going on over at Fox’s scripted comedy division? On Thursday, just days ahead of the network’s upfront presentation, Fox announced the end of three comedies: Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Mick, and The Last Man on Earth. Meanwhile, rumors have continued to simmer that the network is eyeing a possible revival of Tim Allen’s Last Man Standing, just one year after ABC gave it the ax. Could the network be considering a change in direction?

The loss of Brooklyn Nine-Nine will likely hurt the most, as the comedy has run for five seasons, cultivating an ardent fan base along the way. In recent months, buzz has only grown for the series, particularly when detective Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz) came out as bisexual back in December. Meanwhile, The Last Man on Earth, Will Forte’s zany post-apocalyptic comedy, will end before it reaches a fifth season, and The Mick—Kaitlin Olson’s post-It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia vehicle that V.F.’s own Richard Lawson named among his best new shows of 2017—will end after just two seasons. These losses will likely sting extra hard for those who can’t help but note the coincidental timing of these series ending, just as Allen prepares for his rumored grand entrance.

Allen has been vocally upset about how Last Man Standing’s cancellation was handled over at ABC. The actor suggested the show’s ending was politically motivated—a theory the network itself denied. Allen had previously starred on ABC for eight seasons as Tim “The Toolman” Taylor on Home Improvement. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter last September, Allen said he’d always wanted his Last Man Standing character—a conservative man’s man surrounded by a family of women who disagreed with him—“to be like [All in the Family’s] Archie Bunker.” He added, “There is nothing more dangerous, especially in this climate, than a funny, likable, conservative character.”

When Last Man Standing was canceled last May, it was ABC’s second most-watched comedy behind Modern Family—and petitions sprang up almost immediately for its revival. Recently, the massive ratings success of ABC’s Roseanne revival has thrown some more momentum behind that effort, as chatter has arisen about a conservative-leaning segment of America that TV has largely ignored or misrepresented, particularly in the comedy world. Allen’s show, some say, could be similarly successful in the shifted TV landscape—despite the fact that in reality, Allen’s character, Mike Baxter, and his family do not represent the working class at all. Still, Last Man Standing had a much broader appeal when it was on the air than any of Fox’s newly canceled series, which attracted far more niche audiences, so it’s fair to assume there’s at least a little more to this than simple politics. Either way, when word spread about Last Man Standing’s possible comeback, Allen himself tweeted his excitement: “They heard all your voices people!! LMS just might be a reality. Keep it up. Who wants more #LastManStanding?” As Fox heads into upfront next week, we very well might find out.