“Tool Time” is a Spoof of “This Old House”
The character of Tim Taylor was actually conceived as a spoof of the then-famous home improvement star Bob Vila. Vila had his own show called “This Old House,” which ran on PBS for a whopping 39 seasons. Tim Taylor is sort of a bumbling version of the real-life Bob Vila. And Al’s beard and flannel shirt reflect Vila’s typical attire.
Vila had a good sense of humor about it all. He even appeared, as himself, on episodes of “Home Improvement.” On those episodes, Vila was a rival of Tim Taylor’s. Tim challenged Vila to two different races: riding lawnmowers and classic hot rods. Tim Allen and Pamela Anderson later appeared on Bob Vila’s other show, “Home Again.”