Whether or not you like Allen’s politics, it’s impossible to deny that Home Improvement was one of the funniest sitcoms of the 1990s. The show starred Allen as Tim “the Tool Man” Taylor, who struggled to balance his television show with his family life and mischievous sons. And though the series ended in 1999, it’s clear that fans haven’t forgotten about the characters.
In fact, there’s even been talk of a Home Improvement reboot. Allen himself recently opened up about a potential spinoff, and the former co-stars aren’t ruling out a reunion.
Allen and Richard Karn have kept in touch over the years through their docuseries Assembly Required, More Power, and the History Channel’s Assembly: Made in America. And while a Home Improvement reunion might be hard to get off the ground without Earl Hindman (Wilson) around, the two haven’t totally ruled out the idea.
Karn has previously teased the possibility of a Home Improvement spinoff on his podcast The Messenger, and he wasn’t completely dismissive when it came up again recently during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter while promoting Season 2 of Last Man Standing. “I’ve thought about it,” he said when asked about a Home Improvement sequel. “It would be fun to do a reunion and have them all grown up with their kids.”
Last year, the cast of the original show reunited for a special called Tim Allen Presents: A User’s Guide to Home Improvement. The special was a mix of clips from the show, personal reflections, and a question-and-answer session with the audience.
Although the reunion was a little shortened due to the death of Hindman, it gave fans hope that a full Home Improvement reunion was possible in the future. Unfortunately, Allen and Karn turned down a chance to do a ninth season of the show, and it’s unclear whether or when the pair will work together again.
The cast of Home Improvement reunited for the holiday episode of Last Man Standing in 2021, but it wasn’t the same as a full-on revival. Still, fans were thrilled to see a small nod to the original series in the form of a Mike Baxter/Tim Taylor crossover. And they might get another chance to catch up with the gang when the new ABC comedy Shifting Gears premieres in 2024.
Fans have also had a few other chances to interact with the cast of Home Improvement in recent years, including a couple of reunions on Last Man Standing and a guest appearance from Karn in Allen’s new Fox sitcom The Santa Clauses. Plus, the Walt Disney Archives recently paid tribute to the classic series at its Home Improvement 100: The Exhibition, which was on display in Philadelphia and is currently touring North America. The exhibit includes props and memorabilia from the series, including a tin of Binford paint stripper from the fictional Wilson’s Hardware and Tool Time. Check out some of the most notable items from the exhibit below.