Tim is awakened at the crack of dawn by a pesky and persistent tapping sound. It's that darn woodpecker again. Yelling at it didn't work, swatting at it with Jill's bathrobe didn't work, it only pulled down the gutter. So, Tim tries to poke it with a broom...except he didn't know Jill had closed the window, so add shattered glass to Tim's list of things to clean up in the morning. So as the boys get ready for school, Brad complains of a fever, so Jill sticks a thermometer in his mouth...but while her back is turned, Brad dips it into the coffee. He doesn't have a fever, he's just trying to get out of something. Probably a test. Close, it's his math homework. He didn't do it, and Jennifer won't let him copy off of hers anymore, so in his eyes, they've broken up. Anyway, once Jill reads Brad's 108° temperature and sees that he's still conscious, she sends him off to school. Then she asks Randy what's up, and he tells her Brad broke up with Jennifer. Her heart aches for the little guy, while Tim can't get that woodpecker off his mind, and it would be right at home because it's made of wood. So he tries to blast it with a compressor. Five bucks says he takes the second story right off the house.
Jill tries to console a "heartbroken" Brad over his break-up, and then, who should show up at their door but Jennifer herself! She angrily gives Brad his math workbook and blurts out how she does his work for him. Jill heard the whole thing, so now heads will roll. His excuse was because he wanted to keep getting good grades so he could be a "good son" and make his parents "happy." In response, his happy parents ground him a week. Brad's problem, or problems, seem to be multiplying compound fractions. He doesn't see any point to it, and I think most of us can agree with that. But when Brad is in high school and he has to do algebra, he's going to PINE for the days of compound fractions. So, Tim and Jill step in to help teach Brad a thing for two about compound fractions, which will be a challenge in itself as neither one understand them very well either. Unfortunately, Woody cuts into Tim's concentration and so he goes after him with a Super Soaker. Wilson tried to suggest an owl, even a wooden owl would do the trick. Tim also tells him about Brad's math woes and how he personally doesn't think compound fractions will ever come in handy in his life. Wilson felt the same way about his knowledge of ancient philosophies, until Tim moved in. Next is a horrendous Tool Time where Tim tries to demonstrate the dry ice method when removing an old floor, drives it in with a bulldozer, but quickly loses control and smashes Al's mother's china cabinet. To be fair, Al should've known better than to bring anything valuable and breakable onto Tool Time. Then, Tim decides to go Wile E. Coyote on that woodpecker by constructing a flying death machine out of Mark's toy helicopter, after the wooden owl idea blew chips. Unfortunately, the helicopter suddenly becomes sentient and chases Tim all over the yard.
I think most people can relate to Brad in this episode. I know I can. Math has always been my worst subject, and what I said earlier about algebra is true. That stuff is math from Hell. But at least he managed to get a handle on compound fractions, thanks to Jill...who was secretly being tutored by Jennifer, as she and Brad are back together again. As for Tim and the woodpecker, I'm reminded of a Married With Children episode where Al actually dresses like an owl and sits in a tree to try and ward off a woodpecker. I can't really imagine Tim doing something like that, but rather he'd build an electronic owl that gives off a very loud hoot every half hour. Funny episode, good message, Bye Bye Birdie is definitely a winner. By the way, remember the scene where Tim loses control of the bulldozer? In actuality, Tim Allen really did lose control when doing that scene. He momentarily channeled his character and let go of the controls, as he himself points out in Tim Allen's Users Guide to Home Improvement. Some semi-reunion show he did in 2003. As for a proper reunion show, it looks like one will never happen. Why? No more Wilson.
Jill tries to console a "heartbroken" Brad over his break-up, and then, who should show up at their door but Jennifer herself! She angrily gives Brad his math workbook and blurts out how she does his work for him. Jill heard the whole thing, so now heads will roll. His excuse was because he wanted to keep getting good grades so he could be a "good son" and make his parents "happy." In response, his happy parents ground him a week. Brad's problem, or problems, seem to be multiplying compound fractions. He doesn't see any point to it, and I think most of us can agree with that. But when Brad is in high school and he has to do algebra, he's going to PINE for the days of compound fractions. So, Tim and Jill step in to help teach Brad a thing for two about compound fractions, which will be a challenge in itself as neither one understand them very well either. Unfortunately, Woody cuts into Tim's concentration and so he goes after him with a Super Soaker. Wilson tried to suggest an owl, even a wooden owl would do the trick. Tim also tells him about Brad's math woes and how he personally doesn't think compound fractions will ever come in handy in his life. Wilson felt the same way about his knowledge of ancient philosophies, until Tim moved in. Next is a horrendous Tool Time where Tim tries to demonstrate the dry ice method when removing an old floor, drives it in with a bulldozer, but quickly loses control and smashes Al's mother's china cabinet. To be fair, Al should've known better than to bring anything valuable and breakable onto Tool Time. Then, Tim decides to go Wile E. Coyote on that woodpecker by constructing a flying death machine out of Mark's toy helicopter, after the wooden owl idea blew chips. Unfortunately, the helicopter suddenly becomes sentient and chases Tim all over the yard.
I think most people can relate to Brad in this episode. I know I can. Math has always been my worst subject, and what I said earlier about algebra is true. That stuff is math from Hell. But at least he managed to get a handle on compound fractions, thanks to Jill...who was secretly being tutored by Jennifer, as she and Brad are back together again. As for Tim and the woodpecker, I'm reminded of a Married With Children episode where Al actually dresses like an owl and sits in a tree to try and ward off a woodpecker. I can't really imagine Tim doing something like that, but rather he'd build an electronic owl that gives off a very loud hoot every half hour. Funny episode, good message, Bye Bye Birdie is definitely a winner. By the way, remember the scene where Tim loses control of the bulldozer? In actuality, Tim Allen really did lose control when doing that scene. He momentarily channeled his character and let go of the controls, as he himself points out in Tim Allen's Users Guide to Home Improvement. Some semi-reunion show he did in 2003. As for a proper reunion show, it looks like one will never happen. Why? No more Wilson.
