Home Improvement Video Game

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There is another fact that proves how popular the show was during its time. While most shows bank on merchandises and goodies that have been created under the show’s theme, Home Improvement has a very different approach in branching out. In the month of November in 1994, Super Nintendo Entertainment released a 2D action platformer video game called Home Improvement: Power Tool Pursuit!. The main plot of the fame was that Tim’s new Binford ultra power tool line goes missing and the player has to locate the missing tool. This game included 4 worlds with 4 levels each where the player had to fight their way through soundstages. The video game was voted the #5 worst game based on a TV series. It goes to show that just because something works as a television, it does not mean that it would necessarily work as a video game.

Tim’s Phone Number Showed Illinois Area Code

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There was an ongoing joke on the show. During many episodes of the show Tool Time, Tim would often blurt out very offensive words that were mostly directed towards women. If ever this happened, Al would come to the rescue by holding up a cue card the contained either Tim’s mailing address or phone number. He would take it up a notch by telling the viewers that they could also send some hate mail if ever they feel like it. The address that they showed was actually the location of the studio in Detroit, Michigan, with the phone number (815) 555-TOOL. The code that they have shown was actually for the Northern Illinois area but not Michigan… Do you think that the show received any actual hate mails or do you think it received mostly fan mails that were sent to Tim Allen?

Jonathan Taylor Thomas Quits The Show

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On season 8 we watched Randy Taylor leave for Costa Rica for his environmental studies in the 1998 episode, Adios. This was actually because Taylor wanted to pursue his studies in real life which Tim Allen was not so pleased about. In one interview he even said, “He said it was about going to school, but then he did some films,” so his reasons were not legitimate. Thomas did not reprise his role in the later season but did come back for the reunion episode, “Home for the holidays.”

Reuniting On Last Man Standing

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December 8, 1998, marks the last time Tim and Taylor were seen on screen together. They were not on speaking terms as Tim was displeased by the fact that Thomas still made films during his “time off.” 15 years went by and soon we saw them together at his former TV dad’s show, Last Man Standing. Thomas plays the middle child on the show where he often says, “A lot of times, that middle child ends up being the funny one becomes he wants the attention.” 

Refusing Season 9

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As the 8th season wrapped up, the producers were keen on creating the 9th season. They even offered Tim Allen $50 million for another season with his co-star, Patricia Richardson who was also offered half of that. Both the actors rejected this offer. Richardson was also very disappointed with the half payment bit of the offer. Richardson was a guest star on  Last Man Standing with Allen. SO we can say that they did have a reunion after all.

Inspired A Movie

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The producers were on the move to make a film that was based on the show as it proved to be such a hit. The plot of the movie would be that Jill and Tim got a divorce and he could only get to his family if he cross-dressed as a nanny. This idea sounds very familiar because it does exist in the movie world. There is, in fact, a show that has the exact same plot.  Robin William’s movie, Mrs. Doubtfire was inspired by this storyline where the directors clearly did not make much change.