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Home Improvement is an American sitcom starring Tim Allen, which aired 1991 to 1999. The show was created by Matt Williams, Carmen Finestra and David MacFadzean. In the 1990s, it was one of the most watched sitcoms, winning many awards. The series launched Tim Allen's acting career and also was the start of the television career of Pamela Anderson, who was part of the cast for the first two seasons, even if only in an inconspicuous role.
The show's title is a pun: it refers to physical improvement of houses, as well as to improving life with family, friends, work, and school.
series centered on the Taylor family, which consists of father Tim (Tim Allen), his wife Jill (Patricia Richardson) and their three sons: Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan), Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) and Mark (Taran Noah Smith).
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Encyclopedia
Home Improvement is an American sitcom starring Tim Allen, which aired 1991 to 1999. The show was created by Matt Williams, Carmen Finestra and David MacFadzean. In the 1990s, it was one of the most watched sitcoms, winning many awards. The series launched Tim Allen's acting career and also was the start of the television career of Pamela Anderson, who was part of the cast for the first two seasons, even if only in an inconspicuous role.
The show's title is a pun: it refers to physical improvement of houses, as well as to improving life with family, friends, work, and school.
Plot details and storylines
The series centered on the Taylor family, which consists of father Tim (Tim Allen), his wife Jill (Patricia Richardson) and their three sons: Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan), Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) and Mark (Taran Noah Smith). The Taylors live in suburban Detroit, Michigan and have a neighbor named Wilson (Earl Hindman) who is the main source for solving Tim and Jill's problems.
Tim hosts a television show "Tool Time" (similar to This Old House) with assistant Al (Richard Karn) and tool girl Heidi (Debbe Dunning, from the third season onwards). Pamela Anderson played Tool Girl Lisa in the first 2 seasons, but left due to lack of screen time, and to join the cast of Baywatch.
Tim is a stereotypical American male, loving power tools, cars and sports. He is a former salesman, and very much an overconfident know-it-all. Witty but flippant, Tim jokes around a lot, even at inopportune times. Family life was boisterous, with the two oldest sons, Brad and Randy, tormenting the much younger, Mark, while continually testing and pestering each other. This rough by-play happened especially throughout the first four seasons.
Brad, popular and athletic, was often the moving factor, who engaged before thinking, a tendency which regularly landed him in trouble. Randy, a year younger, was the comedian of the pack -- the quick-thinking, sarcastic son who had more common sense than Brad but wasn't immune to trouble.
Later on, in the seventh season, Mark grew into a teenage outcast who dressed in black clothing (a goth), while Brad became interested in cars like his father and took up soccer. Randy joined the school newspaper; in the eighth season, he left for Costa Rica.
Each episode included Tim's own home improvement show, called Tool Time, a "meta-program," or show-within-a-show. Originally slated to be called Hammer Time, the show's name was changed to Tool Time because Tim and the producers felt that name would be confused with MC Hammer.
In hosting this show, Tim was joined by his friend and mild-mannered assistant Al Borland (Richard Karn), and a "Tool Time girl" — first Lisa (Pamela Anderson) and later Heidi (Debbe Dunning) — whose main duty was to introduce the pair at the beginning of the show with the line "Does everybody know what time it is?" They would also assist Tim and Al during the show by bringing them tools.
Although revealed to be an excellent salesman and TV personality, Tim Taylor was spectacularly accident-prone as a handyman, often causing disasters on and off the set to the consternation of his co-workers and family. Many Tool Time viewers assume that the accidents on the show are on purpose, to demonstrate how not to use tools. Many of Tim's accidents were caused by his devices designed in application of his mantra, "More power!"
Casting Changes
Pamela Anderson
In the first two years of the show, Pamela Anderson played the part of Tim's assistant, Lisa, on his cable show. As she had only a very small part, and was not present in every episode, she became frustrated with her role and took the role of C.J. Parker on the syndicated series Baywatch. Her last episode as a series regular was "The Great Race," which aired on May 19, 1993. Tim's new assistant, Heidi, played by Debbe Dunning, replaced Anderson as the Tool Time Girl for the following third season, starting with "Maybe Baby," which aired on September 15, 1993. Anderson did reprise the role of Lisa, now as a paramedic, in the sixth season finale "The Kiss and the Kiss-Off," which aired on May 20, 1997.
