Home Improvement, a top-rated and beloved TV series, features Tim Taylor (Tim Allen), the accident-prone host of a television program about tools called "Tool Time." Tim and his wife, Jill (Patricia Richardson) raise three mischievous boys, Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan), Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) and Mark (Taran Noah Smith). Wilson (Earl Hindman) is the Taylor's partially-seen neighbor who gives insightful advice to help the family. Al Borland (Richard Karn) is Tim's responsible, caring and flannel-wearing co-host on "Tool Time."
Tim Allen won a Golden Globe® award for Best Actor In A TV Series, 1995. The show won seven Emmy® Awards for lighting and photography direction (1992-1996, 1998-1999) and was nominated for eight Emmy® Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series: 1992-1994, Outstanding Lead Actress (Patricia Richardson): 1994, 1996-1998 and Outstanding Lead Actor (Tim Allen): 1993.
TPR Comments concerning Season 8:
Still garnering solid ratings, Home Improvement's creative team decided that the eighth season would be the final season. It was clearly a good decision as the season was the show's most inconsistent. Jonathan Taylor Thomas (Randy) only appeared in three episodes and didn't return for the finale. That blow to the family dynamic was felt throughout the season. The show switched between the familiar and taking things in new territory with mixed results. The show's final half dozen or so episodes were unusually serious and somber for the series. Though the season is not nearly as strong as when the show was at its peak, it doesn't jump the shark in such a way that fans of the show would want to exclude this final season from their collection. The DVD includes a blooper reel and a reunion show for the actors who appeared in "Tool Time" which means Patricia Richardson and the boys are absent. This show is heavily padded with clips.
With Season 7, the show's momentum was winding down. There were fewer guest stars such as Tim's group of buddies from the hardware store. Still, there are appearances by Rodney Dangerfield, Grant Hill, Payne Stewart and Dan Aykroyd. Meanwhile, Jill has progressed to treating patients. Mark goes goth, to which Jill and Tim slowly adjust. Randy's liberal points-of-view challenge Tim's more conservative mindset. Al deals with being single and then finding a new love. Wilson's niece Willow comes to visit and ends up staying for a while. Storylines included a Thanksgiving visit to the Pontiac Silverdome, the boys from K & B construction drop by, Jill's mother dates after her father's death, Tim's brother borrows money from their mother, a drug-themed show, an extra-terrestrial-themed show and Jill's fliterations with guest star Tom Wopat. Like previous seasons, the 7th season has its moments, but they seem to be a bit fewer and father between as all the characters have grown and finding new material to explore is more difficult. The 7th season DVD also includes a blooper reel.
Season 5 of the top-rated show continued with Jill's return to school, while Brad and Randy start to date. Episode highlights include Tim joining Jill's book club just to outdo one of her classmates, Tim installing a home security system that drives everyone crazy, Tim losing a tank-driving competition to Jill, Al creates a "Tool Time" board game that catches fire, Tim deals with an amorous reporter, Tim and Al endure a Christmas Eve to forget, Tim shows an insightful side while patching things up between Harry and his wife, and Tim and Jill go bowling with Tim's boss as well as Tim standing up to their boss to save Al's job, As the Taylor boys get older and the "cuteness factor" drops, supporting characters other than Al such as Tim's brother and Harry (from the hardware store) get more screen time. The 5th season DVD also includes a blooper reel.
Season 4 of the top-rated show kept intact the central premise of Tim Taylor's good-natured ignorance, but also shook things up by having Jill going back to school. Tim and the boys had to adjust to their mother not having time to cook or in some cases, nurture. The 4th season also saw Tim destroy a car (guess whose car?) with a crane, Tim actually give not only Wilson advice but even his father-in-law, Al become a partner in Harry's hardware store, Al become a "babe-magnet, " Tim sees much more of his sister-in-law than he should and more. The 4th season kept the laughs coming and introduced new wrinkles to the characters to keep the stories fresh. The 4th season DVD also includes a blooper reel.
