The DVD Dissection: Home Improvement - The Complete Eighth and Final Season

Posted by Chad Webb on 06.19.2008

The weakest season of the series finally arrives. How does it stack up after nearly a decade?

Tim Allen: Tim Taylor
Patricia Richardson: Jill Taylor
Zachary Ty Bryan: Bradley Michael Taylor
Jonathan Taylor Thomas: Randall William Taylor
Taran Noah Smith: Marcus Jason Taylor
Richard Karn: Al Borland
Debbie Dunning: Heidi Keppert
Earl Hindman: Wilson Wilson Jr.
William O' Leary: Martin "Marty" Taylor
Created By: Carmen Finestra, David McFadzean, Matt Williams
Directed By: Andrew Tsao, Geoffrey Nelson, Peter Bonerz, etc.
Season Air Time: 1998 - 1999
DVD Release Date: June 10, 2008
Full Running Time: 622 minutes
Individual Episode Running Time: 22-23 minutes (without commercials)/ 30 minutes (with commercials)
Rating: TV-PG


Buy Home Improvement Season 8 on DVD for $19.99 at Amazon

The Show

In the last season of the popular sitcom Home Improvement, the fans knew that the time to bow out was overdue. Season 7 exposed the flaws and faults getting more intense, and the last season only amplified that. As this is one of my favorite sitcoms, I missed a handful of episodes during this seasons original air dates. I have always maintained that most sitcoms are the best in the middle of the series run. The first seasons have the cast and crew finding a groove, while the last has them struggling to stay relevant.

The notable change for season 8 is the departure of Jonathan Taylor Thomas. He cited the reason as focusing on his education. It wouldn’t have anything to do with an aspiring indie film career that failed. Anyway, JTT’s character of Randy had gone from a wisecracking and intelligent middle child to a whiny, environmentally conscious, and dorky teenager. The only aspect I missed were his exchanges with Tim, which were customarily sharp and funny. He can be seen in the first two episodes, and the Christmas special, but not the finale. Some were more upset by this than I was. I did not care about his absence.

All the main characters return to form commendably, and that is not the problem. The main detriment for this season is the lack of effective plot threads which also staying true to the roots. They would take huge gambles to fill gaps, and in retrospect they appear so trivial and unnecessary. This is why so many episodes from the last two seasons are never seen in reruns or syndication. The writing staff attempts to have Heidi’s contribution become larger, but by introducing her husband so far down the line, it is too little, too late. Tim’s brothers appear here and there (we never do meet the third brother), but never feel consistent or official members of the cast. Marty does from time to time, but his twins hurt his status. They are portrayed by Ashley and Lindsey Trefger. I don’t mean to be harsh, but they were very poor performers. Instead of being remotely cute, they were maddening.

The writers had the chance to make Mark stand out one last time, but they didn’t. His hopeful film career is flirted with sporadically, but the random cooking interest still boggles the mind. Oh, and he is suddenly not goth anymore. While JTT was the most adored and well-known, Brad supplied the best storylines. He had the girls, the marijuana, and the soccer. Randy pretty much just had jokes, until the staff decided to make him fascinated the environment and politics. I did thoroughly enjoy Jill’s psychology sub-plot. It felt close to the character’s attitude, and thus unraveled well.

Every now and then someone will tell me that Home Improvement suffered because every episode was the same. If that is the only reason for disliking the show, I would advise you to rethink before arguing out loud. Many family oriented sitcoms have similar episode arcs. I loved this show because of Tim Allen, his genius wit, his chemistry with Richard Karn, and the female eye candy of course. Tim’s sarcasm, celebration of manly things, and constant need to improve various parts of house always made me laugh. It was a way to escape the stress of the world. I knew I could rely on this show to make me smile. I still miss it because I watch barely any shows these days. Most sitcoms strike me as redundant and hackneyed compared to ones like this.

