Here’s the episode of Home Improvement that finally revealed what kindly neighbor Wilson looked like. Home Improvement debuted on ABC in 1991 and followed Tim Allen’s Tim “the Tool Man” Taylor, the host of a popular home improvement show. The sitcom mostly revolved around Tim’s relationship with his wife and their three sons, though it had a roster of key supporting characters, including Tool Time co-host Al (Richard Karn) and Pamela Anderson’s Lisa.
Home Improvement was a major ratings success and ran for eight seasons between 1991 and 1999. Allen and his co-star Patricia Richardson – who played Tim’s wife Jill – were both offered enormous paydays to return for a ninth season too, but passed after feeling it was time to move on. Outside of the Taylor clan, one of the sitcom’s most popular characters was Wilson, who lived next door. Playing by Earl Hindman, Wilson was often found in his backyard and was there to offer Tim, Jill or one of the family advice to help resolve the crisis of a given episode.
Home Improvement gradually fleshed out Wilson’s backstory throughout the series, revealing he was a widower, he had traveled the world, held any number of cool jobs and had a Ph.D. in Forgotten Languages and Cultures. There were a few Home Improvement – which was referenced in Allen’s Toy Story – running gags involving Wilson, including his habit of making accidental double entendres or that his face is never fully shown. In most episodes, only the top of his head is seen peeking over the fence, but other outings when to more elaborate efforts to never fully show what he looked like. In fact, it wasn’t until Home Improvement’s official finale “Backstage Pass” that viewers finally got to see Wilson’s face – or at least, Earl Hindman’s.
“Backstage Pass” is actually a TV special that looks back on Home Improvement, and includes interviews with the cast and bloopers. The special also features the emotional final curtain call for Home Improvement, where the cast waved goodbye to the audience. This is where Earl Hindman makes his appearance, revealing what Wilson has looked like the entire time. In a way, this was a clever workaround, because Wilson’s face was never revealed in the Tim Allen – who recently finished up Last Man Standing – series, but “Backstage Pass” allowed curious audiences the chance to finally see “Wilson’s” face.
The idea of obscuring Wilson’s face on Home Improvement came from Tim Allen, who when he was young had a neighbor whose face was also cut off by the top of their backyard fence whenever they interacted. Sadly, Hindman passed away in 2003, and in the unlikely case a Home Improvement revival ever comes together, it would be near impossible to replace the warmth and dry humor he brought to Wilson.
