Home Improvement

The US sitcom Home Improvement has to be my all-time favourite comedy show. It ran throughout the 1990's for 8 seasons, and re-runs can still be seen occasionally (although here in the UK that seems to have stopped recently). There's not one episode that fails to make me laugh. I love the theme tune too, as it has some nice electric guitar licks in there! You can hear it via the player at the top of the page. "Aaaauuuoooghhh!"

It stars Tim Allen as Tim 'the Tool Man' Taylor, host of his own cable Home Improvement show called Tool Time, where he is assisted by Al Borland, his co-worker and friend. The mishaps of Tim, the various guests, the banter between Tim and Al, the gadgets, the manly Binford tools, the DIY advice, the On-Location projects (especially the ones in Tim's home), the interaction between Tim and the audience, the "More Power" grunts, Oh! Oh! Oh! - all of this is a great part of Tool Time. There's also some great guest appearances throughout the show by various well-known faces.

Then there's Tim's family - his wife Jill, and their three boys Brad, Randy and Mark - as well as other family and friends that pop up here and there. Most of the episodes are based around the family - the laughs, the sorrows, the troubles, the fun, the discipline, the sharing, etc. Then there's the next door neighbour, Wilson Wilson, the wise friend who always dishes out advice to Tim and the family - and you never see the whole of his face throughout all 8 seasons!

What I love about the show is that it's full of family values - love, commitment, friendship, understanding, forgiveness, joy. Even when there are fights and differences, they always put things right in the end. And one of its strong points is how it shows the differences between man and woman, male and female, which are natural God-given distinctions. But the ideal result should be that man and woman complement one another, and this comes across quite well, I think, in the show - after it highlights the differences and weaknesses of both sexes, of course. Human nature, right!

Above all, it makes me laugh! Almost every episode gives me a chuckle! And that's good medicine! There is so much that I can identify with in Tim, Al and the boys especially. I particularly have fond memories of when I first watched the show, seeing my own children, Luke and Rebecca, growing up over the years, just like the kids in the show. The boys are quite young in Season One, and obviously they grow into teenagers by the Eighth Season.

Also, my father was great at DIY stuff and I think he would've loved this show. Sadly, he died in 1990 before it began. In the show, Tim's dad had died while he was young (about 11) - much younger than I was when my dad died (24) - so there are a number of episodes that I can relate to that are very touching. Apparently, Tim Allen's father did die when he was age 11.

Without sounding corny, I'd also like to think that because Jesus was a carpenter by trade, he'd love Tool Time and Tim's antics! The heart of God is full of joy to share!

I definitely recommend Home Improvement as good medicine for the soul! Try and check it out if you've never seen it - you'll be blessed - which means be happy!

Gerry