Home Improvement

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Laughs and lessons abound in whole-family sitcom.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this show finds its humor in family-friendly issues like sibling dynamics, parenting challenges, and an accident-prone Mr. Fix-It dad. Very little about this series is cause for concern; it lends a pretty realistic view of life within a typical nuclear family. Each episode offers an obvious lesson (sometimes for parents as well as kids) in moral judgment, communication, or responsibility. The series occasionally touches on more-serious topics like divorce or a family member's death.

  • The series offers lessons about family and problem solving. There's some male/female role stereotyping, but it's always played for laughs.
  • Both parents stress values like doing the right thing, education, and respect, while encouraging their kids' exploration of other interests. Wilson often offers philosophical guidance to the Taylor family.
  • Not applicable.
  • Very occasional boy/girl flirting and kissing. Tim and Jill trade affectionate banter.

What's the story?

HOME IMPROVEMENT was a favorite for eight seasons on ABC in the '90s, and it continues to entertain fans in syndication and on DVD. Tim Allen stars as Tim Taylor, a Michigan native who hosts a local cable show called Tool Time. The show celebrates all things manly: tools, hardware stores, cars, and the like. A firm believer that "more power" is always a good thing, Tim often tweaks and adjusts his way to disastrously funny on-set mishaps that delight the Tool Time audience but test the patience of his mild-mannered assistant, Al Borland (Richard Karn).


Is it any good?

 

Tim is no less accident-prone at home, but even though his wife, Jill (Patricia Richardson), has been known to call in professionals to pick up the pieces of her husband's work, she remains his biggest fan. They have a loving, respectful relationship that allows them to be an effective parenting team for their three boys: Brad (Zachary Ty Bryan), Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), and Mark (Taran Noah Smith).

Like many couples, Tim and Jill often struggle with understanding each other and their children, but they're guided by their slightly mysterious, philosophical neighbor, Wilson Wilson Jr. (Earl Hindman). Although much of Wilson's intellectual advice is lost in translation to Tim (and his misinterpretations are hysterical), Tim and Jill always learn a little something about their own feelings and each other's with Wilson's help. Strong writing, relatable storylines, and a great cast make this sitcom a winner for families.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about the importance of communication within a family. Why do family members need to be honest and open with each other? How do the Taylors work out their problems? Does their situation seem realistic to you? Families also can discuss when teasing is appropriate and when it isn't. Why do the Taylor boys pick on each other? How do you feel if someone teases you?


This review was written by Emily Ashby
Teen, 15 years old
April 9, 2008
 

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Kid, 13 years old
February 28, 2011
 
Funny Tween Show
Great Show, but there is a lot more stuff about sex and drugs in later episodes.

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Teen, 15 years old
December 21, 2009
 
hillarious; but cheesey acting

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Teen, 17 years old
April 9, 2008
 
It is a great show for older kids and up. Kids can easly watch it with there parents.

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Kid, 13 years old
December 24, 2009
 

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Teen, 17 years old
August 31, 2009
 
The Perfect Family Show
I love this show really much. There is the occasional swear word, the h' word thrown around once or twice, but it maintains a family title. There are plenty of role models and good messages in the show.

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Teen, 16 years old
January 15, 2011
 
~(:*
good show!

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Parent of 19 year old
May 31, 2010
 
Furniture Packages Spain
This is a wonderful opinion. The things mentioned are great and needs to be appreciated by everyone. Furniture Packages Spain

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Kid, 11 years old
February 18, 2011
 
perfect for tweens above 9
i was confused when i saw kissing in a season 4 episode of home improvement .thats why i dont want anyone under 9 watching this show ranked 7 out of my 25 favorite shows

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Teen, 15 years old
October 31, 2010
 
Very good show.

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This review was written by Emily Ashby
This review was written by Emily Ashby
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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