Available at Amazon.com
Creators:
Carmen Finestra
David McFadzean
Matt Williams
Cast:
Tim Allen ………. Tim Taylor
Patricia Richardson ………. Jill Taylor
Earl Hindman ………. Wilson Wilson Jr.
Taran Noah Smith ………. Mark Taylor
Jonathan Taylor Thomas ………. Randy Taylor
Zachery Ty Bryan ………. Brad Taylor
Richard Karn ………. Al Borland
Debbe Dunning ………. Heidi Keppert
The Show
After season four of Home Improvement, there was a total of 100 episodes for this show. 100 is usually the number that seperates the good shows from the great. Of course, after 100 the quality that existed in shows that reached this magic number usually drops. Great shows only drop a little bit, if they drop at all. Good shows usually drop enough that fans notice and start to turn away from their once favorite shows. Which way would Home Improvement go after finishing in the Top 5 the last two seasons?
The writers of Home Improvement decided to take some chances in this season. Some of the most famous episodes of Home Improvement happened this season. Those would include Jill asking Tim to get a vasectomy, and the Taylor family dealing with some serious drama with Randy possibly having thyroid cancer. Both were subjects that hadn’t really been seen in sitcoms by this point in time. The latter is something completely different and ABC didn’t even want to air that episode, because it was too dramatic. However, Home Improvement had the last laugh when that episode was the most watched one on TV that week. There was just enough comedy to not downplay the seriousness of the subject, but it wasn’t too dramatic to bring down the whole show. In addition, this year’s “Christmas” episode is one of the funniest on the show. Mainly due to the special guest star, Tom Poston, that appears and interacts with Tim and Al.
Other than those two episodes, the rest of this season is more of the same. You expect Tim and Al to wreck havoc on “Tool Time”. Actually it’s Al that holds the show together while Tim tries to destroy it or them in the process. The three boys are still growing up and dealing with more grown-up problems. It used to be only Brad. Now it’s Randy AND Brad. Mark is not too far behind either. So things can get interesting around the house, especially when Jill tries to give advice to everyone. She’s a GREAT psychology student, and like any student she thinks she knows all the answers. Wilson even gets to join the crazyness even more as some stories in some episodes this season focused mainly on him.
All of the new characters that were introduced the last few seasons like Tim’s boss, brother, and shop teacher, Jill’s family members, and the guys at the hardware store are back this season. Each one of these recurring characters got their characters developed even more this season. The result is some interesting episodes that don’t always revolve around the same people each time.
It’s been 10 years since the airing of season five of Home Improvement. Therefore, this DVD set is celebrating that fact by doing what exactly? Not much honestly. At least, not compared to previous seasons I have reviewed. You get all 26 episodes of this season, which are mostly funny and you get one extra. We got that on the DVD sets for seasons 3 and 4. You would think they would have done something special if they are going to advertise this as an “Anniversary” set. Still the show is still going strong at this point. Probably not as funny as the last two seasons, but close to it. In the end, though, I’m lefting want more.
Episodes:
Disc One:
Episode 1 – A Taylor Runs Through It
At Jill’s cousin’s wedding, Tim tries to squeeze in sports for him in the boys. After Jill gets tired of writing her speech for the wedding, she decides to go water skiing with the boys and gets injured.
Episode 2 – The First Temptation of Tim
Bud Harper, Tim’s new boss, wants to replace Al because younger viewers don’t like him. Meanwhile, Brad gets detention on the first day of school and detention during detention.
Episode 3 – Her Cheatin’ Mind
After Tim becomes threatened by one of Jill’s classmates, he joins hr book club.
Episode 4 – Jill’s Surprise Party
When Tim has everyone at the house for Jill’s surprise party, she is off looking for an old piano.
Episode 5 – Advise and Repent
When Jill gets an ‘A’ on her psychology paper, she starts giving psychiatric advice, which causes Randy’s girlfriend’s parents to have marital problems.
Episode 6 – Let Them Eat Cake
Brad throws a Halloween party for his new friends at school. Meanwhile, Tim, Jill, Al, and Ilene go to an awards show, hoping to win one for
“Tool Time”, but it seems that the winner will be “Cooking with Irma”, which has won every other award.
Episode 7 – The Look
Tim gets “the look” from Jill, after spending $4,000 on Detroit Pistons season tickets.
