Shifting Gears has continued expanding its Tim Allen shared universe, but the latest guest star highlights the sitcom’s most concerning issue. Shifting Gears follows Allen’s Matt, a widower who owns a car restoration shop and unexpectedly reconnects with his estranged daughter, Riley (Kat Dennings). Riley brings along her children, Carter (Maxwell Simkins) and Georgia (Barrett Margolis), who complete the oddball family. While Shifting Gears follows a classic sitcom formula, the end product has had mixed success. With Shifting Gears season 2 still unconfirmed, Tim Allen’s newest title needs to carefully evaluate its weaknesses as they come to light.
Although the sitcom has raked in impressive early ratings (likely due to Tim Allen headlining the Shifting Gears cast), the critical response has been less than favorable. Arguably the most recurring issue critics took with Shifting Gears was the main character himself, claiming that Tim Allen’s new character was indistinguishable from his past sitcom roles. Allen previously led Home Improvement as Tim Taylor and Last Man Standing as Mike Baxter, both extremely popular titles that leave Matt Parker with generational shoes to fill. Unfortunately, Shifting Gears’s latest Allen-verse callback only highlights its Matt problem.
Shifting Gears Episode 6 Reunites Tim Allen With Last Man Standing’s Nancy Travis
Allen And Travis Were Last Man Standing’s Main Couple
Shifting Gears has included sporadic callbacks to Allen’s former work, like Mike Baxter’s truck appearing in Shifting Gears episode 3. The sitcom abandoned subtlety in Shifting Gears episode 6 by casting Nancy Travis as Charlotte, a widow who encourages Matt to be open to future romances. From 2011 to 2021, Nancy Travis played Tim Allen’s wife (Vanessa Baxter) in Last Man Standing. With Shifting Gears marking Allen’s first network television role following Last Man Standing’s finale, it makes sense to include major co-stars from past hits. However, the mere presence of Travis underscores the difficulty of Shifting Gears maintaining originality.
At first glance, Travis appearance is a fitting sendoff to Last Man Standing, with Charlotte helping Matt move on symbolically synchronized with Allen moving on from previous sitcoms with Shifting Gears. As Vanessa, Travis played Allen’s wife. As Charlotte, Travis played a character who helped Allen move on from his wife. Sadly, the casting distracted more than it aided, as seeing Travis and Allen interact on screen instantly diluted Shifting Gears episode 6 into a Last Man Standing reunion. Charlotte’s last line in the episode only pours salt in the wound.
Charlotte’s Joke About Matt Being Too Similar To His Ex Highlights How Similar Tim Allen’s Characters Are
Matt Hasn’t Stood Out Enough
Despite Charlotte consistently urging Matt to return to the dating pool in Shifting Gears episode 6, she clarifies they can’t pursue a relationship with each other. Charlotte says Matt reminds her too much of “the last man [she] was with,” an obvious nod to Travis and Allen’s history on Last Man Standing. While a clever acknowledgment of the elephant in the room, the truth behind the statement is cause for concern. The poor initial reviews for Shifting Gears can easily be summarized in a simple phrase: Shifting Gears follows a Tim Allen character, not a character played by Tim Allen.
Shifting Gears failing to set itself apart from Tim Allen’s past sitcoms could be a death sentence.
Shifting Gears has backed itself into a corner with the frequent Tim Allen references, withholding the freedom that the sitcom needs to develop its own identity. It’s entirely possible that a significant portion of the audience didn’t expect anything groundbreaking from the Shifting Gears premiere, but if the comedy wants a chance at longevity, it needs to find what makes it unique. In a world where titles like Abbott Elementary are redefining genres and High Potential is fundamentally changing the lead actor’s image, Shifting Gears failing to set itself apart from Tim Allen’s past sitcoms could be a death sentence.
How Shifting Gears Can Make Matt Parker Unique From Mike Baxter (& Tim Taylor)
The Sitcom Needs To Find Its Footing
While the continual nods to Last Man Standing, Home Improvement, and even The Santa Clause are good for a quick laugh, Shifting Gears needs to build a foundation for itself before inviting further comparison to Allen’s old hits. Despite Matt’s character reading similar to both Mike and Tim, Shifting Gears already has a few key distinctions that can help solidify a unique presence— if the sitcom just lets it. The introduction of Matt’s dramatic grief storyline in Shifting Gears episode 4 perfectly displays how there are original aspects that just need to be elaborated on, independent of scene-stealing references.
Having emotional storylines helps to humanize characters, but Matt’s grief in Shifting Gears additionally helps him stand out. The more time Shifting Gears spends on exploring Matt as a character, the less he will pale in comparison to the decades-long reign of Mike Baxter and Tim Taylor. Though it may disappoint some, Shifting Gears needs to dial back its Allen callbacks. Unless the sitcom gives its characters time to cement themselves, Shifting Gears risks permanently living in the shadow of Tim Allen’s past roles, dooming the comedy and the rest of the cast in the process.
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