This sitcom pretty much exemplifies the worst problems I had with television from the 1990's. Tim Allen was one of a number of popular comedians who were given a sitcom in the 1990's. His stand up was probably whitewashed by network censors, though I find it hard to believe someone whose primary comedic shtick was grunting and growling while yelling "MORE POWER" as his catchphrase was edgy as Lenny Bruce or Richard Pryor. Tim Allen was Tim Taylor, a former Detroit salesman for a tool company called Binford who was given a home improvement style talk show. He lives with his family, made up of his wife, Jill, and three sons; Brad, Randy and Mark. He's supposed to be a klutz, often injuring himself by taking shortcuts and or being generally unsafe. Allen's character also has this strange personal dislike of TV home improvement originator Bob Villa. Besides that he's loves his sports (all the Detroit teams; Tigers, Lions, Red Wings, Pistons), hot rods and playing around at home with different projects.
Allen's TV kids are obnoxious little twerps. The middle son, Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), is only one who really comes close to having a personality but the writers thought it was funny to make him an antisocial smart aleck. The oldest son Brad, has a mullet through part of the first season and is later shown with a ponytail and the sides of his head shaven, easily the two worst ways an adolescent male could have worn his hair in the 90's. Brad is a dim bulb who takes more after his dad but for some reason is shown to have more success with girlfriends. The youngest Mark is a sensitive mama's boy most of the show until the last few years where he goes through an emo-goth phase, wearing black baggy jeans and spiking up his hair. The mom, Jill, starts off as a homemaker but is soon shown working outside the home in a number of jobs before going back to college to pursue a psychology degree.
Jill and Tim fight in the most of the show's episodes about some small problem that's blown out of proportion so it becomes a marriage issue. Tim is supposed to be a chauvinist but somehow is sensitive enough to seek an emotional rapport with his wife, seeing the problem from her perspective. He often consults with his wise neighbor Wilson Wilson, PhD, who is happy to dispense marriage counseling for free that's always effective no matter what. Jill is almost always the wounded party and the show seems to gleefully blame Tim's behavior for their spats. This is what really bothers me about this show. A good marriage family therapist is going to tell any couple that solving relationship problems isn't about assigning blame. Building and maintaining relationships is a meeting of equals, finding understanding, looking outside your perspective to understand a partner's needs and being able to express your feelings in a positive way. This show is too focused on making the husband into a buffoon to do this.
Allen's TV kids are obnoxious little twerps. The middle son, Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), is only one who really comes close to having a personality but the writers thought it was funny to make him an antisocial smart aleck. The oldest son Brad, has a mullet through part of the first season and is later shown with a ponytail and the sides of his head shaven, easily the two worst ways an adolescent male could have worn his hair in the 90's. Brad is a dim bulb who takes more after his dad but for some reason is shown to have more success with girlfriends. The youngest Mark is a sensitive mama's boy most of the show until the last few years where he goes through an emo-goth phase, wearing black baggy jeans and spiking up his hair. The mom, Jill, starts off as a homemaker but is soon shown working outside the home in a number of jobs before going back to college to pursue a psychology degree.
Jill and Tim fight in the most of the show's episodes about some small problem that's blown out of proportion so it becomes a marriage issue. Tim is supposed to be a chauvinist but somehow is sensitive enough to seek an emotional rapport with his wife, seeing the problem from her perspective. He often consults with his wise neighbor Wilson Wilson, PhD, who is happy to dispense marriage counseling for free that's always effective no matter what. Jill is almost always the wounded party and the show seems to gleefully blame Tim's behavior for their spats. This is what really bothers me about this show. A good marriage family therapist is going to tell any couple that solving relationship problems isn't about assigning blame. Building and maintaining relationships is a meeting of equals, finding understanding, looking outside your perspective to understand a partner's needs and being able to express your feelings in a positive way. This show is too focused on making the husband into a buffoon to do this.