“Home Improvement” Stars Reunite for Tim Allen’s Shifting Gears

Get ready to dust off your tool belts, because Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor is back — well, sort of. Tim Allen’s current sitcom Shifting Gears is bringing the nostalgia with a mini Home Improvement reunion in its season two premiere, airing October 1st.

Who’s Back?

Patricia Richardson (a.k.a. TV’s ultimate mom Jill Taylor), Richard Karn (the ever-patient Al Borland with his plaid shirts), and Debbe Dunning (Tool Time’s unforgettable Heidi) will all make guest appearances.

That’s right: it’s been 26 years since the final episode of Home Improvement aired, and fans are about to get the kind of TV moment that makes you want to grunt “Uhh? Uhh? Uhh?” like Tim Allen in the 90s.

What’s the Story?

The exact details of their roles are hush-hush, but we know one thing: their characters will rally around Allen’s character, Matt Parker, in an unexpected way. Translation: we’re in for some heart, some laughs, and probably at least one nod to power tools.

About Shifting Gears

For those who haven’t tuned in yet, the series follows Matt (Allen) as his estranged daughter Riley (played by Kat Dennings) and her kids move into his home. It’s a family-meets-chaos sitcom with that classic Tim Allen flavour: grumpy dad energy, warm fuzzies underneath, and plenty of side-eye jokes.

This is Allen’s third sitcom, following his long run on Last Man Standing (2011–2021). But let’s be real — nothing has defined his career quite like Home Improvement. That show gave us neighbour Wilson, more plaid than a lumberjack convention, and a generation of Canadians and Americans who thought grunting was a legitimate form of communication.

RELATED: TIM ALLEN AND RICHARD KARN REUNITE FOR NEW SHOW ‘MORE POWER’ ON HISTORY CHANNEL

Not Quite a Reboot — But Close Enough

Sure, it’s not the full Home Improvement revival fans secretly (or not-so-secretly) want. But this reunion scratches the itch. Think of it as a TV appetizer — a throwback snack for those of us who grew up watching Tim accidentally staple his hand to drywall while Al rolled his eyes in the background.

So, mark your calendars for October 1st. Because for one episode at least, it’s tool time again.