The Sixth Season

Home Improvement is a fun family-oriented sitcom. The series is based upon the work of stand-up comedian Tim Allen. In this show Tim Allen plays as Tim Taylor. Tim is a family man who makes a living by hosting a home improvement show in Detroit, Michigan called "Tool Time". He is a minor celebrity and more often than not, his ego gets in the way. The show takes a look at the hilarious daily interactions of Tim, at both the home and the workplace. At home we see him with his wife Jill, their kids Mark, Randy, and Brad, and the neighbor Wilson Wilson, and at work, Al Borland and other coworkers like Heidi. On a few occasions the two groups collide together for some great stories. A big portion of the show is watching Tim get into hot water with his wife, kids, and coworkers. Fortunately, his neighbor Wilson is always there to give him advice, although, Tim never seems to be able to follow Wilson's advice exactly, but things always turn out okay. For a more information about this series, please refer to DVD Talk's reviews of season one, season two, season three, season four, and season five

When compared to past seasons, season six is distinctly different. What really stands out is a change in the cast. Brad, Randy, and Mark are all bigger. At about the same time, they (the real life actors) hit puberty. They're taller, bigger, and have deeper voices. And as such, the storylines the family deals with are a tad bit more grown up and lack the same innocent, cute level of fun. The entertainment is still enjoyable and good for a family oriented comedy, but not quite as funny. Despite, this season offers several good episodes (and a couple duds.)

The season starts of with a strong episode entitled "At Sea", which to say the least, is humorous because of the serious/awkward situation Tim gets in the middle of. With the boys growing up, it is becomes apparent to Jill that Brad might have more on his mind than studying when she finds him in his room alone with his girlfriend. Jill instructs Tim to talk to Brad about S-E-X. What makes this episode so strong is how Tim handles the situation, very awkwardly. This episode is a great example of how fun the season six episodes can be.

On the flipside, some of the episodes can be pretty dry. The following episode "Future Shocked" is a rather dull episode about aging. Both Tim and Jill imagine what their lives will be like when they are old and grey. The storyline offers a few laughs, but nothing really strong. Throughout season six, there are episodes just like this one that have the potential, but do not deliver the comedy.

Despite the season having a few lackluster episodes, the season is, on the whole, pretty darn good. The boys are growing up and the storylines take a more dramatic toll with storylines about relationships, responsibility, and all the other good stuff that comes with being a teenager and the parents of a growing teenager. For example, "Workin' Man Blues" is an episode about responsibility. Brad goes out into the real world and gets his first job. Soon his job becomes priority number one and he ignores his schoolwork, the family, and even his girlfriend. The episode details an important message about weighing your priorities in life. While making a little money is nice, having an education to support your future is more important. These kinds of episodes have a few laughs, but there is more seriousness than I'd like.

As for the rest of the season episodes, the general content with the cast and slapstick humor offer many good laughs. "The Tool Man Delivers" is a strong episode Tim, Jill, and even Heidi getting in a few good jabs. Tim wins a prestigious award, Car Man of the Year. While on the two hour drive to the awards presentation, they run out of gas (talk about irony car man!). Tim, Jill, and Heidi are stranded. The catch is that Heidi is pregnant and the situation gets a little complicated when she goes into labor. The fun from this episode is great dynamic the cast had, and the goofy situation it put everyone in.

Another good episode is "Something Old, Someone Blue". It has a dramatic storyline, but also lots of silly fun and great banter between Tim, Al, and several supporting cast members. In this episode, Al is finally about to tie the knot with Ilene. The only problem is that he is having cold feet, and Jill blames Tim. As mentioned, it's the fun banter the cast has in between the dramatic moments that drive this episode.

Overall, the sixth season of Home Improvement is pretty fun. It has twenty-five episodes, most of which are a blast. The storylines are more dramatic than past seasons and the young cast is older; they have hit puberty and the innocent family fun isn't as innocent. In the end, it makes for a solid watch and fans of the series will appreciate it.

