Shifting Gears
Warning : SPOILERS for Shifting Gears Episode 9.Shifting Gearshas been cannon fodder for Tim Allen fans since it debuted , but episode 9 ’s thin - hide callback toHome Improvementproves the lead thespian ’s retiring roles are hurting the ABC funniness . Alongside Allen ’s Matt Parker , Kat Dennings leadsShifting Gears’cast of charactersas Matt ’s daughter , Riley . Shifting Gearsfollows Riley , in the weeds of a failing marriage , dead motivate home with her two children , Carter ( Maxwell Simkins ) and Georgia ( Barrett Margolis).Shifting Gears’story is n’t necessarily groundbreaking , but it does n’t have to be to follow as a situation comedy .
shift Gearshas earn impressive viewershipfrom the very beginning , in no small part due to Tim Allen leading the show . However , theharsh reality of Tim Allen ’s role inShifting Gearshas been clear from the first episode : Matt Parker is nothing Modern . Allen has play like archetypes in his two most popular projects , namely Tim Taylor inHome Improvementand Mike Baxter inLast Man Standing . The similarity are so conclusive , the ABC sitcom used it as a punchline in Shifting Gearsepisode 9 — but the ego - aware humor could indicate a deeper issue .
Jay Leno’s Home Improvement Joke In Shifting Gears Episode 9’s Ending Explained
Tim Allen’s 90s Sitcom Is Still Relevant
The reference to Tim Allen ’s breakout function came at the end ofShifting Gearsepisode 9 when Jay Leno appeared as himself , assumedly as a close friend of Matt Parker ’s . After Matt brushes off a voicemail he left Leno the dark before as a“bit,”Jay Leno talks with intentional vagueness about a show he watched from the 1990s . According to Leno , the main character was just like Matt ( only with a better sense of humour ) . ThoughShifting Gearsnever outright says the show ’s title , Leno ’s end scene was clearly concern toHome Improvementand , by extension , Tim Taylor .
reposition Gears has struggled to find its foothold as a family comedy , but one recurring antic ruins any comedic impulse the Tim Allen situation comedy has .
Ironically , this is n’t the first timeShifting Gearshas implied Tim Allen ’s graphic symbol is similar to his past function . When Nancy Travis guest starred inShifting Gearsepisode 6 , her graphic symbol had a one - off line saying that Matt reminded her of the last bozo she date stamp , referencing how Travis act Allen ’s wife inLast Man Standing . Theshared Tim Allen universe set up byShifting Gearsruns deep . While it ’s good for a quick laugh or rhythm of nostalgia , it could be limiting the next voltage of the ABC funniness .
Jay Leno’s Line Comparing Matt To Tim Taylor Is Right — For Better Or Worse
Tim Allen’s History Is A Double-Edged Sword For Shifting Gears
Jay Leno ’s poking that Tim Taylor is essentially a funnier variation of Matt Parker perfectly underline the danger ofShifting Gearsnever escaping the shadower of Allen ’s past hits , but the comparison admittedly is n’t all bad . Home Improvementwas a classic sitcom for a reason , and have a predictable character could be comfort to an extent . Eventhough there are a handful of distinctions between Matt and Tim , they playact into the same original , and it ’s the kind of character that ’s been around since TV itself because of its accessibility .
The ABC situation comedy needs to look at shifting its own power train if it desire real seniority .
However , being similar to a pop character is only such an issue because Tim Taylor is Tim Allen ’s most well - have sex role . Theearly review ofShifting Gearsspotted the risk from a mi away , with everything from Matt ’s machine repair workshop to his traditional family time value feeling reminiscent of Taylor , Baxter , or Allen himself . doubtless , the worst part of Leno ’s comparing personal credit line was the discernment that Tim Taylor is seen as funnier than Matt Parker . The funniness inShifting Gearshas been touch - and - go , but the ABC sitcom ask to consider shifting its own gearing if it wants real longevity .
Can Shifting Gears Solve Its Big Home Improvement Problem (How?)
Tim Allen Would Have To Challenge Himself And Leave His Comfort Zone
It may only be the pilot burner season , butMatt ’s lineament inShifting Gearsneeds to be reconsidered with brutal satin flower . candidly , I ’m unsure if Matt will ever become his own character inShifting Gears . It ’s no secret that Tim Allen ’s commercial-grade appeal is the typically one - dimensional stereotype he ’s played for over 30 years . video has change drastically sinceHome Improvementfirst aired , but prehend onto formulas that worked in the yesteryear is a gamble that Allen is clearly uncoerced to take ( potentially at the expense ofShifting Gears ) .
Actor
Shifting GearsCharacter
Tim Allen
Matt
Kat Dennings
James Whitcomb Riley
Maxwell Simkins
Carter
Barrett Margolis
Georgia
Seann William Scott
Gabriel
Daryl " Chill " Mitchell
run up
Cynthia Quiles
Frankie
Jenna Elfman
Eve
There are glimpses of originality inShifting Gearsthat give me hope , but ABC has to tap into them instead of rehashing the past . Matt ’s unequaled position as a widowman , grandfather , and business possessor gives him ample inside difference to put to work through , as certify byShifting Gearsepisode 4 . While it ’s fun to see former costars reconnect , lurch Gearsneeds to hold back treating Matt as a simple wing of Tim Allen and commit to what makes his character unlike . It may be easier said than done , butShifting Gearsdoesn’t have to feel like a rerun of Tim Allen ’s greatest hits .
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shift Gearscontinues Wednesday on ABC .
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