The Seventh 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 Heidi. For a more information about this series, please refer to DVD Talk's reviews of season one, season two, season three, season four, season five, and season six.

In Home Improvement's sixth season, there was a notable change in the cast, the boys were getting old and hit puberty. Along with their growth, the show took on more serious storylines involving the boys. Season seven continues this tradition and matures further even more serious plotlines that include drugs, marriage, personal convictions, alternative lifestyles, and more. Similar to season six, the comedy is still fun, but it is not nearly as strong as earlier seasons.

"Clash Of The Taylors" is the first of several episodes with the boys and their newfound young adulthood at the fore. Randy, who works on the school newspaper, gets gung-ho and passionate about protecting the environment. Tim agrees to get him an interview with Binford's owner Bud. During the interview Randy attacks Bud and accuses Binford of destroying the environment with their manufacturing practices. He makes Bud, Binford, and Tim look like bad guys. Tim and Randy learn a valuable lesson about each other, as well as life in general.

Brad finds himself in a bundle of hot water this season. In "Pump You Up", Tim pushes Brad to work hard when a college scout approaches him about the prospect of a scholarship. Brad takes it too serious (thanks to Tim) and gets kicked off the soccer team. Fortunately, Jill and Wilson have sound advice to right the situation. Brad also broke up with his girlfriend at the beginning of the season. He meets a college girl and the two quickly fall in love in the episode "An Older Woman". Brad rubs Tim and Jill the wrong way when they announce their intentions to wed. There's also "What A Drag", where Tim and Jill deal with Brad and drugs.

Mark undergoes a big change this season. Tim and Jill are shocked when they find him dressed in all black and into the alternative gothic lifestyle. The Taylor family tries to understand Mark's different way of expressing himself. They also face the reality of Mark having friends they do not necessarily approve of, namely Ronnie (Kaylan Romero), a young kid who Tim and Jill fear is influencing Mark the wrong way. Mark really gives the family a scare in "A Night To Dismember". Mark makes a Halloween video with the family. The creepy part is the storyline, which is about a kid who kills his family.

While Randy, Mark, and Brad take on bigger and more serious storylines, the older characters also are exposed to more mature drama. In "Jill's Passion", Jill becomes a desperate housewife and considers having an affair with stud Ian (Tom Wopat). Ian also returns in "Taking Jill For Granite" and really spices things up. "Bright Christmas" is another serious episode with Jill dealing with her mother dating. In "Quest For Fire", Tim considers retiring and moving to the country. It is his way of dealing with his mid-life crisis, which resurfaces in later episodes.

In "The Niece", the Taylors throw a surprise party to celebrate Wilson's birthday. Tim also went out of the way to get Wilson's niece Willow (China Kanter) to come. As the situation unfolds, Willow moves in with Wilson and becomes a reoccurring character for the season. She's a twenty-something hippie. She is supposed to bring laughs with her quirky personality, but I found her to be a little to overkill. Other key developments include Heidi splitting with her husband in "Futile Attraction" and Al dating again (with Tim as his wingman) in "Dating Game".

Overall, Home Improvement's seventh season is decent. The show takes on more serious, mature storylines than previous and it works, but not quite as well. The comedy is missing something and on occasion goes in the wrong direction. The show has always had a dramatic/serious subtext, but the content has also been full of rich dialogue and hilarious comedy. This season's storylines are more serious and on occasion loss the comical aspect, as well characters like Willow are too over-the-top. In the end, this season is still entertaining enough to watch, but it has limited replay value in comparison to earlier seasons.

Episode Guide

1. Quest For Fire: At their vacation site in northern Michigan, Tim informs the family that he wants to move there permanently.
2. Clash Of The Taylors: Journalist Randy takes a hard line with Tim's boss in an interview about Binford's poor pollution record.
3. Room At The Top: Tim starts converting the attic into an office for Jill, who changes her mind after a required stint in therapy.
4. Pump You Up: Tim turns into a trainer after hearing of a potential soccer scholarship for Brad, who develops an all-star ego. Bodybuilder Cory Everson has a cameo.
5. A Night To Dismember: Mark and pal Ronny make a horror movie starring the Taylors. But Jill and Tim wonder if the nature of the film signals a problem in Mark.
6. The Niece: Wilson's niece (China Kantner) visits for his birthday, and accepts his invitation to stay a while, but comes to feel smothered by his attention.
7. Jill's Passion: Jill is flattered when a man (who likes opera!) flirts with her, but she's alarmed by his assumption that she and Tim are siblings.
8. Losing My Religion: Randy's work at a hospice reinforces his questioning of values, and spawns a decision to stop attending church. Dan Aykroyd guest stars.
9. Thanksgiving: The Taylors spend Thanksgiving at the Silverdome, where Tim's untimely tinkering causes a problem for all in attendance.
10. The Dating Game: Tim gives Al moral support at a singles bar, where the assistant tells a pair of women that he's the star of "Tool Time."
11. Bright Christmas: Jill is unnerved when her recently widowed mother asks to invite over a male friend for Christmas.
12. The Old College Try: Tim bonds with a few students when he teaches auto mechanics at a community college, but it's not the fountain of youth he's idealized.
13. An Older Woman: Brad's new girlfriend is a 20-year-old college junior (Maggie Lawson).

14. Tim 'The Landlord' Taylor: Tim makes Al sign a lease for a rental property, then hesitates to accept his responsibility for repairs.
15. Say Goodnight, Gracie: Tim's baby-sitting time with his niece sparks a desire to have a daughter; which also manifests itself on "Tool Time."
16. What A Drag: After Tim tumbles onto a stash of pot in the back yard, he and Jill stake out the scene to see which of their sons will grab it.
17. Taking Jill For Granite: "The granite guy" Tim hires to finish remodeling the kitchen is the same hunk who once asked Jill out, a fact she decides to keep from Tim.
18. Futile Attraction: Al becomes Heidi's best friend when she experiences marital trouble, but Tim suspects they're more than friends. Golfer Payne Stewart has a cameo.
19. Desperately Seeking Willow: Wilson' s niece fails to let the Taylors know her whereabouts while she's staying with them.
20. The Write Stuff: Brad's puff piece for the school paper bumps Randy's well-researched article off the front page.
21. The Son Also Mooches: Tim's brother Jeff moves in with their mother when his business fails.
22. Believe It Or Not: Tim betrays Wilson's confidence by spreading his story of an alien encounter. Grant Hill has a cameo.
23. Rebel Without Night Driving Privileges: Tim and Jill ban the newly licensed Randy from driving at night, but they disagree on how long it should last. And Randy doesn't agree at all.
24. Tool-Thousand-One: A Space Odyssey: Tim and Al become candidates for a space-shuttle mission that will utilize a Binford tool. Astronauts Ken Bowersox and Steve Hawley have cameos.
25. From Top To Bottom: Jill embarrasses Tim when she tries to explain his behavior on a women's talk show.

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, the season seven set comes with the standard extra. There is a "Blooper Reel" (7:53), which has a few good laughs in it.

Final Thoughts:
In Home Improvement's second-to-last season, the storylines take on a more serious pitch than the early seasons. The show's younger characters (Brad, Randy, Mark) are older and as such, the plotlines involving them have matured. In addition, the adult characters (Tim, Jill, Al, Wilson, Heidi) also take on more serious storylines. The mature, more serious storylines equal less laughs. The comedy isn't as rich. On the plus side, the cast's chemistry is still fairly good and there are several good laughs throughout the season seven episodes. The bottom line is that this season is enjoyable, but not as fun as past seasons. It has limited replay value and will make for a good rental.