Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor is coming to a streaming service near you.
The classic ’90s comedy Home Improvement will return to Hulu on Friday, Sept. 9 — three years after it was last available to binge. (Hulu is also home to fellow Tim Allen series Last Man Standing and Assembly Required, which makes Home Improvement a perfect fit for the service.)
Home Improvement ran for eight seasons (and a total of 204 episodes) on ABC, from September 1991 through May 1999. During its run, it was nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Awards, including a nod for Outstanding Lead Actor (for Allen), four nods for Outstanding Lead Actress (for Patricia Richardson) and two nods for Outstanding Comedy Series.
TVLine previously asked Allen about reviving Home Improvement once Last Man Standing came to an end. “I always think about it, because I still talk to everybody involved,” he said in February 2020. “The question I have is, ‘Is it still relevant? Is Tim Taylor relevant in the Mike Baxter world?’ Because Mike Baxter is like a real version of Tim Taylor; he’s not such a joke. And the [Outdoor Man] vlogs are like Mike’s version of Tool Time done as a web series.”
As for how he’d like to see Home Improvement return? “I like the idea of doing it as a one-off, like a one-hour movie [versus a full-fledged revival series],” Allen said. “I like the idea of finding out where the boys are now, and where… Tool Time would be in today’s world. I just think it’s a marvelous idea, and all the actors think it’s a great idea.”
But as of press time, a revival isn’t in the cards. Allen can next be seen reprising his other fan-favorite role, that of Scott Calvin in the Disney+ sequel series The Santa Clauses, which is expected to premiere later this year.
Will you be revisiting the OG Tim Allen sitcom once it returns to Hulu? Scroll down to relive every Home Improvement reunion from the past 20+ years (by way of Last Man Standing, Assembly Required and More Power), then sound off in Comments.
Home Improvement Reunion on Last Man Standing
LAST MAN STANDING – “College Girl” – Jonathan Taylor Thomas makes a special guest star appearance when he reunites with Tim Allen, his dad from “Home Improvement.” When the less-than-studious Mandy gets accepted to not one but two colleges, Kristin realizes it’s time to reevaluate where she is in her life. While out on a special date with Ryan, she is pleasantly surprised to see Jon (Thomas), a former co-worker from the diner where she still works, who is now the successful owner of a hip, upscale restaurant. Meanwhile, Mike and Vanessa wonder if Mandy’s college choice, a party school in California, is right for her; and Eve gets help with her Junior ROTC competition from neighbor Chuck Larabee, on the Season Finale of “Last Man Standing,” FRIDAY, MARCH 22 (8:00-8:31 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.
Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who played middle-child Randy Taylor on Home Improvement, recurred on Seasons 2 and 3 of Last Man Standing as John Baker, Kristin’s boss at a fancy restaurant.
Home Improvement Reunion on Last Man Standing
Patricia Richardson, who played Allen’s first TV wife, Jill Taylor, guest-starred on two episodes of Last Man as Helen Potts, an inconsiderate neighbor who enjoyed running her power tools early in the morning.
During her first appearance in Season 4, she was also reunited with Thomas, who made a cameo not as John Baker, but as Helen’s son “Randy.”
Home Improvement Reunion on Last Man Standing
Richard Karn, who played Tool Time sidekick Al Borland, guest-starred on Last Man in a pair of Season 2 episodes as Bill McKendree, an architect who frequently did business with Mike at Outdoor Man.
assembly required more power history channel
Allen and Karn reunited as hosts (and executive producers) on the History Channel competition series Assembly Required in 2021. In 2022, they returned to the network for a retooled Season 2, retitled More Power.
Home Improvement Reunion on Last Man Standing
Allen reprised his role as Tim Taylor during Season 9 of Last Man (read post mortem). The episode revealed that TV’s erstwhile Tool Man was still employed as a repairman for Binford Tools.
Home Improvement Reunion on Last Man Standing
Blake Clark, who recurred on Home Improvement as Harry’s Hardware owner Harry Turner, popped up in a Season 5 episode of Last Man as Clark, the owner of a coffee house where Eve was set to perform with her band.