Episode 8 – Room Without a View
Tim turns the basement into Randy’s new room so that Randy doesn’t have to share a room with Mark.
Episode 9 – Chicago Hope
Jill plans on having a romantic evening with Tim when they go to Chicago, but Tim’s business meeting takes all day.
Disc Two:
Episode 10 – Doctor in the House
Jill, Wilson, and Al are angry when Tim gets an honorary Ph.D., but Tim later finds out that he got the Ph.D. because the college was going to use him, since he had a TV show, to receive additional funding.
Episode 11 – That’s My Momma
When Tim’s mother returns, she begins dating Mr. Leonard, Tim’s old shop teacher, and doesn’t want to spend time with Tim.
Episode 12 – ‘Twas the Flight Before Christmas
On Christmas Eve, Tim and Al get stuck at the airport on the way to Binford’s winter festival. Ilene makes Al choose between her and his mother. Tim and the boys beat Doc Johnson in the Christmas lighting contest.
Episode 13 – Oh, Brother
When Tim hires Marty to rebuild the Tool Time set, it puts their friendship on the line.
Episode 14 – High School Confidential
Brad feels jealous when Randy starts taking advanced classes at his school. Tim designs the man’s bedroom.
Episode 15 – Tanks for the Memories
Tim and Jill play each other in a tank driving competition, and Jill wins. However, Tim doesn’t congratulate her because he thinks she humiliated him.
Episode 16 – The Vasectomy One
Jill wants Tim to get a vasectomy when they agree their family is complete. Meanwhile, Randy is voted “best butt” by the girls at school.
Episode 17 – Fear of Flying
Mark wants to take flying lessons, but Jill doesn’t let him. Jill takes piano lessons. Meanwhile, Tim and Al ruin Bud’s car.
Disc Three:
Episode 18 – When Harry Kept Delores
Dolores, Harry’s wife, comes to “Harry’s Hardware” and Tim’s marital advice causes them to split up.
Episode 19 – Eye on Tim
When a TV report is done on “Tool Time”, Jill gets angry when the reporter makes advances on Tim.
Episode 20 – The Bud Bowl
When Tim and Jill go bowling with Bud and his wife, Tim tells Jill to lose because he’s afraid his career will be ruined if they beat Bud and his wife. Meanwhile, Angela, Brad’s girlfriend, sets her sister up with Randy.
Episode 21 – Engine and a Haircut, Two Fights
Tim and Brad get into a fight over Brad’s new haircut and the hot rod engine. Meanwhile, Randy doesn’t want Jill to help him rehearse for an audition to play Romeo in a school play of Romeo & Juliet.
Episode 22 – The Longest Day
After a medical checkup, the family finds out that Randy may have cancer.
Episode 23 – Mr. Wilson’s Opus
Wilson becomes the director of Randy’s school play but takes the fun out of it for everyone. When Tim later shows him the aluminum set he built, Wilson doesn’t like it and orders him to rebuild a new one.
Episode 24 – Shopping Around
Tim and Jill see Art, Tim’s old shop teacher who’s dating his mother, at a restaurant with another woman.
Episode 25 – Alarmed by Burglars
When Wilson is buglarized, Jill orders Tim to put in a high security system. But instead of them having peace and quiet in their house, things get worse when the alarms begin going off by themselves.
Episode 26 – Games, Flames, and Automobiles
Al creates a “Tool Time” board game, hoping to earn enough money to propose to Ilene. But the game has problems and sometimes catches fire.
The Video:
The video is given in fullscreen color with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1. Transfer is good with minimal distortion. About the same as the last two sets. No major problems here.
The Audio:
The audio included is available in Dolby Digital Stereo sound. Again no problems here, and the same as the last two sets. It’s a TV show and nothing more.
The Extras:
Bloopers –
This is the lone extra for this “special anniversary” set. Okay, these bloopers are pretty funny throughout. These are also new bloopers. That shouldn’t shock you. The only downside here is that this is the ONLY extra. If you want more than the actual episodes this season, you’re out of luck!
THE INSIDE PULSE
If you are a HUGE fan of Home Improvement, then you probably want to buy this DVD set based mainly on the actual episodes featured this season. The quality of the show dropped a little bit this season, but things were mixed up just enough to keeps things fresh and interesting. If I remember correctly, the show was not as funny after this point.
