Tim Allen is back with a brand-new comedy that premiered this week on ABC. Shifting Gears stars Allen (who also serves as executive producer) as Matt, a widowed entrepreneur who owns a classic car restoration business. Matt’s estranged daughter Riley (Kat Dennings) returns home with her children after a divorce that leaves her broke (no pun intended) and in need of her dad’s help.
One might wonder how Dennings and Allen will vibe given their different political stances but showrunner Michelle Nader told The Wrap her goal is to heal the generational divide:
Tim is definitely the voice of a certain generation and Kat speaks to a different generation, so we get to examine that generational difference and their different perspectives on big life subjects we’re tackling.
The Wrap continued:
Indeed Allen returns in full force in Shifting Gears, with Dennings meeting his match at every turn when conversations turn to politics, social issues or how she’s raising her kids.
TV Line agreed, stating:
Shifting Gears finds a way to weave in Allen’s staunchly conservative political views, with his character Matt constantly ranting about how America is going down the tubes, complaining about everything from pickleball to mocktails…
To the show’s credit, though, Matt isn’t just heralded as a patriotic hero who’s right about everything. He’s challenged on his views, with Dennings making a more than capable sparring partner.
A perfect example of their dynamic comes when Riley asks her father, “Can we try to talk to one another like rational adults?” To which her father quips, “Have you watched the news lately? That’s not a thing anymore.”
The writers deftly combined a heartfelt, tear-jerker scene with political sparring over former House speaker Nancy Pelosi as the father and daughter reminisce about their late wife/mom:
Riley: I'm so sorry I haven't been there for you.
Matt: Yeah.
Riley: I wish I had been here more.
Matt: Yeah. Thanks. Oh, thanks. Oh, boy. It's been really different here, alone. I think that's why I watch the news in the morning, you know, so I can hear a, a woman's voice, even though sometimes it's Nancy Pelosi.
Riley: Yeah, ugh. It's annoying the way she's trying to save democracy.
Let’s just hope Matt gets the last word in sometimes so any other false, leftist hyperbole doesn’t go unchecked like this one did.
If you missed the pilot episode, you can catch it on Hulu, or watch the second airing tonight on ABC at 8 p.m. E.T.
