There is no doubt that this new era of television production is quite something. We've entered the era in which television series are given budgets similar to full length features, even more in many cases. With a strong attention to increasing the quality in regards to cinematography, acting talent, and the stories told. While the television series side of things has massively boomed and given us great spectacles, I can't help but feel we have lost some of the simplicity that made a lot of older television shows so engaging. It feels a bit rare these days to find something that isn't trying to be the next award winning hit, that isn't trying to bait in streaming subscribers with lengthy episodes and seasons that seemingly have no end. I find that due to this, a lot of the more modern entries in the world of television series just don't appeal to me as much.
Often enough, I return to the prior decades in search of things to watch, searching for that aforementioned simplicity. I love such shows. Ones that are lighthearted, perhaps have some aspect of adventure in them, but are also nothing huge in budget. I recently wrote a post on how much I love the show Psych, it had a higher budget for sure, but is one of these shows that you can throw on at any season and episode, and it feels timeless and soulful. A few weeks ago I started to watch Quantum Leap, which has a whole ton of adventure to it, but is relatively on the cheap side. The thing is, I don't even consider these to be flawed, I consider them to be near perfect shows.
I try to think of similar elements within these shows that I find so enjoyable, something that really connects them. And I think it's the ways in which they portray life. Despite all of the struggles and all the chaos that may ensue in their many episodes, there's always some optimism in the characters. Some pursuit of kindness within the story; the idea of doing good and enjoying life. And something I dislike about modern shows is there intense pursuit of drama and bleakness.
Today, going through Disney+, I saw Home Improvement was listed. This was a show I saw from my childhood, so this isn't necessarily a complete first impressions post. I have seen this before, way back. But returning to it remembering very little, I quickly fell in love with it. It just clicked with me, and I came to realise why with some of the reasons mentioned above.
Home Improvement
Home Improvement came at an interesting time. When manliness and testosterone wasn't something seen as a negative, and was instead more of a self-given stereotype. This show is all about being a stereotypical man, a family guy. A father, a husband, and a tool-loving, gadget-building man that can't help but throw out primitive grunts of appreciation when in his supposed natural habitat. This is a comedy show, but it's one of the typical sitcoms during the height of them. Filmed entirely in sets with a laugh track added. Similar to Seinfeld, the show features a supposed live audience segment to which Tim Allen's character has a television show on cable dedicated to, well, home improvement. Tools and gadgets, advice and tips. Definitely something that wouldn't really work these days, and would end up just being a YouTube channel.
While I usually hate laugh tracks in shows, it isn't too bad here. The show despite all its manliness is really about how much of a fool Tim Allen's character is. A summary of the average man. The assumed all-knowing knowledge and want to fix and build things, the stubbornness to not accept any aspect of failure. But we all know that this is impossible in life, challenges we feel prepared for may arise and show us that we actually aren't prepared to deal with them at all. This can be basic household responsibilities to supporting a wife and children. Keeping them happy and guiding them in the right direction. Each episode seems to lightly tread over some of these aspects, displaying the difficulties an average family may encounter.
With the show being a sitcom, it has a very cheap look to it. Some of the acting is pretty bad, and it's often blatant that they're moving around a set with no authenticity to anything around them. But it works quite well. And even with that cheaper look, it's more a result of the era in which such shows could be made under. When few cared for the details, and performances were not expected to be perfect. Instead, the focus is in the little stories, the values of family and everyday life. I quite like it due to this, it isn't trying to be something more, it merely aims to relate to you and generate some laughs, almost as if to highlight moments of your life that may have been stressful and make light fun of it, showing how normal such moments can be.
I'm curious as to how many episodes of this there can be, though. With each episode being different and taking place within such a limited space, one does start to think of the options that would run out as that space is fully utilised. I'm reminded of the similar show My Wife and Kids which managed to handle it, but it wasn't specific in regards to Home Improvement's building aspect. But I feel this is fine if you are that intended audience, though I'm sure modern audiences may not necessarily be. You can stil enjoy the show if you're not; I'm certainly not that demographic, but I can't help but find the show's low budget humour enjoyable enough to keep me engaged. It's incredibly cheesy, and that's more a warning! It has moments that'll have you lightly smirking but also ready to cringe. In a way, that adds to the charm for me. And a strength of shows that have each episode focus on a different story.
I have to admit, this is quite the nostalgia trip for me. It's nothing special as a show, but for me that's what I want. It ticks a few boxes and shows a simpler time in television and life before the mass consumption of the Internet. A way of life both similar the present and vastly different. It's interesting to look back and see how things have changed both technologically and culturally. Perhaps some of you will also appreciate that about this.
