Home Improvement
Do you remember how you found out about the show Home Improvement? My brother Larry told me about this funny guy named Tim Allen. Larry had gone to Tim Allen’s stand up show a couple times and told me about a TV show coming out that was going to star this comedian who grunts. I checked out Home Improvement and was immediately hooked when “baby butt crack” was mentioned in the first show.
Home Improvement starred Tim Allen, Patricia Richardson, Zachery Ty Bryan, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Taran Noah Smith, Richard Karn, and Earl Hindman. Jonathan Taylor Thomas was probably the biggest star to break out during the 90’s (he became a teen idol and was in all the teen magazines), but I think Tim Allen has had the most longevity.
Home Improvement premiered on September 17, 1991 on ABC. It was pretty much a hit for all of the 90’s. Some of my favorite episodes are the pilot, when Randy is sick and maybe has cancer, when the boys handcuff and silly string a bully at the bowling alley, when Jill has an emergency hysterectomy, the montage of memories as Kenny Rogers sings We’ve Got It All, when Tim over polished the dance floor, and so many more. These are just off the top of my head. I also love whenever Tim mangles Wilson’s advice, which is pretty much every episode.
Trivia
- Tim Allen was offered $50 million and Patricia Richardson $25 million to do a 9th season.
- The audience used for the “Tool Time” segments were actually members of the live studio audience.
- Tim Allen was born a dick. (Timothy Allen Dick is his birth name.)
- The character Wilson was based on Tim Allen’s childhood. He was too short to see over a fence so he couldn’t see his neighbor.
- Tool Time was supposed to be a parody of This Old House.
- The show was the beginning of Pamela Anderson’s TV career.
- Brad Taylor is the oldest of the Taylor boys, but Jonathan Taylor Thomas (who played middle son Randy), is actually older.
- Al’s name was originally going to be Glenn and played by someone other than Richard Karn.
- Ashley Judd was set to play Lisa the Tool Girl but dropped out when her agent suggested she pursue movies instead of TV. Pamela Anderson was added at the last minute and the character was changed. It was originally a major character.
- Stephen Tobolowsky was originally going to play Al (then named Glenn).
- The name of the show was originally Hammer Time but was changed so as not to be confused with M.C. Hammer.
All eight seasons are available on DVD. I only own a few but will probably eventually get them all. Most of my favorite episodes are in the early seasons. A box set with 25 discs was released in 2011 for the 20th anniversary. That would be nice to own. Maybe I can pick one up cheap on eBay. I love hearing Tim grunt. It reminds me of brother Larry. More power.