Despite Shifting Gears’ impressive early viewership, the family sitcom has struggled with a steady decline in ratings across its pilot season. Regardless, the show itself isn’t ready to be done quite yet. The unresolved ending of Shifting Gears season 1 alone lays out a compelling argument for renewal, but there are other key reasons why ABC is correct for giving it another year.
Shifting Gears Actually Got Better As It Went
The Sitcom Can Only Go Up From Here
Although the Tim Allen sitcom got off to a rough start as Shifting Gears earned critical early reviews, the primetime comedy improved with each passing episode. Kat Dennings helped balance Allen out as Riley, and their convoluted father-daughter relationship made for a fairly gripping overarching narrative. At large, the ensemble cast all came into their own as the world expanded past Allen as the headliner.
While Shifting Gears ends in a much better place than it started, there’s still room to grow— and the sitcom deserves the chance to do just that. The comedy can be sharper, the characters more clearly-defined, and the overall energy a bit more earnest. Shifting Gears deserves to progress and build on the development it’s already given to side characters and underlying conflicts.
Shifting Gears Season 1 Ended On A Cliffhanger
Matt & Eve Deserve Resolution
Jenna Elfman’s character in Shifting Gears, Eve, proved to be a welcomed change of pace, as she went toe-to-toe with Matt’s overly adversarial nature. The neighboring business owners had a hostile relationship, but it was immediately clear that Eve held no real grudge against Matt and was equally willing to flirt and fight with him. Their tension surmounts in the Shifting Gears season finale, when Eve kisses Matt.
One of the biggest unanswered questions in Shifting Gears is what the future holds for Matt and Eve. Matt spent most of Shifting Gears season 1 still grappling with his unresolved grief over his late wife, and though he resolved himself to be open to dating, he seemed surprised by Eve’s advances. If Shifting Gears isn’t renewed, there will never be closure to their soft enemies-to-lovers storyline.
The Shifting Gears Characters Deserve More Development
The Ensemble Cast Is The Comedy’s Greatest Strength
Shifting Gears frankly deserves a season 2 for its talented cast alone.
Yet, Shifting Gears still has characters with mostly untapped potential. Frankie (Cynthia Quiles) has been a nearly silent member of the shop, but she could enter the fold in a possible second season and interact with the dynamic duo more. Georgia (Barrett Margolis) only had a few independent scenes and storylines, but she took advantage of every single one and left a dazzling impression. Shifting Gears frankly deserves a season 2 for its talented cast alone.
Shifting Gears Set Up A Slow-Burn Romance
Riley & Gabriel Have Real Chemistry
From the beginning, Gabriel had been the perfect love interest for Riley in Shifting Gears, but the sitcom had to delay them getting together. Their chemistry speaks to a long-term relationship, and their getting together needs to feel earned in due time. It would’ve been a waste for Shifting Gears to let Riley and Gabriel get together too early, but now there’s a risk they’ll never get together at all.
ABC Needs Another Reliable Comedy
With So Few Scripted Shows, Shifting Gears Should Be Renewed
Consequently, Shifting Gears should be considered to help supplement the genre and provide a different brand of comedy from Abbott Elementary’s deadpan mockumentary. While the canned laughter and one-liners stand out in harsh contrast to Abbott Elementary’s grounded storytelling, that’s exactly what ABC needs to diversify its 2025-26 schedule. Unless an entirely new comedy is greenlit soon, ABC doesn’t just need Shifting Gears season 2; it owes it to the family sitcom to fully prove itself for another year.
