Tool Time
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Tool Time was the fictitious handyman show-within-a-show in the television situation comedy, Home Improvement. It was hosted by Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor (played by Tim Allen) and Al Borland (played by Richard Karn). The sponsor of Tool Time was Binford Tools, a fictitious tool manufacturing company. The show was said to be played on channel 112.
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[edit] The "Tool Time girls"
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Part of the show's attraction was its token "Tool Time girl", whose primary roles were to look good, be curvaceous, roll out various props and help introduce the two hosts. In the first two seasons, Pamela Anderson played Tool Time girl Lisa. When Pamela left the show, Debbe Dunning stepped in as her replacement, Heidi, who stayed until the show's end. A fictional flashback to the first episode shows Mrs. Binford playing the part of the Tool Time girl. Also in an ironic, but humorous twist, that "first episode" featured Tim with a beard, while Al sported a clean-shaven face, a direct opposite of their normal look. An episode of Home Improvement, entitled "Fifth Anniversary" (which aired in 1994) celebrated Tool Times 5th anniversary, thus revealing that Tool Time debuted in 1989. Tool Time was said to be the 4th most popular cable based tool show in all of Michigan.
[edit] Format
Most episodes start with the following dialogue:
- Lisa/Heidi: "Does everybody know what time it is?"
- Audience: "TOOL TIME!"
- Heidi: "That's right! Binford Tools is proud to present Tim 'The Tool Man' Taylor!"
- Lisa: "Binford Tools is proud to present 'Tool Time'!"
During Tool Time, the hosts would teach audiences about home repair and renovations. However, Tim was more inclined to joke around, especially about Al's overweight mother and his affinity for wearing flannel shirts. Al would attempt to continue the show in a proper manner. Invariably, whenever Al was about to demonstrate the use of a particular machine, Tim would bring out his own version of the same machine that had been rewired for more power. The new machine would then backfire and cause the accidents for which Tim became famous. Sometimes, the accidents were not caused by overpowered machines but by Tim's negligence for safety precautions, though occasionally, the producers would surprise the viewers by Tim's overpowered machine actually working or Al being the one who makes the mistake. Often Tim would unveil a project that had somehow been set-up to make Al look stupid, and Al would either fall victim to Tim (in the case of a "soundproof" booth), or discover the prank and turn it back on Tim himself (in the situation of Tim electrifying Al's toolbelt, and Al switching belts with Tim before the show).
[edit] Tim's off-screen problems mentioned
Tim often mentioned his current off-screen problems during the show. If he had an argument with his wife Jill (Patricia Richardson), he would find an excuse to bring up the subject of the argument on Tool Time even if it had nothing to do with home improvement. In many episodes of the show, he also used this time to apologize to Jill in a subtle way.
[edit] Mailing address
Tim would at times say something offensive to a certain group on the show (most likely women) to which Al would respond by reciting (and showing on a cue card) the show's mailing address:
- Tim Taylor
- c/o Tool Time
- P.O. Box 32733
- Detroit, MI 48252
Also, Al Borland would sometimes hold up a cue card with the Phone number of Tim: (815) 555-TOOL
[edit] Studio audience
The audience for Tool Time was the actual live studio audience for Home Improvement. Before Tool Time starts, Al and Tim's humorous conversation is pre-recorded.
[edit] Special guests
Guests on Tool Time included a group of construction workers who started a band featuring music played on tools (the "boys from K&B Construction"), racecar drivers Mario Andretti and Michael Andretti, Robby Gordon, George Foreman, Evander Holyfield, Grant Hill, the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-73), Drew Carey as a Road Kill Remover and real-life home improvement host Bob Vila. Vila was typically portrayed as Tim's rival and Al's idol, and Tim refused to acknowledge Vila for his contributions to home improvement. Tim once even hit Vila in the head with a 4-by-8 (albeit by accident). Tim and Bob Vila raced in a Lawn Mover and a Hot Rod Race. Tim would have won the Hot Rod race but didn't want to ruin his engine by going over the redline. In a Christmas special, Tim invited the vocal group Manhattan Transfer. They sang two songs while Tim joked around in the background and tried to help Al, who got stuck in a fireplace. Also Alan Jackson appeared on the show and sung Mercury Blues while Tim was in a Mercury messing around.