Episode Guide

1. At Sea: "Tool Time" visits the USS Constellation for a "Salute to Engines"; Jill catches Brad making out with his girlfriend.
2. Future Shocked: Jill's distress over catering to Tim's daily routine leads both to dream of their senior years, and each has a different view of how Tim's "self-discipline" has affected their lives.
3. Workshop 'Til You Drop: To improve their communication, Jill drags Tim to a couples therapy workshop, where Tim opens up---about Jill's faults.
4. Burnin' Love: Randy insists that his new girlfriend is not a "girlfriend." But he's not thrilled when she goes out with someone else.
5. Al's Video: Al selects Tim to direct his how-to video. But Tim's "vision" leads to creative differences---and his firing.
6. Whose Car Is It Anyway?: Jill uses an inheritance to buy a foreign sports car, which she prohibits Tim from driving. But how often does Tim listen to Jill?
7. I Was A Teenage Taylor: In a battle of Halloween pranks, Brad and Randy score first, then thwart Tim and Jill's retaliatory effort. But who will laugh last?
8. Jill And Her Sisters: Jill's sisters, who are "neurotic---especially when they argue," arrive to plan their parents' anniversary party. And it's neuroses on parade!
9. The Tool Man Delivers: Heidi goes into labor---on the road with Jill and Tim, who act as coach and receiver, respectively, while Wilson offers instructions over the phone.
10. The Wood, The Bad And The Hungry: Tim prefers to not invite Benny to Thanksgiving---until he spies Benny at a soup kitchen. The episode features a dream sequence in stop-animation, and cameos by race-car drivers Michael and Mario Andretti.
11. Workin' Man Blues: Brad throws himself into his new job at a sporting-goods store, but Jill and Tim worry that it's becoming his top priority.
12. No Place Like Home: Tim objects to the plans the new owners have for his boyhood home.
13. The Flirting Game: After Jill chastises Tim for buying a saleswoman's flirtatious act, she's caught flirting (albeit subconsciously) to get out of a ticket.

14. The Karate Kid Returns: Randy is teased at school after Mark intervenes in his scuffle with a bully; and the Beach Boys visit their cousin Wilson.
15. Totally Tool Time: "Tool Time" is taped in front of Swedish buyers who are considering the show for the European market.
16. A Funny Valentine: A singer hints that she had an affair with Tim's father; Tim forgets where he hid Jill's Valentine's Day gift.
17. Wilson's World: After a critic declares performance artist Wilson out of touch with reality, the Taylors' neighbor decides to be more like...Tim.
18. Something Old, Someone Blue: The night before his wedding, Al expresses doubts about whether Ilene is right for him.
19. Communication Breakdown: A blowup between Harry and his son keys Jill and Tim into a bigger question of sensitivity and discipline with their boys.
20. My Son, The Driver: Brad has an accident on his first night out with his driver's license---but it's more serious than what he tells his parents. Members of racing's Unser family (Al Sr., Al Jr. and Al Richard) have cameos.
21. Insult To Injury: Tim is scheduled to drive a steamroller on "Tool Time" and break a Bob Vila record---and he refuses to let his separated shoulder interfere.
22. Family Un-Ties: The boys don't share Jill's desire for quality time together during the family's annual weekend at a hardware expo, which is also enhanced by Tim's "Tool Time" remotes.
23. The Feminine Mistake: Jill protests the inequality between Brad and his girlfriend, who's doing his laundry and cleaning his room.
24. Taps: Jill's father passes away the day after she fibs that she's ill in order to postpone his visit. And the lie lingers when she arrives back home for the funeral.
25. The Kiss And The Kiss-Off: A visit from original---and beloved---"Tool Time" girl Lisa (Pamela Lee) has Heidi feeling threatened; Randy and Lauren go on a date.

The DVD

Video:
The video presentation is given in its original television aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame color. Overall, the picture looks good, with a relatively clean feel. There are very minor color distortions and some points where the picture seems a bit too soft. In addition, there is a grain in the picture, but it shouldn't ruin viewing pleasure.

Audio:
The audio track in this release is English 2.0 Dolby digital stereo sound. The sound quality is fairly good, providing clean and audible dialogue. There is also English subtitles and support for closed captioning.

Extras:
For extras, there is a blooper reel that runs for approximately six and a half minutes. It is worth a couple good chuckles.

Final Thoughts:
Home Improvement's sixth season has one major change, Randy, Brad, and Mark are growing up. They have hit puberty and as such, the show's innocent family fun tone is not quite the same. The show takes on more drama with stories about relationships, responsibilities, and growing up. It makes for some decent comedy that longtime viewers of the show will appreciate. Personally, I wasn't as in love with this season as the earlier ones. In the end, I think this season set is worth getting for fans of the show. Newcomers should check out season one for some great laughs!