20. A Dark Spot On The Perfect Dad's Record
While Home Improvement was on TV between 1991 and 1999, it was safe to say that Tim Allen was the reigning king of television, and probably everyone's favorite dad t'boot. It was TV's highest-rated sitcom, and America's favorite (albeit, somewhat dysfunctional) family still enjoys a massive fanbase to this day. However, just like with any show, there was a lot going on behind the scenes that would surprise any fan.
From bitter on-set feuds to re-cast roles you never noticed, when it came to the Taylors there was always more than what met the eye. First up, let's just get it out of the way: Tim Allen wasn't as squeaky clean as his alter ego Tim "The Toolman" Taylor.
Tim Taylor might have been the perfect family man on Home Improvement, but Tim Allen got into a heap of trouble at the height of the show's fame. In May of 1997, he was arrested for drunk driving in Michigan and ordered to go to a rehab clinic.
19. Jonathan Taylor Thomas And Tim Allen's "Break Up"
Prior to his arrest, he spent 28 months in prison for drug dealing in 1978. Of course, Tim Allen wasn't the only Taylor with behind the scenes drama, as you'll see up next.
Towards the latter half of the show's run, Home Improvement's cash cow and heartthrob Jonathan Taylor Thomas decided to leave the Taylor household. His absence delivered a blow to the show's ratings and broke the hearts of teens everywhere. However, no one's heart was more broken than Tim Allen's.
18. Taran Noah Smith Was Phoning It In Toward The End
It's said the two didn't talk for years because of Thomas' premature exit. JTT wasn't the only cast member ready to drop Home Improvement. Click the next slide to see another cast member who was ready to bounce in the midst of the show's popularity.
If actor Taran Noah Smith looked a little unenthused in the later seasons, it's because he was. Smith (who played the youngest son "Mark"), decided to retire from acting at the age of 16 after the show ended. His reasons were cryptic: “ I never had the chance to decide what I wanted to do with my life," he said. Safe to say that Taran Noah Smith wouldn't have been happy if the show had been renewed for another season.
17. Jonathan Taylor Thomas Promised To Come Back (But Didn't)
But wait, why wasn't it renewed? That's slide #16, stay tuned!
Toward the series finale, Jonathan Taylor Thomas made a promise that he would come back to reunite with the Taylor family. Though the thought probably made Tim Allen well up with big man tears, he was in for another crushing disappointment when Thomas walked back on his word. His TV mom, Patricia Richardson, was "confused" by his choice. “I was just really confused…I never understood what happened.” The creator of the show said Thomas was "brainwashed" by his "people." Pretty weird stuff.
16. The Reason It Wasn't Renewed Isn't What You'd Expect
Sounds like we'll never get the full truth. But the story of this rift isn't yet over. Stick around for slide #6.
Actor Tim Allen said actress Patricia Richardson was the reason why they didn't get a 9th season of Home Improvement. Richardson wanted equal pay to Allen, who was earning twice as much. Tim went on to say he didn't want to continue with the show if it was going to be about the money. Convenient!
15. Taran Noah Smith's Personal Life Was Filled With Drama
That wasn't the only criticism Richardson had of the show. Stick around for #14.
On the show, Taran Noah Smith's Mark went through a "goth" phase as a form of a comedic identity crisis. But in real life, Smith was going through some more serious drama at home. Towards the later seasons, he was trying to get emancipated from his parents so he could control his fortune.
14. Patricia Richardson's Early Criticism
You'll have to stick around for slide #3 to find out what drama he's dealing with today.
Early on in the show, Patricia Richardson didn't particularly care for the way her character Jill was written. As Tim Taylor's often naggy wife, Richardson saw Jill as a pretty boring, one-dimensional mom character. Her major complaint was Jill never having her own interesting story lines to work with.
13. Taran Noah Smith Wasn't The Only Taylor To Quit Acting After Home Improvement
To fix this, writers went to work on developing Jill from a stay at home mom into a career woman. Richardson made a lasting impression as Jill, but as slide #11 reveals, things might have been completely different ...
Zachary Ty Bryan (who played Brad, the oldest Taylor) is no longer acting. These days he spends his free time volunteering with several charities. He helps children who are underprivileged, specifically those that suffer from AIDS and cancer. Sounds like he's made a smooth transition from a child actor into a role that makes an incredibly powerful and positive impact.
12. Despite Its Faults ...
That's often not the case with people who become famous so young. More power to him!