The departure of Jonathan Taylor Thomas
In the show's eighth season, the middle son Randy left for Costa Rica in the episode "Adios" which aired on September 29, 1998. This was done since Jonathan Taylor Thomas reportedly wanted to take time off to focus on academics. His last appearance on Home Improvement was the eight season's Christmas episode "Home for the Holidays," which aired on December 8, 1998. He did not return to the show for the series finale, aired in May 1999, only appearing in archived footage. He was shooting a movie that summer.
Special guests and cameos
Many special guests made cameo appearances on Tool Time. These guests included race car drivers Johnny Rutherford, Robby Gordon, Mario and Michael Andretti, Al Unser, Sr./Jr./III, actress and model Jenny McCarthy (the season 8 episode "Young at Heart"), country artist Alan Jackson (the season 5 episode "When Harry Kept Delores"), golfer Payne Stewart, comedian Drew Carey (the season 6 episode "Totally Tool Time") and The Beach Boys.
Numerous NASA astronauts appeared on the series, the most notable being Ken Bowersox, who made three separate appearances.
Former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway, then Detroit Pistons star Grant Hill (the season 7 episode "Believe It or Not"), former boxers Evander Holyfield (the season 3 episode "Eve of Construction") and George Foreman (the season 1 episode "Unchained Malady"), and former President Jimmy Carter all appeared on the series. Carter made an appearance during season three episode "Eve of Construction," which focused on Habitat for Humanity.
Jay Leno appears with his car collection in the fourth season episode "Brother, Can You Spare a Hot Rod?" He also appeared four years later in the episode "Home Alone" in a dream sequence about Tim's book, saying "Instead of getting a literary genius like Tim Taylor, we're stuck with Jack Nicholson and Marlon Brando." He wasn't alone in that episode, either. Leeza Gibbons and Oprah Winfrey also guest-starred in the episode playing themselves on their respective talk shows talking about Tim's book (and how he has not written it).
Bob Vila also appeared on several episodes, with Tim seeing him as a rival (he appears in Season One's "What About Bob?" Season Two's "The Great Race," Season Three's "The Great Race II," Season Four's "Tool Time After Dark," with recycled Tool Time footage from earlier episodes, and Season Six's "Insult to Injury" in a dream sequence about Vila winning the consecutive home renovation show appearance record; Vila wasn't played by himself, and instead played by a stunt-double for a one-shot cameo.)
The Beach Boys appeared in the Season 6 episode "The Karate Kid Returns" as Wilson's cousins. (Then - Beach Boys Carl Wilson and Mike Love were real-life cousins.)
A then-unknown Dave Chappelle and Jim Breuer guest-starred in the Season 4 episode "Talk to Me". This episode set the stage for the Home Improvement spin-off Buddies, which was Chappelle's first television series.
Other famous guests include Drake Bell in the third season episode "Swing Time", Ron Eli, Jack Elam, Ernest Borgnine, the latter two of whom appeared in the first season episode "Birds of a Feather Flock to Taylor."
Robert Picardo, best known as The Doctor on Star Trek: Voyager, made two appearances on the show as Tim's neighbor, Joe "The Meat Man" Morton. He appeared in "A Sew, Sew Evening," and "Blow-Up," both early on in the third season. It was explained by Marie (his wife) in the fifth season episode "Jill's Surprise Party" that he had left her for a younger woman.
Rodney Dangerfield and Alex Rocco appeared together in the 1997 Thanksgiving episode in which they both appeared in a luxury box at the Pontiac Silverdome.
The relationship between Tim and Al
Though ultimately they were best friends, there was sometimes a tense problematic relationship between Tim and Al.
Al was reserved, though had much more knowledge, skill, and audience popularity than Tim. His catchphrase, as an opposition to Tim's ill-advised ideas or jokes, was "I don't think so, Tim." He also came up with many puns and would giggle and snort when a joke was made at Tim's expense.
