TV
Patricia Richardson From Home Improvement Explains Why She Won't Do A Reboot
“We did it well, and quit at the right time before it got really bad, and it should just stay as it is, and not become a bad version of it.”
Not every show we loved from the ‘90s needs a reboot. Just ask Home Improvement’s Patricia Richardson, who played Jill Taylor for all eight seasons of the sitcom. She recently responded to rumors that the series might get a reboot, and made it clear that she’s definitely not participating in it. In fact, she said she wasn’t even asked.
Richardson opened up about the possibility of reprising her role as mom of three sons and wife to Tim “The Toolman” Taylor (Tim Allen) on Home Improvement in an interview on the Back to the Best podcast. The sitcom ran from 1991 to 1999, and there have been rumors circulating over the past few years about the possibility of a reboot, fueled in large part by comments made by Allen himself.
As far as Richardson is concerned, it’s simply not going to happen. “I wouldn't want to do a show. Zach [Zachery Ty Brian, who played oldest son Brad Taylor and has been charged with multiple crimes including domestic abuse] is now a felon, Taran [Taran Noah Smith, who played youngest son Mark] hasn’t acted since he left the show, he’s not an actor anymore, and Jonathan [Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who played middle son Randy] is not really interested in acting, he wants to direct and write,” Richardson explained.
She also noted that Earl Hindman, who played next door neighbor Wilson, died. “So if they did it without Earl, and just two kids probably, if that, it’s not going to be the same show. People think we can just go back 30 years ago and do the same show, we can’t, we’ve all changed quite a bit. The show would be very weird.”
“We did it well, and quit at the right time before it got really bad,” she added, “and it should just stay as it is, and not become a bad version of it.”
Tim Allen has repeatedly talked about the potential for a Home Improvement reboot in recent years. “I see Richard Karn a lot,” Allen told The Messenger in 2023, referring to the actor who played Al Borland in the series. “And I talk to the boys [referencing the men who played his sons]… and I’m there as one of their friends. We keep talking about [a spinoff].”
He went on to share what he thought the show might look like. “It’s funny, one of the conversations we’ve had recently is how weird it would be if Home Improvement would be about the kids’ kids,” Allen told The Messenger. “Like if all of them had children, and I’m a grandparent. Home Re-Improvement or something like that. It’s come up.”
Richardson explained that Allen had not contacted her about the possibility of a reboot or Taylor Thomas. “I asked Jonathan about being asked and he said no, and I thought it was so weird, why is he going around telling people this when he hasn’t talked to you or me? I think that’s weird,” she said on the podcast.
Tim Allen might be interested in making a Home Improvement reboot, but without most of the cast it doesn’t really amount to much more than the Tim Allen show.
