One Of The Most Popular Sitcoms Ever Is Coming To Netflix In 2025
What time is it? It's Tool Time! That's because the classic sitcom "Home Improvement" is coming to Netflix very soon. The ABC TV series, which ran for eight seasons in the '90s and made Tim Allen into a star, is set to make its debut on the streaming service in February. So strap in for some nostalgic binge-watching, because just over 200 episodes of shenanigans with the Taylor family are on the way.
Beginning February 1, 2025 in the United States, "Home Improvement" will be available on Netflix in its entirety. The show was a ratings monster in its day and remained wildly popular for years thanks to reruns in syndication. It made a massive star out of Allen, who was previously known best as a stand-up comic. It also made a teen superstar out of Jonathan Taylor Thomas, who later disappeared from Hollywood entirely. But this show was such a hit that it propelled practically its entire cast onto Hollywood's A-list for a time.
The series centers on Tim "The Toolman" Taylor, host of a very popular home improvement show called "Tool Time," which he co-hosts alongside his pal Al (Richard Karn). Meanwhile, Tim and his wife Jill are raising three boys, ushering them through various dilemmas and personal drama. The series also starred Patricia Richardson, Zachery Ty Bryan, Taran Noah Smith, and Pamela Anderson before she became a superstar in her own right.
Why is Home Improvement just now making its way to Netflix?
This is likely to serve as a major boost of '90s nostalgia for many viewers. For what it's worth, the show has been available on DVD and streaming at various points, and it's been available on Disney+ overseas for a while. But the fact that it's coming to Netflix means it's going to be streaming for the largest possible audience, as Netflix remains the king of the hill in the streaming wars. The question is, why is Disney licensing "Home Improvement" to Netflix in the first place?
It all has to do with another popular show, "Grey's Anatomy." In late 2023, Disney struck a co-licensing deal so the popular medical drama could be available on the company's combined Disney+ and Hulu offering, per Deadline. Previously, it had been available on both Hulu and Netflix. As part of the deal, Disney agreed to license a total of 14 shows to Netflix including "Reba," "The Bernie Mac Show," and yes, "Home Improvement." The deal extends for 18 months, meaning the show is expected to leave Netflix after August 2026.
Still, that's plenty of time for viewers to stream as they see fit. Who knows? If the show finds renewed popularity, maybe it could pave the way for a revival. After all, plenty of once-popular shows are coming back in the streaming era. Tim Allen even teased a possible "Home Improvement" reboot in 2018, though we haven't heard much about it since. Let's not get too ahead of ourselves. For now, fans of the show are going to have a prime opportunity to get reacquainted with the series.
Look for "Home Improvement" on Netflix in February. In the meantime, you can pick up the complete series on DVD from Amazon.