Al, being cautious, insecure, and brighter, bears the brunt of Tim's jokes and constant put-downs. Whenever Tim would make a remark likely to put off some Tool Time viewers, Al would quickly pull out a large card with the show's address for those viewers to write to Tim and complain. Al is frequently taunted by Tim because of his beard, bland personality (in Tim's eye), poor sense of humor and his preference of flannel shirts (and often other flannel items such as an oversized pair of flannel briefs in the episode "Room Without A View"; Tim shows the briefs again in the episode "A Funny Valentine"). Tim typically uses his television show to vent about various problems he is having in his personal life. Al is usually very annoyed by this. In the end there was a respect between Tim and Al.
The relationship between Tim and Wilson
Wilson and Tim are best friends. Every time that Tim would screw up in his everyday life, he would go to Wilson for advice. As always, Wilson had the answer and Tim would repeat what Wilson said to his wife, Jill, or the viewers of Tool Time, but he would often explain his revelation by both misquoting Wilson's historical quote, as well as mistaking the name of the person or work quoted. Wilson and Tim really trust each other, and that is why they are close as friends and neighbors.
Theme Song
The Home Improvement theme song was composed by Dan Foliart. The song is unique for its sampling of powertools (most noticeably an electric drill and jackhammer) heard throughout the song. Tim's grunting was also sampled for the song. The traditional instruments used in the song include: flute, guitar, and organ.
Running gags
- Basement Pipe - Tim bangs his head on a metal pipe whenever he walked down the basement steps. This gag is first seen in Season 1, Episode 5, "Wild Kingdom." This never happened to any other character, though the gag was occasionally used with other staircases. (E.g., The pipe in a boiler room on the U.S.S. Constellation)
- Tim and Jill's marriage - In some episodes, Tim would mix up how long he has been married to Jill. In the season two episode, "Ex Marks the Spot", Tim's high school ex runs into Tim with Al, he later said "I've been married 14 unforgettable years." Al would later say, "15".
- Accidental innuendos - There is a certain character called Milt who Tim and Al meet occasionally. Whenever he is around, Tim or Al tend to accidentally make a reference to being homosexual, in which case Milt would say in an angry manner: "Hey, I don't go for that sort of thing!" Milt has also appeared on Tool Time, as a bartender for the Man's Bedroom and Man's Gym.
- Hissing - Occasionally, when Al would make a sarcastic or somewhat ill tempered remark about one of Tim's plans, Tim would hiss at him, as if an angry cat.
- Address Card - In the show's early years, Tim would often make remarks, usually chauvinistic, that would be likely to offend to certain sections of the Tool Time viewership. Al would then quickly pull out a large card with the show's address for viewers to write in and complain, always beginning by saying "That's Tim Taylor, care of Tool Time....". This was first seen in Season 1, on the episode, "Reach Out And Teach Someone". This gag was phased out in the later seasons but seen in the season 7 episode "Believe It or Not".
- We'll Be Right Back... - When something would go wrong on Tool Time, Tim and/or Al would quickly throw to commercial by saying, "We'll be right back after these messages from Binford Tools!"
- Salute to... - From the outset of the first season finale "Stereo-Typical," Tim and Al would make a theme of a particular home improvement project or item on Tool Time by hosting an episode or series of episodes as a "salute" to it. This would usually be evident with a banner that said "Salute to ____" or Tim or Al would say "A salute..." followed by a hand salute accompanied by a sound effect relevant to the subject, finishing with Tim and/or Al saying the particular topic being saluted.
- The Man's... - Similar to the salutes, Tool Time occasionally featured "The Man's ____ (Bathroom, Kitchen, etc.)." These skits are the embodiment of manliness according to Tim. These usually featured people being stored in appliances (ex. butcher in the fridge).