The Episodes

DISC 1

Whitewater (22:14) - In the season premiere, Jill tries to surprise Tim by giving him a whitewater rafting vacation trip for his birthday. Tim wanted to spend it by himself. Wilson, Al, Heidi join them with a weird guide (Michael Cudlitz) and his wife. Mark and Brad are back home dealing with a couch stain. The season openers of this show are usually extremely cheesy, and this is no different. I did like the idea of Tim wanting to be on his own since I would probably be the same way. 6.5/10.0

Adios (22:10) - Randy’s girlfriend Lauren is leaving to help the rainforest in Costa Rica. When a last minute invite comes to Randy, he prepares to leave, while his parents struggle with the decision. This was a satisfactory send off for JTT, though it’s unfortunate that we won’t see Lauren anymore. I say good riddance, since his character changed for the worse anyhow. 8.0/10.0

All in the Family (22:26) - In this joyless retard of an episode, Tim’s brother Jeff (Thom Sharpe) and Jill’s sister Carrie (Tudi Roche) develop feelings for each other. This causes Tim and Jill to sleep uncomfortably. This is a bad episode, and it is worth noting that the kids are not included because their season 8 contracts were not settled yet. This was filmed before anything else. 4.0/10.0

Taylor Got Game (22:13) - Brad is having trouble with the SAT’s, so when Wilson’s English friend (Simon Templeman) arrives and offers Brad a position on his professional soccer team, he wants to sign up. This also has the Man’s Dorm Room, which could have been a little cooler I think. I liked this one as it continues to show how interesting Brad’s character can be. 8.5/10.0

Al's Fair Lady (22:29) - Tool Time has bought a van to travel around helping people on the spot. Meanwhile, Al invites Tim and Jill to meet his new girlfriend Trudy, who also happens to be wealthy. One really funny part has Brad trying to grow a goatee for soccer. Megan Cavanagh made a superb girlfriend for Al, so this episode isn’t too bad. 7.5/10.0

Bewitched (22:11) - Tim is up to his old tricks on Halloween, but no one seems to care for his pranks. During a party at Wilson’s house, he disappears, and Tim winds up being the prime suspect when the police become involved. The whole witch aspect was stupid even for Tim to fall for here. I was not a fan of this one. 6.0/10.0

Not-So-Great Scott (22:09) - We finally meet Heidi’s husband Scott (Mark Dobies). However, Jill’s student therapy session reveals one woman to be having an affair with the same Scott. I wish they would have integrated Scott into the series prior to this. The reason is that this premise seems kind of flat because he never shows up again afterwards. This was a weak effort, but I had no problems staring at Heidi. 6.5/10.0

DISC 2

Tim's First Car (22:29) - Tim locates his first car in an old junkyard, so he really wants to buy it. At the same time, Mark films a highlight video for Brad to send to colleges. This is classic “Home Improvement” stuff and I had fun watching it. Tim’s character would want his first car. Mark’s filming moments always irritated me as every line of dialogue he has is eye rolling. 8.0/10.0

Mr. Likeable (22:26) - The new audience ratings have Al as more likeable than Tim for the first time in years. With this new popularity, Al hires a manager that lands him a movie of the week with Morgan Fairchild. Also, Brad gives Mark advice on girls. This storyline was incredibly nonsensical in my opinion. I actually preferred the boys scenes. 5.0/10.0

Thanks, But No Thanks (22:27) - Tim’s brother Marty has fallen on hard times since splitting with his wife. He is now sleeping in Harry’s hardware store, and when Tim finds out he has him and the twins move in. Before long, Marty objects to the hospitality. A very satisfactory episode, and the new twins actresses would be at their most tolerable here. 7.5/10.0

Home for the Holidays (22:28) - Al and Tim face off in the annual roof lighting contest for the first time. At the same time, Randy surprises everyone by coming home for the holidays. Randy finds that things have changed. This episode was solid, and JTT wasn’t all that terrible in his performance.

Ploys for Tots (22:12) - Tim and Jill decide to give Marty parenting advice when one of the twins in constantly whining to get her way. I hated this episode as the twins are such poor actresses. Sometimes you can visibly see them looking at whoever is behind the camera. 5.0/10.0

Chop Shop 'Til You Drop (22:27) - Brad buys a car, but it is swiftly stolen, until it reappears later, but stripped. Tim and Al are upset when the authorities do nothing, so they go undercover to find out who is selling stolen goods. This proves why Tim and Al are one of the all-time best duos in sitcom history. The only problem was Mark’s sudden fascination with cooking. 9.0/10.0

