Ep 19. Karate Or Not, Here I Come

In this episode of Home Improvement, titled "Karate Or Not, Here I Come," Tim (played by Tim Allen) begins obsessing over the idea of taking up karate after experiencing a break-in at a friend's house. His excitement for the martial art, however, doesn't seem to be shared by his family.

Jill (played by Patricia Richardson) is put off by the idea and warns Tim against it, saying he could seriously hurt himself or others. Tim's youngest son, Mark (played by Taran Noah Smith), is also skeptical, questioning his father's motivation and commitment to the practice.

Despite his family's reservations, Tim goes ahead and signs up for karate classes at the local community center. He quickly becomes hooked, practicing moves and techniques obsessively at home and even injuring himself in the process.

Meanwhile, Jill tries to deal with the aftermath of an accident between her two older sons, Brad (played by Zachery Ty Bryan) and Randy (played by Jonathan Taylor Thomas). The pair had been playing a game of floor hockey in the living room when things got out of hand and Brad accidentally knocked Randy into a lamp, breaking it.

Jill is frustrated by the boys' lack of responsibility and feels helpless in moulding their behaviour. She expresses her concerns to her friend, who suggests she try a different approach and speak to them as adults.

In a heart-to-heart conversation, Jill tells the boys how much she loves and cares for them, but also how disappointed she is in their behaviour. She stresses the importance of being responsible and working together as a family.

Back at the Karate Dojo, Tim's obsession with karate begins to cause problems for him. He neglects his family and work commitments, even going so far as to turn down a job offer from a high-powered executive because it would interfere with his karate schedule.

Finally, in a showdown at the community center, Tim faces off against his karate sensei, a man half his size but twice as skilled. In the end, Tim comes to a realization. While he may have enjoyed learning karate, his obsession with it had taken over his life and caused him to neglect the things that really mattered.

He returns home to his family, apologizes for his behaviour and promises to be more present and responsible moving forward. Jill is relieved and grateful, and the family starts to come together again.

"Karate Or Not, Here I Come" is an episode about the importance of balance in one's life and the dangers of obsessing over something at the expense of everything else. Through Tim's struggles and Jill's attempts to instill responsibility in her sons, the show explores themes of family, commitment, and personal growth.