- Wilson's Advice - The Taylor's neighbor Wilson (Earl Hindman) would often provide advice to Tim, and later in the series, to other members of the family and even Al, while he was out in his back yard working on an unusual project. This advice would usually provide the resolution of the character's main conflict in the episode. His advice usually included references and quotes from historical, philosophical, or literary figures or works, leading to a revelation that would help the character solve their dilemma. Tim would often explain his revelation to another character by both misquoting Wilson's historical quote, as well as mistaking the name of the person or work quoted. In one episode, Wilson pointed out that Tim Taylor can be rearranged to spell Mortality and Jill Taylor, Jolly Trail.
- Wilson's Face - Wilson was inspired in part by a neighbor that Tim Allen had when he was too young to see over his neighbor's fence (and therefore unable to see his neighbor). As a result, the bottom half of Wilson's face was almost never seen on the show. Initially he was always seen with his mouth obscured by the fence; the gag quickly became covering the lower half of his face with other props, wardrobe, set pieces, other characters' heads, or using unconventional camera angles. Occasionally, the top half of his face would be covered leaving only the bottom half visible, and rarely, his entire face would be shown disguised by makeup for a costume. Earl Hindman's face was fully shown following the series finale episode while taking his final bow, though he did come out holding a miniature fence on a stick over the lower half of his face for one last gag. However, his full face is very briefly seen over the fence in the pilot episode, in "The Karate Kid Returns," and in the bar in "Something Old, Someone Blue."
- Jill's Childhood Stories - Jill often attempted to tell stories about experiences she had when she was a young girl. Tim and the boys would beg her not to tell them, walk away in the middle of the story, or both.
- Al is the Star - Tool Time viewers often had the misconception that Al was the star of the show, due to him being more skillful and knowledgeable than Tim. Tim usually took these comments with restrained annoyance and reminded the viewers that Al was his assistant and not the reverse. He often said, "Al is my assistant. He 'assists' me." A related running gag is a fan of the show telling Tim "I'm a big fan of Tool Time. I love Al", to which Tim would always reply with a sarcastic, "We all love Al.". In later seasons, when Tim introduces Al to the Tool Time crowd, he would get a hearty round of applause from the audience. Al would generally not dissuade people from believing that Tool Time was his show.
- "I Don't Think So Tim" -- Whenever Tim would make a nonsensical observation Al would respond, "I don't think so, Tim" or a variation thereof (for example, "I wouldn't know, Tim"). That response also would be used by other characters and guest stars.
- Tim Being Astonished -- Whenever something surprised Tim he would do a deep gasp "uuuuUUUUHHHHuuuUUHHH!"
- Sarcastically Introducing Al -- In the early seasons, when Tim introduced Al on Tool Time, he added a sarcastic middle name like Al "This land is" Borland. In the seventh season episode "Futile Attraction," after Al helps Heidi who was going through a matrimonial crisis, she introduced him as Al "the Most Sensitive Guy in the World" Borland.
- Al's Mother - Tim frequently used jokes about Al's mother, usually about her weight. She was an unseen character in the series. She can be seen in a picture on the Tool Time set, but only from the back side in the episode "Oh, Brother", and is heard once in "Something Old, Someone Blue". She can be partially viewed in the funeral scene when she passes away, in the episode "Dead Weight". Previously, Tim teased his mother-in-law about the same issue, but when it was revealed that Tim's jokes helped her to lose weight and she appeared quite slim, he stopped making those jokes.
- More Power - Tim saying something needed "More power", which was then followed by his trademark Simian Grunt. Later, characters would suggest that Tim make "the power [object]" when he expressed dissatisfaction with something's capabilities.
- Jill's cooking - Tim and the boys' wisecracks about Jill's notoriously bad cooking. Even Jill owned up to her kitchen ineptitude now and then, often to her mother.
- The Grunt - Tim would usually grunt while doing something manly.
- Al's Flannel - Tim would constantly make jokes about Al's flannel shirts.
- Breaking of valuable items - Tim very normally breaks valuable items on the set of Tool Time. Such as in the episode "at sea" when tim breaks the smallest car in the world.
- "What'd you do this time?" - Every time Tim would announce to his kids that he would go out on a dinner or plan a breakfast for Jill, his kids would ask "What'd you do this time?" Most of the time this is said by Randy. Tim would usually respond with "Nothing!"
