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The Movie: "Home Improvement" eventually began to get repetitive after the core idea was worn out, but most of the show's run (at least until the kids started to get a little too old) utilized the idea of a guy too obsessed with horsepower and power tools for his own good quite effectively. For those who never saw the series, it starred former stand-up comic Tim Allen as Tim Taylor, a husband and father who continually seeks out tools and other electronic equipment of grander size and power. Allen's character was defined by both his trademark grunt and the fact that the machinery he was using often got the better of him. It all was largely based on the comedian's real-life stand-up material. The character epitomized the kind of sitcom dad that I hate - one who acts all macho, screws up terribly and ends up learning a lesson from wife and family, to be repeated again next week. However, Allen managed to make the character endearing and - at least for a good stretch of time - pretty entertaining. Allen was supported by Patricia Richardson as wife Jill. The character played off Allen's pretty well, as the two could not be more opposite. Richardson definitely shined in some episodes where she got more of the focus, but there were also times where her disapproval made her seem like something of a party pooper. There were also the show's three sons, played by: Taran Noah Smith (Mark Taylor), Jonathan Taylor Thomas (Randy Taylor), Zachery Ty Bryan (Brad Taylor). While none of the three were standouts, they portrayed a trio of older, middle and younger brothers well. Also good throughout show were Richard Kind as Al, Tim's co-host on his "Tool Time" TV series, and Earl Hindman as the little-seen but often heard neighbor Wilson. The fourth season of "Home Improvement" started off with one of Tim's more epic screw-ups ever. After getting irritated with Jill over touching up the car with nail polish, Tim ends up accidentially crushing the car on a "Tool Time" segment. In "A House Divided", Allen's character takes it to a new level by accidentally leveling a house. As for Jill, Richardson's character is the season's biggest change, as Jill decides in the opening episode to go back to school, a storyline that extends through the season and provides some additional conflict. The fifth season of the show offered more of the same kind of disasters that only Allen's character was capable of, as well as a couple of episodes that saw the show venture into more dramatic territory: one where Tim had to consider getting a vasectomy and an emotional episode where Randy's doctor believes that he may have thyroid cancer. Some of the other highlights from this season include: "The First Temptation of Tim" (Tim's new boss tells Tim that he must fire Al), "Let Them Eat Cake" (Tim and Al await the results of a cable awards show they never seem to win), "The Look" (Tim spends $4,000 on Pistons season tickets without consulting Jill), "Chicago Hope" (Jill hopes that a trip to Chicago will provide some much needed R & R, but Tim ends up in a business meeting), "'Twas the Flight Before Christmas" (Tim and Al get stuck in the airport), "Tanks for the Memories" (Jill and Tim compete in a tank-driving competition), "Mr. Wilson's Opus" (Wilson takes over the school play and takes his work a little too seriously, to the dismay of the actors) and "Games, Flames & Automobiles" (Al sinks a ton of money into creating a "Tool Time" board game, but things take a turn for the worse when the game malfunctions - badly.) 101. 19 Sep 95 A Taylor Runs Through It 102. 26 Sep 95 The First Temptation of Tim 103. 3 Oct 95 Her Cheatin' Mind 104. 17 Oct 95 Jill's Surprise Party 105. 24 Oct 95 Advise and Repent 106. 31 Oct 95 Let Them Eat Cake 107. 7 Nov 95 The Look 108. 14 Nov 95 Room Without a View 109. 21 Nov 95 Chicago Hope 110. 28 Nov 95 Doctor in the House 111. 5 Dec 95 That's My Momma 112. 12 Dec 95 'Twas the Flight Before Christmas 113. 9 Jan 96 Oh, Brother 114. 16 Jan 96 High School Confidential 115. 30 Jan 96 Tanks for the Memories 116. 6 Feb 96 The Vasectomy One 117. 13 Feb 96 Fear of Flying 118. 20 Feb 96 When Harry Kept Delores 119. 27 Feb 96 Eye on Tim 120. 5 Mar 96 The Bud Bowl 121. 12 Mar 96 Engine and a Haircut, Two Fights 122. 2 Apr 96 The Longest Day 123. 30 Apr 96 Mr. Wilson's Opus 124. 7 May 96 Shopping Around 125. 14 May 96 Alarmed by Burglars 126. 21 May 96 Games, Flames & Automobiles The DVD VIDEO: "Home Improvement" is presented here again in its original 1.33:1 full-frame aspect ratio by Buena Vista. The quality of the episode presentations are not without a few minor concerns, but the overall impression is better-than-expected. Sharpness and detail were mostly quite good, as the image remained crisp and detailed throughout, with only a few hints of softness here-and-there. The presentation did show some very slight instances of shimmer and pixelation, but no edge enhancement was spotted and no wear on the elements was visible. Overall, the presentation appeared mostly clean and up to broadcast quality. Colors were bright and well-saturated, with no smearing or other flaws. SOUND: "Home Improvement" is presented here in 2.0 stereo, and the soundtrack was certainly adequate, with clean sounding dialogue, effects and music. EXTRAS: Outtakes. Final Thoughts: While it doesn't change the formula very much, the fourth season of "Home Improvement" continues to offer some good laughs and amusing plots, as well as some of the Allen character's bigger errors. Buena Vista's DVD edition provides very good audio/video quality, but only one minor supplement. Recommended for fans. |