Home Improvement is one of the most beloved ’90s sitcoms. The wholesome, family-friendly show ran for eight seasons on ABC and is still enjoyed today in syndication. It garnered plenty of praise for its talented cast, tight writing and earthy freshness. The show also featured some very funny moments, as it tackled a wide range of real-life issues with aplomb.
It also starred the comedy genius of Tim Allen as his goofball character, Tim Taylor. The show follows the trials and tribulations of Tim and his wife, Jill, and their three sons, Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan), Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) and Mark (Taran Noah Smith). The series was an instant success, winning the hearts of a legion of fans with its humorous takes on a myriad of subjects.
After the series ended, Allen went on to do several other projects, including a few more TV shows and even a couple of movies. He eventually resurfaced on Last Man Standing, which ran from 2011 until 2021. Allen has since moved on to Disney+, where his new sitcom, The Santa Clauses, premiered in Nov. 2018.
But there have been rumors of a reboot for years now, and the latest news is that Allen hasn’t ruled out the possibility of bringing back Home Improvement at some point in the future. However, he’s made it clear that it would be a different type of revival than the first.
Rather than the show’s original format, which featured a mix of sitcom-style episodes and reality-style installments, a potential reboot might focus solely on the reality-style segments of the series. That could allow it to be more modern and appeal to a younger audience without losing the integrity of its legacy.
The main reason that a reboot wouldn’t work is that Pat Richardson, who played Jill for eight seasons, has no interest in reprising her role. Richardson previously sat down with a podcast host to make it clear that she is not interested in returning to the show for any future season.
In the interview, Richardson explained that she has no desire to re-shoot scenes and that she doesn’t want to see her character swayed by outside pressures to come back to the sitcom.
In the past, Richardson has hinted that she might be interested in a reunion, and she did appear in a short special called Tim Allen Presents: A User’s Guide to Home Improvement in 2003. The special featured clips from the show, tips for DIYers and personal reflections by the stars of the series. It was also the only time that Allen, Richardson and the late Earl Hindman appeared together in a television special. The special was a hit, and it helped to revive interest in the show. It was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award, but it lost out to Seinfeld.