Prime-Time Power Trip

SHOW: HOME IMPROVEMENT

TIME: WEDNESDAYS, 9 P.M., ABC

THE BOTTOM LINE: Never mind the macho grunts; TV's new No. 1 sitcom manages to straddle the gender gap expertly.

Hit TV shows often thrive on catchphrases ("Dy-no-mite"; "Kiss my grits"). Arsenio Hall's studio audience made him famous with a catchbark (Woof! Woof! Woof!). But Home Improvement may be the first show ever to rise to the top with the help of a catchgrunt. It's the growl of hairy-chested pleasure (Arrggh! Arrggh! Arrggh!) that protagonist Tim Taylor utters whenever he sees a chance to rev up his trusty power tools.

The trademark is...

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