- Christmas lighting contests - Tim would enter a contest to try to have the best-decorated house in the neighborhood for Christmas. Tim would often lose to his neighbor, "Doc" Johnson. In the Season 5 episode "'Twas the Flight Before Christmas," the boys win the contest in Tim's absence. In the Season 8 episode "Home for the Holidays," Al ends up being Tim's toughest competition.
- Tim's Sweatshirts - In several episodes Tim is seen wearing sweatshirts from a bunch of different random colleges other than just his alma mater, Western Michigan. The Home Improvement Archive website notes that all colleges Tim sports sweats from are in the Taylor's home state, Michigan.
- Binford 6100 - On Tool Time, starting in the third season, whenever a new product was being introduced, the name of it was always "Binford 6100..." Before that, every single tool was given a different product number (eg, the Binford 6100 was a very dangerous saw that cuts trees). The only exception to this was early in the third season, in which Tim made a gallon of the color Al with the Binford 250 Paint Boy.
- Shut up, Al! - Tim's usual response to a comment of Al's, usually annoying to him. Al usually responds by listening to Tim. Once said four times in one episode.
Show background
Based on the stand-up comedy of Tim Allen, Home Improvement made its debut on ABC on September 17, 1991, and was one of the highest-rated sitcoms for almost the entire decade (It even went up to #1 during the 1993-1994 season; that year, Allen also had the #1 book ("Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man") and movie (The Santa Clause)) Midway throughout the show's run, it was also competed against another highly-rated sitcom, Frasier, which slightly dropped the ratings, however, it remained as a top 10 show. The final episode aired on May 25, 1999 with a 90-minute, three-part episode entitled "The Long and Winding Road," which was the fourth highest rated comedy series finale of the 1990s, behind Cheers, The Cosby Show and Seinfeld.
Since 1995, due to its popularity, reruns began airing on The Disney Channel and Channel 4 and ABC1 in the UK. At the present time, old episodes are currently on national syndication and on cable television network such as TBS in the U.S., the Seven Network and FOX Classics in Australia, Sab Tv in India and although it stopped airing in the UK due to ABC1 ceasing transmission on September 26, on July 28, 2008 it restarted from the pilot episode on Virgin 1. In America, it has begun airing on Nick at Nite in 2007 . In Canada, it has began airing on CMT and YTV. In Germany, Home Improvement was shown on ARD, RTL, VOX, and reruns are currently shown on the private channels RTL 2 and Super RTL. It was also shown on M-Net on South African television, and reruns are showing throughout 2007 on the M-Net Series channel, available to DStv users.
In 2007, with the DVD release of Tim Allen's two stand-up specials, he said that Home Improvement was supposed to be a parody of This Old House, where the host does almost nothing and the co-host (Al in this case, Norm on This Old House) does all the work.
