Shifting Gears has been one of the most satisfying new releases I’ve enjoyed recently with my Disney+ subscription. It’s not often that I start watching a series with high expectations and, upon finishing it, find myself even more eager to watch a second season. This doesn’t happen often with Disney, in particular, although with Netflix, the results can be even worse. Therefore, the fact that Shifting Gears has become the series I needed has surprised me and, at the same time, has made me feel excited about classic sitcoms again.
I grew up watching Home Improvement and so many other American series. But Tim Allen’s series was one of my favorites. Not only because the protagonist had children and I identified with some of them (although it’s hard to remember who at this point), but because Tim “The Toolman” Taylor easily became a man to admire. He was the typical TV dad with whom you sometimes spent more time than with your own real father, who worked his tail off day and night so you could enjoy watching TV. Tim’s moments with his neighbor Wilson were wonderful.
That familiarity with Tim Allen, at a time when neither controversies nor aspects outside of fiction reached young people, also made me watch his films religiously. He was a guarantee, a familiar face you were happy to see. So when, over the years, Last Man Standing was released, I celebrated. I had Tim Allen back on screen, because, for better or worse, Tim Allen always plays himself. You could consider all his characters versions from parallel dimensions that are part of a Tim Allenverse that could easily be adapted for an animated series.
And now, with the release of Shifting Gears, that excitement has been rekindled. The series bears Allen’s signature: it’s classic, it’s American, it’s respectful, and it simply seeks to entertain in an intelligent way. It’s not Frasier, but it’s not a sitcom where laughs depend on fart jokes either. The first episode starts off easy, testing the waters and serving as an introduction, but then the series really heats up and ends up being one of the best sitcoms I’ve seen in recent years.
Shifting Gears Has It All
It’s said that you can put Tim Allen in any kind of environment in a sitcom, and if he has the characteristic background of his characters, success is inevitable. We’ve seen this over the years, but it’s logical that the actor has had to adapt. In Last Man Standing, we already saw how his daughters grew up and advanced in their lives, so, at 72 years old, it was logical that Allen couldn’t start all over again from scratch.
Because of this, Shifting Gears places the action in a more coherent context and makes Tim Allen not only a father, but also a grandfather. A grandfather, of course, of grandchildren who are already a certain age and, thanks to this, fit perfectly into the dynamics of the series. It’s fair to acknowledge that, although the series depends on Allen, the casting has been excellent. Starting with the protagonist’s grandchildren, they are two actors who fit very well into their roles and are extremely entertaining. In addition, the series also brings back Seann William Scott, the famous Stifler from American Pie, who is much more controlled and even surprises with the contribution he makes.
However, it’s inevitable to give a huge shout-out to actress Kat Dennings, who plays the daughter of Tim Allen’s character. They have chemistry, but also great contrasts, and a relationship that serves as a starting point for the series’ beginning. Dennings has extensive experience in comedy and, beyond that, has always been one of the most compelling female faces in sitcoms.
With her and Tim Allen, and the grand finale that concludes the first season, we know Shifting Gears has a very sweet future ahead. Furthermore, a reunion with several of the Home Improvement cast members has already been confirmed for the second season, which isn’t surprising considering that cameos and reunions are part of Allen’s DNA.
