Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Shifting Gears Season 2 episode “Date.” Stream the episode with a Hulu subscription, and read at your own risk!
After welcoming back Home Improvement stars in the Season 2 premiere, Shifting Gears kept the guest stars coming in the latest episode. MLB star Mookie Betts made a brief cameo at the beginning, but the real standout of the episode was the appearance of Canadian actress Lilly Singh.
Singh, who readers might remember from her former late-night talk show, popped up to play a new character that turned out to be a perfect match for Kat Dennings‘ Riley. Unfortunately, it all fell apart, and reminded me of my biggest fear when it comes to the parents of other children.
Lilly Singh Guest Starred As Jen, The Mom Of One Of Georgia’s Friends
Georgia invited her friend Olivia to the house, and while Riley was initially very hesitant to be herself in front of Olivia’s mom Jen, she quickly realized they had a lot in common. In fact, they were basically the same person, and took turns roasting Matt as he prepared for his first official date with Eve following their big kiss. It seemed like the perfect friendship, with their daughters being best friends as well, and then all of a sudden it wasn’t.
How Shifting Gears Highlighted My Fear Of Making Friends With The Parents Of My Kid’s Friends
Shifting Gears tapped into my biggest fear as a parent with this plotline, and I absolutely loved it. Georgia and Olivia found themselves at odds, and while Riley and Jen thought they could remain friends while their daughters were feuding, it quickly turned sour for them. The two had a heated argument about which of their kids was “the bully,”
Riley arrived home, frustrated by her fight with Jen, only to learn that Georgia had smoothed things over with Olivia already, and they were best friends again. Of course, the Shifting Gears character hadn’t had a chance to talk to Jen, and didn’t seem ready to reconcile with her.
It’s reminded me all too well of why I’m uneasy about forming any sort of attachment with the parents of kids that my child interacts with in school. Sure, I have close friends with children, and that’s a completely different thing, but it gets complicated when interacting with people whose first common ground is the bond their kids share.
Kids are fickle, and friendships are fleeting. There is always a chance that the exact scenario shown in Shifting Gears will happen, and when it does, it can be awkward for parents. On the one hand, I can’t force my kid to hang out with someone they aren’t talking to, and I don’t want to butt into their personal affairs too much. I guess what I’m saying is that the Tim Allen show has effectively reinforced my antisocial habit of not befriending the parents of my child’s friends, and I’ll never know if that’s a good or bad thing.
Shifting Gears airs on ABC on Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. The 2025 TV schedule is really cooking now that the fall season is underway. While this show is great, be sure to check out all the great shows popping up in primetime.