From the time of its announcement, Shifting Gears’ cast has always been the show’s biggest source of appeal. Tim Allen, Kat Dennings, and Jenna Elfman all draw fans from prior sitcom work, while Seann William Scott’s comedic acting translates surprisingly well from the silver screen to the living room. But the sitcom has also been following compelling storylines involving Riley’s relationships with Jimmy, Gabe, and her father. Meanwhile, Matt’s attempt to move on from his wife and his feud with Riley’s boss have played major story roles as well. The season 1 finale moves all of these plotlines forward.
Matt Officially Gets A Romantic Interest In The Shifting Gears Season 1 Finale
His Relationship With Eve Is Finally Heating Up
Even before Jenna Elfman’s Shifting Gears character appeared onscreen, Matt’s feud with Eve had been very much established. Riley started working for the dance studio before Elfman’s first appearance, and Matt mentioned Eve by name when setting up his distaste for her neighboring business. But Eve’s first appearance in the series wasted little time in setting up her romantic future with Matt. Although their feud lasted for multiple episodes, Matt admiring Eve’s dancing abilities and her willingness to help him recover from a back injury established their potential rapport.
The title of Shifting Gears’ season 1 finale, “Kiss,” becomes relevant just toward the episode’s conclusion. Despite spending most of the episode arguing about Eve’s refusal to pay for damages after she dings Matt’s car door, they come together to cheer Riley up by throwing her a party when she doubts the direction her life is taking. Eve later grabs Matt and kisses him as he’s leaving before walking off without saying anything. It’s not clear how Matt’s grief might affect this relationship moving forward, but the seeds have been planted to explore that issue further.
How Gabe & Riley’s Almost Kiss Changes Their Dynamic In Shifting Gears
Even If She Doesn’t Remember It, He Definitely Will
While the episode title “Kiss” ultimately refers to Matt and Eve, the writers had gone through a few different versions of the script in which this might have changed. And toward the end, there’s a moment in which it looks like the title kiss will occur between Riley and Gabriel. Of course, there were also several moments in the episode that made it seem as if Riley might eventually get back together with her husband Jimmy.
Although his feelings for Riley were always a well-known secret, Gabe’s buddy Stitch finally calls him out on how he feels about their boss’s daughter.
Meanwhile, Riley’s relationship with Gabe starts to develop a little further. Although his feelings for Riley were always a well-known secret, Gabe’s buddy Stitch finally calls him out on how he feels about their boss’s daughter. Riley later acknowledges how nice Gabe has always been to her and tries to kiss him after the party, but he pulls back. Gabe’s unwilling to kiss her when she’s potentially blackout drunk, preferring the relationship to develop the proper way. They both seem ready to do that once her divorce is finalized, so that should very much become a major storyline next season.
Where Riley & Matt’s Relationship Stands In The Shifting Gears Season 1 Finale
Their Relationship Is Looking Healthier Than Ever
Early on, it often felt like there’d need to eventually be an appearance by Riley’s brother in Shifting Gears to help mediate her frequently combative relationship with Matt. But over the season, Matt and Riley have been seeing eye to eye with increasing frequency, and the season 1 finale pays that off perfectly. Rather than tell Riley what to do after Jimmy asks her to move in with him, Matt declares that it’s her decision and that he trusts she’s smart enough to figure things out on her own.
Matt even finishes restoring the GTO, making it easier for Riley to get around on her own if she moves out. However, the most emotional moment between the two occurs when Matt admits that he likes having Riley in the house and doesn’t want his daughter or grandchildren to leave. He trusts her to figure things out, but he’ll be there to help her navigate getting out of bed in the morning until that happens. If they can maintain this arrangement, the two should now be free to develop their father-daughter dynamic in newer ways as the series continues.
Is Shifting Gears Season 2 Happening?
Things Are Definitely Looking Optimistic
At the time of Shifting Gears’ season 1 finale, ABC has yet to officially renew the series for another season. However, even despite Shifting Gears’ negative reviews, record-high ratings make it extremely unlike for the network to cancel Tim Allen’s latest sitcom. It’s ABC’s most successful sitcom since The Conners and essentially kept the timeslot alive ahead of the Roseanne spinoffs’ final season. Even without Shifting Gears’ incredibly high numbers on streaming platforms, the show’s broadcast ratings alone would merit a season 2 renewal.
Putting aside the storylines the season finale already set up for Shifting Gears season 2, the series’ return could also bode well for Tim Allen fans in general. The actor is known for his loyalty to previous castmates, and the series is likely to feature many of them if it continues. Nancy Travis already appeared in season 1, and additional Last Man Standing or Home Improvement cameos are almost certain to follow. If the series lasts long enough, it won’t be long until Allen fans who still revisit Home Improvement on Netflix will get to see some very satisfying reunions.
