From the third to the fifth season, Al dated Dr. Ilene Markham, an orthodontist who was the sister of one of Jill's co-workers.
Tool Time was conceived as a parody of the PBS home improvement program, This Old House.
Tim and Al are cartoons of the two main cast members of This Old House, the presenter Bob Vila and the teacher carpenter Norm Abram. Al has a beard and always wears plaid shirts when shooting an episode, reflecting Norm Abram's appearance in This Old House.Bob Vila guest starred in several episodes of Home Improvement, while Tim Allen and Pamela Anderson appeared in Bob Vila's series Home Again.
