Patricia Richardson, former co-star of Tim Allen, has expressed her doubts about the possibility of a Home Improvement reboot with the original cast, including Jonathan Taylor Thomas. Richardson claimed that Allen never approached her or Thomas about the idea, despite publicly stating that everyone was on board for the reunion. She mentioned that Thomas is not interested in acting anymore and wants to pursue directing and writing. Additionally, the absence of Earl Hindman, who played the Taylors’ neighbor Wilson, and the legal troubles of Zachery Ty Bryan, who portrayed one of the sons, would make a reboot challenging.
Home Improvement originally aired from 1991 to 1999, with Richardson playing Jill Taylor, the wife of Tim “The Toolman” Taylor, played by Allen. The show also featured Bryan, Thomas, and Taran Noah Smith as the children of the Taylor family. Richardson received multiple Emmy Award nominations for her role in the series and the show itself garnered various awards during its run. Despite the success of the original series, Richardson believes that trying to recreate it now would be strange, as the cast members have all moved on and changed over the years.
Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who played one of the children on Home Improvement, has shifted his focus away from acting and towards directing and writing. He made a few appearances on Tim Allen’s Last Man Standing in 2013 and 2015, as well as directing some episodes of the show. Richardson also appeared on Last Man Standing in 2015 and 2016, showcasing a reunion of sorts between former Home Improvement cast members. Despite these brief reunions, Richardson remains skeptical about the possibility of a full Home Improvement reboot.
Tim Allen had previously mentioned the idea of a Home Improvement spinoff with the original cast, including Richard Karn and the onscreen kids. However, Richardson believes that without the full original cast, particularly Earl Hindman and with Bryan’s legal troubles, the essence of the show would not be the same. She expressed her concerns about trying to recreate the show from 30 years ago, stating that everyone has changed and progressed since then. Richardson believes that the original show ended at the right time and should stay as it is.
In conclusion, Patricia Richardson has voiced her doubts about the potential success of a Home Improvement reboot with the original cast due to various reasons. She highlighted the changes in the actors’ lives and the challenges of recreating the magic of the original show. Despite the success and accolades received by the series during its original run, Richardson believes that attempting to revive it now would be awkward and not true to the spirit of the original. As such, it seems unlikely that fans will see a full-fledged Home Improvement reunion in the near future.
