Here’s why Jonathan Taylor Thomas left hit sitcom Home Improvement after season 7. Home Improvement debuted on ABC in 1991 and went on to become one of the biggest sitcoms of the decade. The series was based on the standup comedy of Tim Allen, with the show casting the comedian as Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor, host of a show called Tool Time. Much of the series revolved around Tim’s family life and relationship with wife Jill (Patricia Richardson) and their three sons Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan), Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) and Mark (Taran Noah Smith).
Home Improvement also gave Allen a movie career, and he starred in Toy Story and The Santa Clause – which is getting a TV sequel – while making the sitcom. At the height of Home Improvement’s success, it was pulling in over 30 million viewers. It was still a hit when it ended after the eighth season, with both Allen and Richardson turning down substantial paydays to make one more series. The sitcom ended in 1999, though notably, Jonathan Taylor Thomas was the only key cast member who didn’t appear in the finale.
The success of Home Improvement made Thomas one of the most recognizable teen stars of the ’90s. In addition to the show, he also appeared in movies like Man Of The House with Chevy Chase or voiced young Simba in The Lion King. It was announced that Thomas would be leaving Home Improvement – which showed Wilson’s face in the finale – following season 7, and Randy departed the show during the second episode of season 8 when he and his girlfriend left for Costa Rica on a school program. Offscreen, Taylor revealed he wanted to focus on college and education, and the workload of Home Improvement wouldn’t have allowed that.
However, Jonathan Taylor Thomas’ refusal to return for Home Improvement’s finale caused some tension between him and the cast. Richardson told TV Guide (via The New York Post) in 1999 that Thomas not returning was “… a pretty sore point around here,” and “I don’t think it’s a good idea that he didn’t show up, but I don’t always think he gets the best advice.” Allen felt Thomas’ refusal was due to the young actor being upset at him for questioning his motives for leaving Home Improvement. Allen stated “He said it was about going to school, but then he did some films. Did he want to do films? Did he want to go to school?”
Thomas did front some movies after his Home Improvement – where Pamela Anderson left after season 2 – exit like Walking Across Egypt, but according to a PEOPLE interview with the actor in 2013, he also attended Harvard, Columbia and St. Andrew’s in Scotland. If there was tension between him and Allen, that appears to have been mended as Thomas’ most recent acting credit was a recurring guest role on the latter’s sitcom Last Man Standing.