Home Alone (22:11) - Tim is all by himself for the weekend, and he needs to start the book he has been delaying. Instead, he continues to procrastinate, daydream, and do as little as possible as we listen to an inner monologue. I love the character of Tim Taylor, and could watch him on his own any time, but this episode bothered me since it was so blatantly made at a time when the writers had no clue for ideas. The book was never mentioned again. This does have Oprah and Jay Leno as guest stars though. 6.0/10.0

Knee Deep (22:05) - Tool Time is filming inside the Taylor’s house, and Brad accidentally falls and seriously injures his knee which could affect his soccer future. Penn & Teller guest star with magic tricks. Yay. For some reason the crew gave Brad all the tolerable storylines . Everything happens to him so what can you expect? 7.5/10.0

DISC 3

Mark's Big Break (22:10) - With Valentine’s Day approaching, the day Tim unveils his new hot rod is also coming soon. He hires Mark to film a tribute video to the car, but it is not received with rave reviews. The end has a corny “Greased Lightning” video. My reaction to this was “meh.” 6.5/10.0

Young at Heart (22:26) - Tim and Jill’s anniversary plans are interrupted when Tim starts spending time with a new mechanic named Alex (Jenny McCarthy). It just so happens that Alex is an attractive female that loves cars. Jenny McCarthy was fun on this episode, and it was realistic for a man Tim’s age. 9.0/10.0

Love's Labor Lost, Part One (22:03) - Jill has some woman troubles after a visit to the gynecologist. It turns out she has a uterus tumor, and must have a hysterectomy soon. The “To Be Continued…” phrase concludes this hilarious and emotional episode. One of this shows strengths is mixing drama and comedy so deftly. 10.0/10.0

Love's Labor Lost, Part Two (22:16) - The aftermath of Jill’s surgery has her dealing with early menopause, complete with mood swings, hot flashes, and her mother. This is one where Patricia Richardson shines. It is by far her finest moment on the series. This also has a healthy blend of humor and drama. 10.0/10.0

Neighbors (22:28) - For Wilson’s birthday, Tim and Brad invite him to a Red Wings game. He ends up winning the prize, and wants to use the winnings on a greenhouse. The size causes an argument between he and Tim. This would have been perfect had the way Wilson acquired the dough not been preposterous. Still, Tim and Wilson needed to have a squabble. Patricia Richardson directed this one. 8.0/10.0

A Hardware Habit to Break (22:28) - Harry is selling the hardware store, so Tim throws a party to attract a buyer. No one wants to give the cash, so he does himself. Running the place proves to be difficult. Another potentially outstanding plot tarnished by the fact that Tim wants his friends to chip in. They could have gotten probable buyers who were not making less money that he is. 7.5/10.0

Loose Lips and Freudian Slips (22:28) - Mark is finally finished with his family documentary. Jill is also preparing to present her thesis paper to her professor. Embarrassment occurs when Jill is seen disparaging her professor as he is watching the film. Tim Allen helmed this one, and it was a fine outing I thought. Jill’s professor was a character that should have been on more often. 8.0/10.0

Trouble-A-Bruin (22:11) - A scout is attending one of Brad’s soccer games, but he must choose whether or not his knee is properly healed enough to participate. Also, Tim begins to be dissatisfied with new Binford policies. Somehow I doubt a scout would give his verdict in front of the parents, but this was ok for what it was. 7.5/10.0

DISC 4

Dead Weight (22:25) - Al works up the courage to tell his mother he plans to propose to Trudy. Unfortunately she dies after she hears this news. Binford President Bud hires a new VP named Morgan (Danny Zorn) to run Tool Time. His ideas escalate Tim’s discontent with the company. I wish we would have gotten a full look at Al’s mom, who was such a vital part to the humor from day one. 7.0/10.0

The Long and Winding Road, Part 1 (22:23) - Morgan Wandell, the new producer of Tool Time, turns the show into a “Jerry Springer” rip off. Because of this, Tim, Al, and Heidi quit. Jill then receives a job offer from Indiana. The beginning of the finale was gripping and made perfect sense as far as Tim’s mentality was concerned. 9.0/10.0

The Long and Winding Road, Part 2 (21:53) - Tim drives Mark and Brad to school before his Tool Time grand finale. Along the way, they reminisce on the past. This is a clip show. It was expected at this point. The soundtrack is actually quite good with Chumbawamba and Miami Sound Machine. 8.5/10.0

