Big developments are unfolding at Fool Time, for it seems CEO Bud Harper has now mandated that ONLY Binford tools can be used on the show. Tim is given another memo, but he doesn't let it bother him. The tools they use on the show ARE Binford tools, right? Wrong. It seems Binford doesn't make the diagnostic machine they need to tune up a car, so Al shows the audience how to do it the old fashion way, using a long-handled screwdriver to listen for vibrations, and he cautions people about what areas of the engine to keep it away from, including the electrical system. Yep, I know exactly where this is going. Al gets predictably electrocuted, hilarity does not ensue. At home, Brad receives a letter from UCLA, he's still up for a soccer scholarship, despite that nasty fall a few episodes back. He learns there's going to be a scout at the upcoming tournament, so he's gonna be there and play his hardest, even if it means going against doctor's orders by not waiting another month before he gets back in the game. However, he should consider the grotesquely swollen knee he received ball handling an omen. By the way, has anybody noticed that Brad's injury has now switched to his other knee?
The problems with Binford escalate as Tim unsuccessfully tries to get ahold of Bud, who seems to be ducking him for some reason. Not only that, but now he's mandating that Tim and Al wear disgusting yellow Binford coveralls. Heidi too, but hers is skimpier. Finally, Tim does manage to get a call from Bud while he and Jill are in the waiting room at Brad's physical therapist. We get a painfully unfunny gag of Tim wandering around the room, bumping into patients while trying to keep the signal on his cell phone and misunderstanding Bud. You're not even supposed to have those on in a medical waiting room, but I guess the writer had to cram in a joke there (and I'll get to her later). So, what does the doctor say about Brad's injury? Well, he's very little help. It's up to Brad, either he plays and risks more injury, or he doesn't. Tim and Jill bicker over what Brad's decision should be, but he's hellbent on playing. So, Jill talks to Wilson, who although doesn't completely say Brad should go through with it, does say he should remain mindful of his body. And so, on to the tournament. Tim spots the coach from UCLA and foolishly tries to butter him up by giving him a Tool Time keychain. You laughing yet? Nah, me neither. So Brad plays a mean game, and all seems to be going well, until he trips up and injures his knee again. Worse yet, the UCLA coach was going to leave, thus missing the rest of Brad's play, but the Taylor teen wouldn't have it and forced himself back in the game, so the coach stays and Tim bugs him with more of his bad jokes. In short, Brad wins the game, as well as the coach's recommendation for a scholarship, so it looks as though Brad's finally achieved his goal. He met the odds head on and he tackled them.
While the point of this episode was very encouraging and the message was very well-intentioned, it was unfortunately mired by an endless stream of BAD JOKES. We get the start on the road towards the series finale by setting up Tim's problems with Binford, which will get progressively worse and Brad finally gets a soccer scholarship, and had the show run another season, he'd have gone off to college. But if the scripts were going to rely so heavily on bad jokes by this stage, maybe it was good the show ended when it did, and Trouble-A-Bruin was no exception. It's yet another bad script written by Tracy Gamble. She must be close friends with Tim Allen or something. And that's another problem I have with these later shows: giving Tim too much creative control, because I'm sure he was just as much responsible for the change in comedic tone. Like the show has always said: give a man more power, things go haywire. Bottom line: this episode was NOT FUNNY! The opening Tool Time segment, NOT FUNNY. Why can't Tool Time just go away?! It's gotten old, and so has Tim's obsession with it! The cell phone gag in the waiting room was not funny and today it's horribly outdated. This whole episode was just horrible in terms of jokes and timing. However, if you want to see Brad succeed and see how the problems at Binford got started, then see this one.
The problems with Binford escalate as Tim unsuccessfully tries to get ahold of Bud, who seems to be ducking him for some reason. Not only that, but now he's mandating that Tim and Al wear disgusting yellow Binford coveralls. Heidi too, but hers is skimpier. Finally, Tim does manage to get a call from Bud while he and Jill are in the waiting room at Brad's physical therapist. We get a painfully unfunny gag of Tim wandering around the room, bumping into patients while trying to keep the signal on his cell phone and misunderstanding Bud. You're not even supposed to have those on in a medical waiting room, but I guess the writer had to cram in a joke there (and I'll get to her later). So, what does the doctor say about Brad's injury? Well, he's very little help. It's up to Brad, either he plays and risks more injury, or he doesn't. Tim and Jill bicker over what Brad's decision should be, but he's hellbent on playing. So, Jill talks to Wilson, who although doesn't completely say Brad should go through with it, does say he should remain mindful of his body. And so, on to the tournament. Tim spots the coach from UCLA and foolishly tries to butter him up by giving him a Tool Time keychain. You laughing yet? Nah, me neither. So Brad plays a mean game, and all seems to be going well, until he trips up and injures his knee again. Worse yet, the UCLA coach was going to leave, thus missing the rest of Brad's play, but the Taylor teen wouldn't have it and forced himself back in the game, so the coach stays and Tim bugs him with more of his bad jokes. In short, Brad wins the game, as well as the coach's recommendation for a scholarship, so it looks as though Brad's finally achieved his goal. He met the odds head on and he tackled them.
While the point of this episode was very encouraging and the message was very well-intentioned, it was unfortunately mired by an endless stream of BAD JOKES. We get the start on the road towards the series finale by setting up Tim's problems with Binford, which will get progressively worse and Brad finally gets a soccer scholarship, and had the show run another season, he'd have gone off to college. But if the scripts were going to rely so heavily on bad jokes by this stage, maybe it was good the show ended when it did, and Trouble-A-Bruin was no exception. It's yet another bad script written by Tracy Gamble. She must be close friends with Tim Allen or something. And that's another problem I have with these later shows: giving Tim too much creative control, because I'm sure he was just as much responsible for the change in comedic tone. Like the show has always said: give a man more power, things go haywire. Bottom line: this episode was NOT FUNNY! The opening Tool Time segment, NOT FUNNY. Why can't Tool Time just go away?! It's gotten old, and so has Tim's obsession with it! The cell phone gag in the waiting room was not funny and today it's horribly outdated. This whole episode was just horrible in terms of jokes and timing. However, if you want to see Brad succeed and see how the problems at Binford got started, then see this one.