Characters
The Taylor Family
The Patterson Family
- Colonel Fred Patterson (M. Emmet Walsh) — Jill's Father
- Lillian Patterson (Polly Holliday) — Jill's Mother
- Carrie Patterson (Tudi Roche) - Jill's sister
- Linda Patterson (Carlene Watkins) - Jill's sister
- Tracy Patterson (Maryedith Burrell) - Jill's sister
- Robin Patterson (Amy Ryan) - Jill's sister
Awards and nominations
Home Improvement received numerous awards and nominations in its 8 season run. Notable awards and nominations include:
ASCAP Award
- 1992
- Won- Top TV Series- (Dan Foliart)
- 1993
- Won- Top TV Series- (Dan Foliart)
- 1994
- Won- Top TV Series- (Dan Foliart)
- 1995
- Won- Top TV Series- (Dan Foliart)
- 1996
- Won- Top TV Series- (Dan Foliart)
- 1997
- Won- Top TV Series- (Dan Foliart)
- 1998
- Won- Top TV Series- (Dan Foliart)
- 2000
- Won- Top TV Series- (Dan Foliart)
Casting Society of America
- 1992
- Nominated- Best Casting for TV, Pilot- (Deborah Barylski)
Golden Globe Awards
- 1993
- Nominated- Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy (Tim Allen)
- 1994
- Nominated- Best Television Series - Musical Or Comedy
- Nominated- Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy (Patricia Richardson)
- Nominated- Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy (Tim Allen)
- 1995
- Nominated- Best Television Series - Musical Or Comedy
- Nominated- Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy (Patricia Richardson)
Win- Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy (Tim Allen)1996- Nominated- Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy (Tim Allen)
1997- Nominated- Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series - Musical Or Comedy (Tim Allen)
Humanitas Prize
- 1996
- Nominated- 30 Minute Category- (Elliot Shoenman) & (Marley Sims)
Kids' Choice Awards
- 1994
- Won- Favorite Television Actor (Tim Allen)
- Won- Favorite Television Show
- 1995
- Won- Favorite Television Actor (Tim Allen)
- Won- Favorite Television Show
- 1996
- Won- Favorite Television Actor (Tim Allen)
- Won- Favorite Television Show
- 1997
- 1998
- 1999
People's Choice Awards
- 1992
- Won- Favorite New TV Comedy Series
- Won- Favorite Male Performer in a New TV Series (Tim Allen)
- 1993
- Won- Favorite TV Comedy Series
- Won- Favorite Male TV Performer (Tim Allen)
- 1994
- Won- Favorite TV Comedy Series
- Won- Favorite Male TV Performer (Tim Allen)
- 1995
- Won- Favorite TV Comedy Series
- Won- Favorite Male TV Performer (Tim Allen)
- 1996
- 1997
- Won- Favorite Male Television Performer (Tim Allen)
- 1998
- Won- Favorite Male Television Performer (Tim Allen)
- 1999
- Won- Favorite Male Television Performer (Tim Allen)
Primetime Emmy Awards
- 1993
- Nominated- Outstanding Comedy Series
- Nominated- Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Tim Allen)
- 1994
- Nominated- Outstanding Comedy Series
- Nominated- Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Patricia Richardson)
- 1996
- 1997
- 1998
TV Guide Awards
YoungStar Awards
Series Development & Early Recasts
- Home Improvement had been in the works between Tim Allen and the writing/producing team of Carmen Finestra, David McFadzean and Matt Williams since the summer of 1990. Originally, the project's proposed title was Hammer Time, both a play on the catchphrase made popular by artist MC Hammer and the name of the fictional fix-it show within the series, which was also called Hammer Time. By the time ABC committed to the project in early 1991, Allen and his team had already changed the title to Home Improvement, although the show hosted by Tim Taylor in the scripts was still called Hammer Time at this point. The catalyst for the series' name change was to represent the aspect of fixing problems within the family and homelife, as well as the use of mechanics and tools. Once the second phase of the pilot was produced, with all the actors that made the final cut into the series, Tim Taylor's Hammer Time became Tool Time.
- The first filmed pilot was produced in April 1991, in which Frances Fisher played Jill Taylor. Fisher, primarily known as a dramatic actress, was well qualified for the co-starring role but was viewed by the studio audience as not being comedic enough, and too serious in her line delivery. The producers tried to work with Fisher on adapting to the situation comedy setting, but shortly after the pilot wrapped post-production, they decided to recast her. This version of the pilot featuring Frances Fisher as Jill Taylor remains unaired.
- Before the first pilot was shot, actor John Bedford-Lloyd was in the running for one of two roles; that of Tim's Tool Time assistant, who was in this stage of development named Glen, and for the role of Wilson. Bedford-Lloyd eventually got the part of Wilson, but his agent later made claims that he was unaware that most of his scenes would require his face to be partially hidden behind a fence. One day prior to taping, the crew received news that Bedford-Lloyd had dropped out. Casting immediately contacted the other man considered for the role, Earl Hindman.
- Stephen Tobolowsky was tapped to play the Tool Time co-host, Glen. However, he was still busy with a movie that was in the middle of production at the time the first pilot was set to be shot. Therefore, the producers set out to cast an alternate character that would stand-in as Tim's co-host for the pilot only, or for however many episodes until Tobolowsky was available. Casting auditioned Richard Karn, for what would be his first major appearance on a TV sitcom; the character of Al Borland was created from there.
