Home Improvement Eye on Tim Allen

After his stint on i>Home Improvement/i> ended in 1999, Tim Allen embarked on a stand-up comedy career and went on to star as the sleigh bell-ringing Santa Claus in i>The Santa Clause/i>. He’s back in sitcom mode now, starring as Mike Nelson on i>Last Man Standing/i>, which is airing Thursdays at 9:30 PM ET on Fox. Sadly, Patricia Richardson, who played his on-screen better half Jill for eight seasons, is calling BS on rumors of a Home Improvement revival, saying she has no interest in reprising her Emmy-nominated role.

While Home Improvement was a hit, it wasn’t without its fair share of controversy. It was criticized for its use of stereotypes and the characterization of women as being completely self-centered, but there were some redeeming moments. For instance, the show’s recurring gag of Jill always dropping her wedding ring down a heating vent – right after he chastises her for being careless with it – was a great way to illustrate that women and men are different, and it’s important to have respect and understanding for one another.

The show’s characters also exhibited some problems that aren’t uncommon in society, like having an unhealthy obsession with power tools and not knowing how to handle them properly. Nostalgia Central points out that it was often joked about on the show that cohost Al Borland was far more knowledgeable than Taylor on various tool-related topics, and he provided more practical, usable advice than Tim.