Why Patricia Richardson Fears Tim Allen Has Never Forgiven Her
Few sitcoms have been able to capture the everyday worries of an average person as well as Home Improvement. A lot of this has to do with the extremely relatable onscreen chemistry of Tim Taylor (Tim Allen) and his wife, Jill (Patricia Richardson). It didn't exactly hurt that Allen was one of the more bankable stars of the era, but at the end of the day, the two managed to tap into a primal vein of married-with-children life that resonated with the viewers.
Unfortunately, the show came to an end after season 8 in 1999, and the cast scattered to the winds to seek their fortunes in other projects. It's tempting to think that they've stayed in touch and maybe even hang out on occasion, much like Friends stars Courteney Cox and Jennifer Aniston do. In fact, Allen and Richardson even briefly rejoined their sitcom forces when Richardson guest-starred in two episodes of Allen's Last Man Standing as Helen Potts, a home improvement enthusiast who's considerably handier with power tools than Tim Taylor ever was.
Clearly, the two Home Improvement stars are on friendly enough terms to share the screen on occasion. So, why does Patricia Richardson say that she fears Tim Allen has never forgiven her?
Patricia Richardson worries that Tim Allen never truly forgave her for leaving the show
In an interview with ET Online, Richardson reveals she feels that on at least some level, Allen might still bear a grudge because she left the show. Richardson grew weary of Home Improvement over the years, and in 1999, she decided that time was ripe for a change. So, Richardson decided to walk away, despite much protest from Allen and the network. After her departure, the powers that be offered Allen a truly ludicrous pile of money for doing Home Improvement season 9, but he ultimately decided that the show had run its course.
As such, Richardson admits that ahead of her Last Man Standing visit, she worried that Allen had "never really forgiven me for not wanting to do the ninth year." After all, the comedian greatly enjoyed the show and his character, and would personally have liked to keep going. "He loved Tim Taylor," Richardson says. "Tim Taylor was this happily married man with his great boys and great life, and so he wanted that show to go on forever."
Fortunately for Allen, he's found a new long-term lease in sitcom-oriented family life with Last Man Standing ... at least, until that show comes to an end in 2021.