Related products
- After the season 5 episode "Games, Flames, and Automobiles" aired in which Al created a game based on Tool Time, Northern Games released The Home Improvement Board Game
- Ryobi released a line of tools titled "Tim Allen Signature Tools", which were available for a limited time.
- The DVDs of the complete seasons were made available, including bonus features.
- In 1996, Mattel's Hot Wheels brand released a two-car pack entitled Home Improvement based on the show which featured Tim's 1933 Ford Convertible & the Dixie Chopper racing mower (with a mini-figure Tim as the rider) as well as a mini-figure of Al and a Binford tool box.
- A video production company in Charlotte, NC choose its name after the 11th episode of Home Improvement.
DVD Releases
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment has released all eight seasons on DVD in Region 1. Season 8 has the "Backstage Pass" (which immediately followed "The Long and Winding Road, Part III") and the reunion show on the fourth disc of the set.
| Cover Art | Ep # | Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 |
|---|
| The Complete First Season (1991-1992) | 24 | November 23, 2004 | June 27, 2005 | June 28, 2005 | | The Complete Second Season (1992-1993) | 25 | June 7, 2005 | August 1, 2005 | July 20, 2005 | | The Complete Third Season (1993-1994) | 25 | November 23, 2005 | January 9, 2006 | January 16, 2006 | | The Complete Fourth Season (1994-1995) | 26 | June 6, 2006 | December 6, 2007 (Germany) September 1, 2008 (UK) | December 5, 2007 | | The Complete Fifth Season (1995-1996) | 26 | November 14, 2006 | March 6, 2008 (Germany) | April 2, 2008 | | The Complete Sixth Season (1996-1997) | 25 | May 15, 2007 | November 13, 2008 (Germany) | December 3, 2008 | | The Complete Seventh Season (1997-1998) | 25 | August 7, 2007 | N/A | March 18, 2009 | | The Complete Eighth and Final Season (1998-1999) | 28 | June 10, 2008 | N/A | N/A | |
DVD notes
The Region 1 DVDs are on three discs (with the exception of the Final Season set, which has four discs), where as the Region 2 DVDs are presented across four discs. The Region 2 packaging and programme menus for Season 1 vary compared to the Region 1 releases. The Season 3 menus in Region 1 are in widescreen, but 4:3 in Region 2. The Region 1 releases of Seasons 2 and 3 consist of (deliberate) "holes" in the outer packaging - these do not exist in the Region 2 releases; in fact, the Season 3 outer packaging is physically printed where the hole would be in the Region 1 packaging.
It has been mentioned on review sites about the lack of episode commentaries and bonus features on the DVDs. In an interview on about.com, Tim said that it was a done deal that the DVDs would not contain interviews or episode commentaries. Whether this was before or after somebody at Disney ordered the three commentaries available on the Season 1 DVDs is unknown.
Syndication
Around the mids 90's Home Improvement started to air in syndication. It currently airs on TBS and Nick at Nite. It has also previously aired on The WB and WGN.
UK Broadcasting
Originally, Home Improvement was aired on the Disney Channel, however, in 2005 it began broadcasting on abc1. On September 26 2007, abc1 ceased transmissions and no official announcement was made as to which channels would be broadcasting abc1's previous programming. Home Improvement has been shown on Virgin 1 since July 28 2008.
Nielsen Ratings
Seasonal Nielsen Rankings (based on average total viewers per episode) of Home Improvement on ABC.
- 1991-1992 Season: #5 16.1 viewers
- 1992-1993 Season: #3 18.0 viewers
- 1993-1994 Season: #1 19.2 viewers
- 1994-1995 Season: #3 18.6 viewers
- 1995-1996 Season: #7 15.4 viewers
- 1996-1997 Season: #9 13.5 viewers
- 1997-1998 Season: #10 11.7 viewers
- 1998-1999 Season: #10 10.9 viewers
See also
External links
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