Tim Allen’s 1990s ABC sitcom Home Improvement ran for eight seasons, earned him a Golden Globe, and remains one of the most-watched domestic comedies in American television history. A revival has been discussed for years. It is not happening anytime soon.
“They’ve got their own issues,” Allen said in recent remarks, referring to the three actors who played his sons on the show. “I always thought it would be cool if it was a story about them. That’s a little challenging right now, to put it mildly.”
The obstacles, as Allen outlined in an interview that Variety covered on June 10, 2026, are substantial — and range from professional withdrawal to active incarceration.
Brad: In Prison
Zachery Ty Bryan, who played eldest son Brad Taylor, is currently serving time for probation violations stemming from felony DUI and domestic violence convictions in 2024 and 2025. His legal troubles extend further back: in 2020 he was charged with felony strangulation in Oregon, followed by additional charges for felony assault and robbery the following year. A 2025 domestic violence arrest triggered the probation violation that put him in custody.
Randy: Retired
Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who played middle son Randy and became one of the most prominent teen idols of the 1990s, has effectively retired from acting. He has not appeared on screen since a guest role on Allen’s subsequent sitcom Last Man Standing in 2015. Patricia Richardson, who played the family matriarch Jill Taylor, confirmed in a 2024 podcast interview that Thomas “hasn’t acted since he left the show” and has transitioned to writing and directing.
Mark: Gone Since 1999
Taran Noah Smith, who played youngest son Mark, has not taken an on-screen role since the series ended in 1999 — aside from a voice credit on the animated series Batman Beyond that same year. He has remained entirely absent from the entertainment industry.
The Matriarch Was Never Consulted
Allen’s public remarks about a potential revival were further complicated when Richardson revealed she had not been consulted about reboot discussions — despite Allen’s earlier statements suggesting the full cast was enthusiastically on board. Richardson said she “would not want to” return in any case. She did reunite with Allen, Richard Karn, and Debbe Dunning for Season 2 of ABC’s Shifting Gears.
“It was so weird,” Richardson said of learning Allen had characterized the cast as collectively interested in a revival.
Deadline reported in June 2026 that Allen acknowledged the show is “stuck” with “personality problems now with the boys” — a notably understated framing of circumstances that include a cast member’s active incarceration.
The difficulty mirrors broader challenges facing franchise revivals. Matt Damon recently acknowledged that the Bourne franchise remains in active development for a sixth film but has yet to find a story worthy of production — illustrating how audience demand for a return does not guarantee the human preconditions for one.
Fractured relationships between former collaborators compound the problem further. Seth Rogen confirmed this month there are no plans to reconcile with former collaborator James Franco — another instance where the human geography of a creative team has shifted in ways that foreclose a reunion.
Home Improvement ran from September 1991 through May 1999, starring Allen as Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor — a home improvement television host prone to over-engineering every project, balanced against a patient and formidable wife. It regularly ranked among the top five programs in American television. Allen received a Golden Globe for his performance in 1995. The series finale drew nearly 35 million viewers. The Hollywood Reporter noted that Allen continues to express desire for a revival — even as the preconditions for one remain entirely out of his control.
Television is full of such institutional obstacles. Jon Hamm was disqualified from the Emmy guest actor race this season after his team submitted him in the wrong category for The Morning Show — a reminder that even established stars operate within systems that do not yield to reputation or goodwill.
Whether Home Improvement returns depends, in Allen’s own framing, on people who are no longer in the industry — or, in one case, no longer free.
