What Jonathan Taylor Thomas' Relationship With Tim Allen Is Like Today

While the relationship between Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Tim Allen hit some rocky spots after the younger actor left "Home Improvement," the bond formed during their years working together has endured. In January 2025, Allen was asked about the chances of getting Thomas to appear on his new show "Shifting Gears," and the sitcom star revealed that the two had been spending time together. "He just came back [to the last episode we filmed]. He showed up on the set," Allen told Us Weekly. Allen also offered insight into their relationship, explaining why he was still close with JTT. "He's literally my kid. I raised that kid for eight years on 'Home Improvement,'" he added.

The possibility of a reunion with his on-screen son not only interested Allen, but fans lost it when Thomas posed with "Home Improvement" co-stars Patricia Richardson and Taran Noah Smith the following year in July 2026. Richardson, who played the boys' mother on the series, posted the pic to her Instagram page. Those hoping for a full "Home Improvement" reunion were given a taste when Thomas made a TV cameo years earlier.

Thomas appeared on Allen's sitcom "Last Man Standing" in March 2013. Even though the former co-stars were on good terms, Allen was still surprised that Thomas agreed to come on the show. "But he's so shy. It's funny to see him so shy, so nervous," Allen told Yahoo! Entertainment at the time. Fans wondering what Thomas was up to now may be surprised to hear he was interested in directing. Allen said that his former TV son had been "shadowing" the show's director to pick up tips on the craft, and Thomas directed three episodes of the show between 2013 and 2016. While Thomas seemed to enjoy working with Allen, he didn't seem too interested in a full return to acting.

After Jonathan Taylor Thomas reconnected with Tim Allen for episodes of "Last Man Standing," some wondered if this meant he had returned to acting. JTT, meanwhile, opened up about his time as a child star and indicated that he had little interest in pursuing an acting career. "I never took the fame too seriously," he told People in March 2013. Some fans may fondly recall seeing Thomas on the cover of Tiger Beat, but that was a footnote for him. "When I think back on the time, I look at it with a wink. I focus on the good moments I had, not that I was on a lot of magazine covers," he added.

Fortunately for Allen, "Last Man Standing" enjoyed an extended series run, and in January 2020, he was asked about Thomas returning for another guest appearance. "I can't say, because some of this is in negotiation, but I always love stunt casting," he told Us Weekly at the time.

Even though Thomas didn't return to the show, it was good to see him and the "Toy Story" voice actor on such friendly terms. Initially, Thomas had a problem with Allen when he left "Home Improvement" before wrapping up the final season. "He was a little miffed at me," Allen told the New York Post in May 1999. JTT's official reason for not finishing the show was that he was stepping away from acting, but he still appeared in some projects, which frustrated Allen. "It got mixed up in the translation," the veteran TV star told the Post. "I mentioned [publicly] that I was confused. I don't think he liked that," he added. Fortunately, that became water under the bridge for Thomas and Allen.