Home Improvement may have been off the air for two decades, but it still has a huge fan base. The DVD box sets of the show have sold millions and episodes still run in syndication. It's still so popular that it lead to Tim Allen getting another sitcom called Its popularity is so enduring that Tim Allen was able to parlay its success into his newest sitcom, Last Man Standing.
11. Jill Taylor Was Almost SUPER Different
But that doesn't mean he doesn't get together with the Taylor family once in a while, as you'll see in slide #8.
Actress Frances Fisher was originally cast as Jill Taylor, the mother of the three Taylor boys and wife to Tim Taylor (Tim Allen). Unfortunately, the studio audience didn't think she had any comedic chemistry with Tim Allen. Some found her delivery of her lines to be "too serious." While the producers gave the actress time to adapt to a comedic setting, in the end, she was recast. We can't imagine Home Improvement without Patricia Richardson.
10. Bringing Back The Cold Open
Just like we can't imagine one of the show's most enduring characters not showing up for a reunion photo. But as you'll see in #9, any reunion for this cast is always going to be missing an essential cast member.
Most shows start with a cold open, or a short scene before the opening credits to get the audience into the episode. With Home Improvement, the cold open was usually a segment that led off a comedic bit that would then transition into the credits of the show. This was a popular thing back in the 60s and 70s, but Home Improvement brought it back in the 90s.
9. Why Wilson Is Never In Reunion Photos
Most cold opens happened during the "filming" of Tim Taylor's fictional hobby show Tool Time.
Sadly, the cast of Home Improvement will never be able to have a proper cast reunion. Earl Hindman, who played Tim's neighbor Wilson, passed away from lung cancer in 2003. The man who always knew the best and wisest thing to say to Tim stayed behind the fence for the whole series. He only revealed what the rest of his face looked like when he took a bow during the series finale. Ready for an "oh yeah!" moment?
8. Home Improvement's First Reunion
Pamela Anderson used to be on Home Improvement. But why did she ever leave? Find out in slide #7.
The primary cast of Home Improvement did get to have a reunion thanks to Entertainment Weekly. The cast reunited for a photo shoot for a special reunion issue in 2011.
7. Why Pamela Anderson Left The Show
According to Richardson, the reunion was "awesome." Richardson continued, "You know where you can pick up and it feels like no time has passed at all?"
Pamela Anderson's stardom didn't start on Baywatch, it started on Home Improvement. After catching the eye of a casting agent, Anderson left her role as Tim Taylor's assistant to take on her biggest role yet as CJ Parker in Baywatch. The show wound up propelling her career to cultural icon status, and she was replaced by Debbe Dunning on Home Improvement.
6. JTT And Tim Allen Finally Bury The Hatchet
Jill wasn't the only iconic character who was almost played by someone else. Head on over to slide #5 to indulge in yet another alternate reality!
While there seemed to be a tiff between Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Tim Allen, it's since been squashed. In fact, Thomas reunited with his TV dad on screen in Allen's sitcom Last Man Standing.
5. This Famous Character Actor Was Almost Al
In the show, JTT plays a character named Randy, which of course, was the name of his character on Home Improvement.
Can you imagine anyone else playing Al Borland? Neither can we, but it almost happened. Stephen Tobolowsky was the original actor cast to play Tim's co-worker and beloved friend, but had to drop out of the project.
4. Home Improvement's TV Special
Richard Karn then got the part after filming four episodes of the show for producers.
In 2003, Tim Allen, Richard Karn, Casey Sander, and Debbe Dunning all returned for a Home Improvement TV special. During the special, the actors discussed their fond memories, insider tips and tidbits from filming the show. Despite the popularity of the special, Patricia Richardson said there would never be a reunion because of Earl Hindman's death.
3. Life After Home Improvement For Taran Noah Smith
And that's probably as it should be.
Following the show, Taran Noah Smith married Heidi Van Pelt. At the time, he was 17 years old and she was 33. The two moved into a mansion his parents bought with his $1.5 million.
2. A Reboot In The Works?
Unfortunately, he wound up losing his home and is battling his now ex-wife for control over their company Playfood Inc. Sounds like Tim Allen's idea in slide #2 is going to be looking pretty good to Smith.
Is there going to be a reboot of Home Improvement? If it was up to Tim Allen and Richard Karn, there would be. Back in 2015, the two admitted to talking about having a reboot. Karn said of the possibility, "There is always a chance, absolutely. Would I be on board?
Yeah I think so! I would love to see what the story lines could be, it could be very funny!” But Home Improvement's legacy doesn't end there. Find out which 90's classic film spun-off from the popular show in the next slide.