No place like home for the holidays... yes, I know I'm reviewing a Christmas episode in October. Well, what of it? Today, on a live edition of Tool Time, Tim and Al are amateur chimney sweeps at the Taylor home. And leave it to Tim's mother call right in the middle of the show. Lucille makes her son look the fool and double checks when the family is coming for their visit. Yep, this year the Taylors will be doing Christmas a little differently. This episode is the only Home Improvement Christmas episode to not feature a subplot about Tim competing with Doc Johnson in the neighborhood lighting contest, as this year, Tim and his brothers, Marty and Jeff, are going to be helping their mother move out of her house. It's a very emotional time, as there are many memories in that place, but at least Tim gets to do something he loves: drive a BIG truck. They hit the road, Tim showing off his limited trucker lingo, while Jill focuses more on the traumatic side of moving. She remembers having to move so many times in her youth...and she never hesitates to remind everybody of that fact and how emotional it was for her. So they arrive at Lucille's, Marty and Jeff are helping her pack, as well as fight over an old toilet Jeff remembers fondly from the night of his bachelor party, and Tim looks around the old homestead, which looked so empty. But at least the original mantle piece and staircase that his father built were still in tact. However, one night, as Tim relives a fond childhood memory of sliding down the banister and taking a newel post to the nads, the doorbell rings. It's the new owners of the house. In a nut shell, they're yuppie douchebags who want to replace all the fine, hand-carved wood furnishings, which Tim and his dad built with tender loving care, with new-age, gauche crap. Tim doesn't approve of their decisions and chases them out.
Apparently Tim's mom is okay with the yuppies' decision, seeing as how they are the new owners and the house is their's. By the way, why is Lucille selling the house anyway? They never seemed to address that. Property taxes too high, maybe? Not wanting to live alone in a huge house? Who knows? But anyway, Tim tries to come to terms with having to part with his childhood home. It's not easy. So many memories. So, to celebrate and properly close this chapter of their lives, they have an early Christmas dinner together in the house. A pizza picnic on the floor, and afterwards, the boys suggest singing food-related Christmas carols. Good times were had by all. Tim even speaks metaphorically, how he is a lot like that old house: when those yuppies talked about ripping out the insides, Tim felt like it was his insides being ripped out. On that note, Lucille tells the boys to take whatever they want from the house. Marty and Jeff flip for the toilet, and Tim decides to rip out the mantle and banister and replace them at home, so maybe this won't be such a total loss after all.
Anybody in the audience who's had to move so many times, or say goodbye to an old house that's been in your family for years can certainly relate to Tim here. There really isn't much I can say about this episode, except that it was done really well. The characters were all very believable in a situation that is all too real to some people. Also, we get to see a flashback of young Tim helping his dad build the staircase. The only time we got to see Tim's dad in the series, as we know he died when Tim was young. What he died of was never addressed. Much like Lucille's reason for selling the house, but I guess the reason wasn't important as much as the fact that it was happening. Those who have had to go through this, just remember that the memories are what you take with you, and no matter what frivolous changes some yuppies want to make to the old house, the memories can never be taken away. So check out this episode around the holiday season, or any time of the year.
Apparently Tim's mom is okay with the yuppies' decision, seeing as how they are the new owners and the house is their's. By the way, why is Lucille selling the house anyway? They never seemed to address that. Property taxes too high, maybe? Not wanting to live alone in a huge house? Who knows? But anyway, Tim tries to come to terms with having to part with his childhood home. It's not easy. So many memories. So, to celebrate and properly close this chapter of their lives, they have an early Christmas dinner together in the house. A pizza picnic on the floor, and afterwards, the boys suggest singing food-related Christmas carols. Good times were had by all. Tim even speaks metaphorically, how he is a lot like that old house: when those yuppies talked about ripping out the insides, Tim felt like it was his insides being ripped out. On that note, Lucille tells the boys to take whatever they want from the house. Marty and Jeff flip for the toilet, and Tim decides to rip out the mantle and banister and replace them at home, so maybe this won't be such a total loss after all.
Anybody in the audience who's had to move so many times, or say goodbye to an old house that's been in your family for years can certainly relate to Tim here. There really isn't much I can say about this episode, except that it was done really well. The characters were all very believable in a situation that is all too real to some people. Also, we get to see a flashback of young Tim helping his dad build the staircase. The only time we got to see Tim's dad in the series, as we know he died when Tim was young. What he died of was never addressed. Much like Lucille's reason for selling the house, but I guess the reason wasn't important as much as the fact that it was happening. Those who have had to go through this, just remember that the memories are what you take with you, and no matter what frivolous changes some yuppies want to make to the old house, the memories can never be taken away. So check out this episode around the holiday season, or any time of the year.