The Long and Winding Road, Part 3 (22:22) - In the final episode of the series the last Tool Time brings back all the boys from K & B Construction, and a few other guests as well. Jill has second thoughts about moving when Tim is handed an offer of his own. This was a very satisfying finale in my mind, and it should be given more credit for how crappy the bulk of the season was headed. 9.0/10.0

Home Improvement: Backstage Pass (19:59) - This aired immediately after the finale, and features out of character interviews, never before seen bloopers, and Wilson’s full face. This is only notable for Wilson’s face. The bloopers were funny too I guess.

The Video

As a regular DVD reviewer, I never have any discrepancies analyzing the technical specifications, but with sitcoms, as long as some idiot hasn’t butchered the quality, no one really notices huge flaws. Of course, some episodes might look superior to others, but a show like Home Improvement will not be remembered for bland picture transfers. Regardless, this season is a toss up. As I said, occasionally, one will see an episode that lacks the sharp detail, but who cares? My belief is that such faults will not alter ones judgment of said episode. The evident weakness just further cement the rapid and sloppy release by Buena Vista, but we already knew that. For aspect ratios, just scroll back to my previous season reviews.

The Audio

Is anyone reading this section of the review? If so, thanks, I appreciate it, but I don't have much to babble about. The explosions and sound effects are fine, and everyone comes across as understandable and clear with no distortion or fuzziness that I heard. Basically the audio was not top-notch, but average and solid. It is a Dolby Digital 2.0 mix, which is fine with me. Subtitles in English are inserted in case you wanted to know.

The Packaging

Home Improvement: The Complete Eighth and Final Season is distributed in the crappy cheap packaging they sprang on us last time. Instead of the nice foldout, cardboard slip digipacks, it a clear keep case with a dumb slip sleeve cover on top. The keep case in sturdier yes, but the continued absence of the inventive cases is aggravating. The discs are compacted on top of one another as usual, but I still say Buena Vista could have gone the extra mile. Inside, a farewell note from Executive Producer Bruce Ferber can be read underneath the discs. The blueprint menu layout is the same as it always has been, and the theme song never stops.

The Extras

Blooper Reel (6:05) - These are always entertaining. I still maintain that this series had some of the funniest outtakes of any sitcom.

Home Improvement: The User’s Guide (42:35) - This special had a running time of about one hour with commercials and ran on ABC in 2003. It was held in front of a live theater in Los Angeles. Tim Allen, Richard Karn, and Debbie Dunning take the stage and do some skits, while Tim does stand up, and also introduces clips. Casey Sander is there for absolutely no reason, and Earl Hindman narrates. This is basically another clip show, but it was still magnificent to watch them together again. Tim goes over some of the scenes using a freeze frame like telestrator. Overall, some of the clips were the exact same ones used on the episode clip show mentioned above, but I still enjoyed this for what it was.

Trailers - Previews for Wall-E and The Nightmare Before Christmas 2-Disc Special Edition are available.

The Show: 10.0/10.0
The Episodes: 6.5/10.0
The Video: 8.0/10.0
The Audio: 8.0/10.0
The Packaging: 7.0/10.0
The Extras: 6.0/10.0

The 411: I think everyone holds at least one sitcom close to their heart. Home Improvement was a show I tuned in for weekly when it would air. I wasn’t watching for season premieres or finales. I kept coming back because the characters made me laugh, and the plots were fun. This last season of the show was undoubtedly the weakest, but in my opinion the true fans are the best ones to acknowledge that because deep down they adore it no matter what. Sometimes it is important to stick by a show through the good times and bad. While a handful of episodes are extremely good, the struggling is most apparent in the writing, which was met with numerous dead ends. This DVD set is not the parting gift fans deserve. Not one commentary track on any of the season packs is definitely lazy. I do appreciate the single added featurette, but as it was mostly a clip show, more in depth bonuses would have been better. At this point my recommendation is almost pointless. If you are a die-hard follower, you will buy this just to have all the seasons. It makes me sad that I won’t be able to review this anymore. I guess I’ll have to move on to Perfect Strangers or Coach.

Final Score:  6.5   [ Average ]