What Makes Tim Allen’s SHIFTING GEARS So Special
By Movieguide® Contributor
SHIFTING GEARS’ young stars Maxwell Simkins and Barrett Margolis explained why the new show has more to offer audiences than the typical family sitcom.
“It’s about pushing through, being a family, and never letting your family go,” Margolis told Parents.
“I think the beauty of SHIFTING GEARS is it covers more than the average sitcom and dives deeper,” Simkins added, continuing, “One of the best parts of a family is when they care so much. That’s an element that I feel Tim [Allen] brings to his character Matt — he cares so much, but he doesn’t know how to display it when Riley is talking about tracking and other things he can’t relate to.”
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The sitcom follows “Matt, a widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop. Matt’s estranged daughter Riley [Kat Dennings] and her teenage children move into his home, challenging him to rebuild both familial and personal connections.”
The emphasis on family is present even in the pilot episode as Matt and Riley experience tension in their relationship but ultimately forgive each other and vow to move on from the problems of the past. A portion of Movieguide®’s review reads:
The pilot episode of SHIFTING GEARS teaches strong positive values. It stresses the importance of family, love, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Also, father uses an overt winsome reference to Jesus when discussing life with his teenage grandson. Despite their differences, the grandfather and his daughter still love each other and want the best for one another. They also bond over the loss of their wife/mom and remember her as a remarkable woman who kept the family together. However, the pilot episode of SHIFTING GEARS has some relatively light foul language and other issues. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution for older children.
Because of its emphasis on family, SHIFTING GEARS has become TV’s number one new comedy after only a month on air. Allen is extremely grateful for the show’s success, especially because he wanted to “make a statement” with his third show on ABC.
READ MORE: TIM ALLEN THANKS FANS FOR MAKING SHIFTING GEARS NO. 1 COMEDY
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