I haven’t seen the show in years but I remember it having a slightly ironic/subversive undercurrent? I always read Tim Taylor as a bit of a caricature, that his whole grunting macho overdo everything attitude almost always backfired on him and he’d be better off calming the fuck down.
Exhibit A: The character of Al Boreland, who is…well basically he’s Norm Abram. While still outwardly traditionally masculine, wearing a full beard, a flannel shirt a tool belt to his contractor’s job, he’s very secure in his manhood, confident without being macho, soft spoken and even gentle. A perfect foil to Tim Taylor, who finds kindred spirits in Clark Griswold and Jeremy “POWAAA” Clarkson. If you’re really on board with the MAGA alpha male bullshit, do you write a character like Al Boreland?
I think, like a lot of folks on the right, Tim Allen followed the Republican party as they sprinted toward fascism. I think Allen was in on the joke in the 1990s and became the joke in the 2010s.
The show totally played it straight with some very cringeworthy episodes in the early seasons. They started subverting it more and more as time went along.
Some of the stuff they stayed with for a very long time though. Al Borland was the butt of many jokes for not presenting as traditionally masculine, for his relationship with his mother, for being single, etc. At times it could be hard to watch, with Tim essentially bullying Al relentlessly. Of course everything is all great at the end of the episode but it rarely involved an apology from Tim!
I kind of want a show where Al is the main character but that’s just The New Yankee Workshop.
Despite all that I am really enjoying the rewatch. What makes the show great are the other characters: Al, Jill, and Wilson! Wilson is by far my favourite. Such a weird guy!
