The second season of Shifting Gears wrapped up with some significant changes in the characters’ love lives, and the show’s creator, Michelle Nader, is sharing how these breakups will affect the show as it moves forward. In the finale, Riley Parker ended things with Andy, and Gabe split from Amelie.
Just as Riley and Gabe seemed destined to be a couple, Jesse Williams (known from Grey’s Anatomy) enters the picture as Andy, determined to win Riley’s heart. This creates a complicated love triangle, and next season, Riley will have to sort through her feelings for both Andy and Gabe.
Following the season two finale of Shifting Gears, Nader discussed the show’s potential future with TVLine.
The show’s creator originally intended for Riley and Gabe to end up together. However, after casting Williams as Andy, things changed. He and Kat Dennings had such good chemistry and comedic timing that the writers had to rethink their plans. Even one of the show’s producers, Nader, isn’t sure how the love triangle will resolve.
To be honest, I’m not sure what’s going to happen next. The original idea was to pair up Riley and Gabe, but then Jesse Williams joined the show and completely changed things. He’s amazing! I tease him that I uncovered a real comedic gift he’d been keeping hidden in all his serious roles. It was a total surprise. So, what happens in the next season? I really have no idea.
Riley wasn’t the only one facing relationship issues. Matt Parker and Eve (Jenna Elfman) briefly reconnected, but after realizing his strong feelings for her, Matt rushed to the airport following their latest separation.
Beyond any romantic storylines, the strong connection between Matt and Riley is central to the show. According to Nader, they still need to learn a lot about each other and come to terms with their differences.
Eve is causing some tension in the father-daughter relationship, but in a way that forces Matt and Riley to confront things. She challenges both of their perspectives when they disagree, acting as a sort of truth-teller. According to Nader, she’s both helping them heal and contributing to their struggles.
Matt and Riley are still learning to understand and accept each other. Eve plays a key role in their journey – she’s honest and doesn’t shy away from telling them what she thinks, even if it’s difficult. Both Matt and Riley are set in their ways, but Eve pushes them to reconsider their perspectives. She both helps them heal and sometimes contributes to their disagreements.
Even though the show’s relationship conflicts will likely continue, ABC hasn’t decided whether to renew Shifting Gears for a third season.
If the show gets renewed, Nader is hoping to bring back Sam Parker, played by Luke Macfarlane. She thought he was very funny and a convincing member of the Parker family, and Allen also enjoyed working with him.
Luke is hilarious and felt like part of the family instantly. I was completely convinced by their dynamic. Tim really enjoyed working with him, and we all loved the Uncle Sam character. I’m confident we’ll see more of both Uncle Sam and Luke’s acting in the third season.
ABC initially ordered 10 episodes for the first season of Shifting Gears, and then 13 for the recently completed second season. Nader doesn’t know how many episodes the network might order if the show is renewed, but he’s confident he can write as many as needed – whether that’s 10, 13, or even 22.
Knowing the exact number of episodes beforehand would help with planning the whole season, but she and her team are confident they can determine the final count no matter what.
I stopped having fixed expectations ages ago. Honestly, I’m happy with however many episodes they ask for – whether it’s ten, thirteen, or even twenty-two, I’ll do my best to deliver. These days, orders are for shorter seasons, so I really focus on making each episode as full and engaging as possible, because you never know how many chances you’ll get.
Knowing the episode count beforehand really helps with planning the season. We were caught off guard this year when we learned we’d be getting three extra episodes, which meant we had to rethink the ending. But if we’re told we’re getting more episodes, we’ll adapt – that’s just what we do.
Tim Allen became famous for his roles on the ’90s show Home Improvement and Last Man Standing, which ran from 2011 to 2021. He recently returned to ABC with Kat Dennings, known from 2 Broke Girls, for a new sitcom that premiered in 2025 and just finished its second season.
I’m really excited to see Seann William Scott, Daryl Mitchell (who’s always great!), Maxwell Simkins, and Barrett Margolis all joining the cast of Shifting Gears. It’s a fantastic group of actors and I think they’ll really bring something special to the film.
Williams is among a number of popular actors who’ve appeared in multiple episodes of Shifting Gears over its first two seasons. He’s joined by stars like Elfman and Nancy Travis, known from Last Man Standing.
As Nader pointed out, Williams is famous for his serious roles in dramas like Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19. However, his new role in Shifting Gears lets him show off his funny side, playing a part in a love triangle that the show’s creator wants to explore further in the next season.
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2026-02-06 01:29