One of many largest TV and film stars of the previous a number of a long time, Tim Allen has loads of beloved characters notched in his belt, and his newest addition to that listing is car-restoration fanatic Matt Parker, who will return to the 2025 TV schedule for Shifting Gear’s Season 2 premiere. Followers can already anticipate a trio of Residence Enchancment visitor stars within the premiere, and the showrunner revealed that undoubtedly gained’t be the one popular culture callback on show.
The sitcom’s inventive boss Michelle Nader talked with US Weekly about the place Season 2 goes for Matt and Kat Dennings’ Riley, in addition to their respective relationships with different characters. Unsurprisingly, Jenna Elfman’s Eve was a part of that dialog, given how shut the 2 lovebirds grew to become by the finale’s finish. In addressing how their love story will play out, Nader talked about peppering their romance with story-driven nods to the actors’ careers. In her phrases:
We had been very intentional about these issues as a result of what we wish to do in a contemporary sitcom is carry the weather of recent tv — like serialization and streaming. So we felt like we actually needed to sluggish play these relationships in a romantic comedy approach. So sure, you’re going to see some actual outcomes from these Easter eggs.
One such significant callback in Season 1 was the character element that Eve is a choregoraphy teacher, which paid again to Jenna Elfman being an expert dancer early on in her profession. Clearly, one may additionally argue that Matt’s automotive store is a reference to Tim Allen’s actual life love of vehicles, however that is a much more apparent nod than what normally applies for “easter eggs.”
Season 1 of Shifting Gears delivered a number of spot-on reunions for Tim Allen from his Final Man Standing days. First there was the visitor spot from Nancy Travis, which was adopted by a cameo from Jay Leno. And let’s not overlook Dennings getting a reunion along with her former Dollface co-star Brenda Music. Not that every one the callbacks are particularly visitor stars from previous reveals, even when I am wanting ahead to Patricia Richardson, Richard Karn and Debbe Dunning popping up.
To circle again to the connection factor, this is how Nader teased Matt and Eve’s subsequent steps:
I’ll say that it’s actually attention-grabbing to observe them. It’s attention-grabbing to observe their relationship develop, and they also’re going to enter excessive gear — nevertheless it’s going to be slightly little bit of a roller-coaster.
I imply, may Michelle Nader actually name herself this sequence showrunner if she did not check with the act of shifting gears when giving that description? There’s an argument available.
So far as what’s coming for Riley and Seann William Scott’s Gabriel, we’ll simply have to attend and see when Season 2 kicks off on ABC on Wednesday, October 1, at 8:00 p.m. ET, with episodes streaming the following day by way of Hulu subscription.