A Fan Had A Fun Take About Who Could Play Al Borland’s Son In A Home Improvement Reboot, But Richard Karn Has A Different Idea

It’s been 25 years since Home Improvement ended (due to salary disagreements), but fans still can’t get enough of the ‘90s ABC sitcom. With many shows getting the reboot and revival treatment, the rumor mill has suggested that the beloved comedy may be making a comeback. Even lead actor Tim Allen shared ideas for a spinoff last year. More recently, one fan shared their thoughts on who should play the son of Richard Karn’s Al Borland should the project come to fruition. But the actor himself then shared his own perfect idea.

Richard Karn portrayed the master plumber, licensed contractor, and Tool Time co-host for the sitcom’s entire eight-season run. While his character never had a kid on the show, Al and Megan Cavanagh’s Trudy tied the knot in the series finale. So, depending on the potential reboot’s setting and who's included, it’s very possible that the Borlands have a kid or two by this point. After blondejoev suggested on X that Haley Joel Osment “would make a great Al Borland, Jr.,” Karn provided a candidate who's a bit closer to his heart:

It certainly wouldn’t be the first time that real-life family members have played kin on screen, and it's worked in many cases. Whether or not the Karns will actually team up for a sequel series is unknown, but it is fun to think about. Of course, part of that would depend on whether Karn’s son, Cooper, would be up for the job. Though I'd like to think that he'd probably be intrigued, at the very least, by the prospect of working with his dad on a TV show.

Of course, it should also be mentioned that Haley Joel Osment wouldn't be a bad pick, either. He certainly favors Richard Karn's character from a physical standpoint, and he also has great comedic chops.

If a reboot were to happen, it probably wouldn’t be for a while, though. Tim Allen is working on a new ABC sitcom that is actually being shot at the same studio lot as Home Improvement. The new show, Shifting Gears, has yet to receive a series order from ABC, as it's only in the pilot phase. So that means that there's a possibility that it doesn’t move forward at the network. However, Allen obviously has a long relationship with the company, and he's proven that he's still a draw on the small screen. So I'd say there’s a good chance it moves forward.

There have reportedly been real discussions of an HI reboot, according to Tim Allen, but his on-screen wife, Patricia Richardson, claimed earlier this year that she hadn't heard anything. And the same was apparently true of the pair's co-star, ‘90s teen heartthrob Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who also wasn't in the know when Richardson reached out to him about the supposed show. All the while, fellow series alum Zachery Ty Bryan has had legal troubles over the past few years, which would made his involvement in this theoretical production challenging.

Considering the enduring popularity of Home Improvement, I wouldn't be surprised if a reboot were to happen. Should it occur and Richard Karn's Al has a son, I'd hope to see Cooper Karn playing the role. In the meantime, fans can stream the classic multi-camera comedy with a Hulu subscription.