A Man's Man: Tim Allen Returns to TV in Untitled ABC Pilot

Tim Allen gets sort of a bum rap. Sure, he's the far less accomplished member of the "Toy Story" duo, as Ricky Gervais memorably pointed out at the Golden Globes in January.

But he's still made some time for the finer things in entertainment, from the it-still-holds-up "Galaxy Quest" to a really fun little movie called "Who Is Cletis Tout??" to starring in a David Mamet film (albeit not one of Mamet's better films).

This latest move sounds like a massive step back, though. Entertainment Weekly reports that he's joined a new pilot for ABC written by Emmy-winner Jack Burditt ("30 Rock"). The untitled multi-camera sitcom (which had the working title "The Last Days of Man") is about a guy's guy “fighting for his manhood in a world that is being increasingly dominated by women.”

There are not enough synonyms for "pandering."

Now, granted, Jack Burditt deserves some benefit of the doubt for his years on "30 Rock," but there are few things less compelling than watching a character identified as a "guy's guy," who feels some need to constantly defend his manhood. It's not that I'm against traditional manliness, but you know who never needs to defend said manhood? An actual man.

From the sound of it, this is just a show for guys who feel suffocated by their wives but have no desire to actually do anything about it.

Women in turn can enjoy it because "if it's relatable, it's funny," and because Tim Allen is the least threatening male presence on Earth. All the while purporting the notion that men and women aren't actually supposed to get along.

Things could still change. Entertainment Weekly notes that the storyline is being tweaked, so I'll happily take it back if this ends up being any good, but right now things are not looking up.