<P> In the first two years of the show, Pamela Anderson played the part of Tim's Tool Girl, Lisa, on Tool Time, but left the show to focus on her role on the syndicated series Baywatch . Her last episode as a series regular was "The Great Race", which aired on May 19, 1993 . Tim's new assistant, Heidi, played by Debbe Dunning, replaced Anderson as the Tool Time Girl for the following third season, starting with "Maybe Baby", which aired on September 15, 1993 . Anderson did reprise the role of Lisa on the sixth - season finale episode "The Kiss and the Kiss - Off", which aired on May 20, 1997 . </P> <P> In the show's eighth season and final season, the middle child Randy left for an environmental study program in Costa Rica in the episode "Adios", which aired on September 29, 1998 . This was done because Jonathan Taylor Thomas reportedly wanted to take time off to focus on academics . His last appearance on Home Improvement was the eighth and final season's Christmas episode "Home for the Holidays", which aired on December 8, 1998 . He did not return to the show for the series finale, aired in May 1999, only appearing in archived footage . He was shooting the film Speedway Junky for release that summer . His character was not replaced . </P> <P> The series centers on the Taylor family, which consists of Tim (Tim Allen), his wife Jill (Patricia Richardson) and their three children: the oldest child, Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan), the middle child, Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) and youngest child, Mark (Taran Noah Smith). The Taylors live in suburban Detroit, and have a neighbor named Wilson (Earl Hindman) who is often the go - to guy for solving the Taylors' problems . </P> <P> Tim is a stereotypical American male, who loves power tools, cars, and sports . In particular, he is an avid fan of local Detroit teams . In numerous instances, Tim wears Lions, Pistons, Red Wings, and Tigers clothing, and many plots revolve around the teams . He is a former salesman for the fictional Binford Tool company, and is very much a cocky, overambitious, accident - prone know - it - all . Witty but flippant, Tim jokes around a lot, even at inappropriate times, much to the dismay of his wife . However, Tim can sometimes be serious when necessary . Jill, Tim's wife, is loving and sophisticated, but not exempt from dumb moves herself . In later seasons she returns to college to study psychology . Family life is boisterous for the Taylors with the two oldest children, Brad and Randy, tormenting the much younger Mark, all while continually testing and pestering each other . Such play happened especially throughout the first three seasons, and was revisited only occasionally until Jonathan Taylor Thomas left at the beginning of the eighth season . During the show's final season, Brad and Mark became much closer due to Randy's absence . </P>

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