User Reviews

Tim and Al are doing a salute to the military, as you may recall Al was in the navy. He was stationed in Nevada, but he still looks upon his service with honor and respect. On today's show, our hapless heroes will be looking at tools the men in uniform use, and helping out is an old buddy of Tim's, Lt. Colonel McDougal, U.S.M.C., who's brought along some tools for working on tanks. Tim is so enthralled that he asks his buddy, who he'd earlier referred to as "moon-pie face" if he could arrange it so Tim could drive a tank. McDougal assures him that if comes out to California where he's stationed, he could arrange it. When he gets home, he tells Jill about the trip, and wouldn't you know, she wants to come along. But she doesn't want to just hang around a hotel and spa, she wants to go out in the desert with Tim and drive a tank. Despite Tim's objections, Jill begs him like a child until he gives in. So they drop Brad, Randy and Mark off at Al's and head out west. Al has a big, fun, carefree weekend all planned out for he and the boys. First up, a game of Parcheesi. Diet treats for whoever wins. Yeah, they're in for a good time. Out in California, Colonel McDougal shows off the giant 6-ton olive drab beauties to Tim and Jill, the latter seeming to be an expert, and she continuously tells the colonel about how she's always dreamed of actually being allowed to drive a tank. He says even though women aren't allowed to operate them in combat, he would be willing to arrange for Jill to test drive a tank.

So after Tim accidentally fires off one of the tank's machine guns--I don't know why they didn't disarm them, knowing Tim would be there--the Taylors set off on their tank test drive. Immediately, Tim steers the thing right into the track pylons, knocking down every single one in sight, and then he drives right through a golf course, crushing two golf carts. Jill, on the other hand, drove that tank like a pro. So after that bit of fun, and Tim being banned from EVER driving a tank again, they go to the mess hall. Needless to say, Tim is still smarting about being outdone by his wife on something he thought he could do well...as if that never happened before. To add insult to injury, McDougal and another officer have a good laugh at Tim's expense, figuring him as somebody inexperienced with machines, and mention that while the whole base is praising Jill, they're laughing at Tim. He shows his jealousy and the two start bickering, thus making the officers retreat. Tim blames Jill for what was his fault: making him look like an idiot. I wonder how the boys and Al are doing? Well, he's bored them to death with a game of Scrabble and then some Chinese checkers. To brighten their spirits, he shows them a board game he invented himself: a prototype for The Tool Time board game. Figures include Heidi, Al, and Tim in a bodycast. The object is to finish your project without getting injured. This game is awesome, it's got realistic effects and a moving toy ambulance. The Taylors finally return home, and Tim talks to Wilson over the whole tank driving expedition, and he helps him to see that while Tim didn't have much fun and had a ruined day, Jill probably had a great day which Tim may have ruined. He learns not to be so selfish, and praises Jill's tank driving to the boys, and when asked how he did, Tim tries to put on a modest front, not revealing how it REALLY went, but the boys will find out because the marines got it all on tape for Jill.

I remember the night this episode aired, it was when Home Improvement first became syndicated. I have to say, Tanks for the Memories was pretty good. The jokes were funny, the story was good, the Tool Time board game was awesome, and we will be seeing it again at the end of Season 5. This wouldn't be Tim's last run-in with military machinery, because at the start of Season 6, he and Al go aboard a navy carrier. At least they never got to go to the Air Force or else Tim might have crashed a plane. So for good laughs, a memorable experience of seeing both the right AND wrong way to drive a tank, I recommend Tanks for the Memories. Tanks for a good time.