Changing Tracks: What You Need to Know About Tim Allen’s New ABC Sitcom
ABC is placing its bets on sitcom legends Tim Allen and Kat Dennings with their new series Shifting Gears.
Starring Allen and Dennings, the series received a pilot order in March 2024. Shifting Gears focuses on the owner of a car restoration shop who seizes the opportunity to reconnect with his estranged daughter and grandchildren.
This ABC series arrives three years after Allen’s last sitcom, Last Man Standing, concluded its nine-season journey. Prior to Last Man Standing, Allen was celebrated for his role as Tim “The Toolman” Taylor on the ABC sitcom Home Improvement, which aired from 1991 to 1999.
In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly in 2020, Allen expressed: “The word that keeps me alive is ‘grateful.’ I love what I do. The joy I get from entertaining people far outweighs any monetary benefit. I cherish our live audience. I remind them each night that this is what television and broadcasting originally stemmed from. I’m uncertain about the future, but this [show] feels distinctive.”
Allen added: “We’ve replicated the same approach as we did with Home Improvement. It hinges on relationships — we avoid topical controversies. Being surrounded by strong women has provided me a unique male perspective. Our dynamic is affectionate, we never ridicule one another. We strike a balance between honoring and humorously discussing marriage, parenting, and family dynamics.”
Dennings, for her part, has a rich history in network television, playing Max in CBS’s 2 Broke Girls from 2011 to 2017.
Scroll down for all the details about Shifting Gears:
Who Is Starring in ‘Shifting Gears’?
Allen and Dennings portray Matt and his estranged daughter, Riley, respectively. The cast also features Seann William Scott, Daryl “Chill” Mitchell, Maxwell Simkins, and Barrett Margolis. Additionally, Brenda Song is anticipated to appear, while Jenna Elfman has secured a recurring role prior to the show’s premiere.
What Is ‘Shifting Gears’ About?
Shifting Gears tracks Matt, a rigid widower who owns a classic car restoration shop. His world is flipped when his estranged daughter, Riley, and her teenage children move in with him. Matt’s son, Nick, takes a hiatus from his life to assist at the shop.
When Does ‘Shifting Gears’ Premiere?
The series was greenlit by ABC in July 2024, with the pilot being executive-produced by Mike Scully and Julie Thacker Scully. Originally planned to serve as showrunners, TVLine later confirmed that someone else will be stepping into that role.
Alongside producers from Last Man Standing like Marty Adelstein, Becky Clements, Richard Baker, Rick Messina, and pilot director John Pasquin, Allen is on board as an executive producer.
The series is set to debut on January 8, 2025.
