For fans of the '90s sitcom Home Improvement, 2021 is something of a banner year. Not only did Tim Allen deliver a baffling Last Man Standing crossover episode in which he portrayed both Tim Taylor and Mike Baxter, but the comedian also reteamed with former co-star Richard Karn for a brand new series with talented builders as its focus. First announced last year, History's Assembly Required released its first trailer (seen above), which feels like it could have been an ad for Home Improvement's in-show Tool Time.
Wasn't that video like a callback to 1991? Okay, well what about a version of 1991 in which Home Improvement's Tim Allen and Richard Karn are a lot older and are sporting more body hair? As well, a 1991 in which Allen has successfully campaigned for his signature grunts to be accepted as a viable language. It was only a matter of time! For those keeping track of such things as time, the new show's debut will hit TVs nearly 30 years after the two actors first appeared together in primetime for the ABC sitcom.
Both Tim Allen and Richard Karn serve as co-hosts for Assembly Required, and both are also executive produces behind the scenes. They'll be joined in hosting duties by DIY YouTube star April Wilkerson, who serves as the show's resident expert. We'll have to wait and see whether Wilkerson will become another foil for Allen's jokes, or if she'll join him in poking clever fun at Al...er, I mean Karn.
Tim Allen recently talked about having kept the entire Tool Time set after Home Improvement had wrapped. Perhaps Assembly Required was able to utilize that collection in certain ways that would make this new show basically just a carbon copy version of Tool Time, just without the legal ramifications.
For Assembly Required, Tim Allen and Richard Karn will be showcasing some of the most skilled and talented builders from around the United States going head-to-head to see who can come up with the most game-changing and unpredictable creations in a series of three rounds. We're talking a do-it-yourself jacuzzi, an all-season ice melter/leaf blower, and more. And in true Tim Taylor style, the goal will be for these builders to stretch beyond their limits to go bigger and more powerful with each creation. [Grunt grunt grunt].
Check out what Tim Allen and Richard Karn had to say in the announcement, which immediately hearkens back to the silly way Allen antagonizes Karn.
ALLEN: They say a longtime friend is someone who responds with, ‘This is by far your worst idea ever’…Fortunately, this was a great idea working with Richard. I loved those days doing Tool Time. We both share a great appreciation of people who can solve a problem not by talking about it, but by ‘doing’ it with creativity and amazing building skills. Plus it gives me more time to make fun of his fake beard.KARN: Tim has always been jealous of my facial hair...mainly because when he grows his it looks a bit off...but I will say this has been one of his best ideas ever. Working alongside him has been the bright spot of this difficult year. We see eye to eye on a lot of things, but if nothing else this show has brought out the differences in our own personal design preferences and when you add in the creativity of our contestants, well let’s just say, it brings me great joy to be a part of this!
With Last Man Standing heading for its series finale this spring, fans hopefully won't need to look far for Tim Allen's placement elsewhere in the TV spectrum. But in any case, you can find him on History Channel whenever Assembly Required debuts on Tuesday, February 23, at 10:00 p.m. ET. Be sure to build yourself a bigass comfortable chair in order to watch it from, too.
