Shifting Gears Hosts A Home Improvement Reunion — What Else Is Revving Under The Hood In Season 2?
All three of Tim Allen's sitcom universes collided during Wednesday's Shifting Gears premiere — an episode that saw Matt accompany Charlotte (Last Man Standing's Nancy Travis) to a widows' support group whose members looked an awful lot like Jill Taylor, Al Borland and Heidi Keppert. (We even got a "Hey, buddy!" for good measure.)
Yes, the highly anticipated season opener featured cameos by Home Improvement's Patricia Richardson, Richard Karn and Debbe Dunning — the latter of whom had the distinct honor of calling Allen's alter-ego a "tool" (get it?) — but there's plenty more revving under the hood in Season 2 of the ABC comedy, especially now that Matt has decided to pursue a relationship with Jenna Elfman's Eve, and Gabe has revealed a new girlfriend, putting the kibosh on any potential romance with Riley.
According to showrunner Michelle Nader, that's only the beginning. The next 12 episodes will put Matt through a major setback, expand Riley's world beyond the garage and dance studio, and even make room for some classic sitcom hijinks.
MATT & EVE
"She's not technically a regular," Nader says of Jenna Elfman. But the Dharma & Greg star's role will greatly expand now that Matt and Eve are an item. Their first date will play out on Oct. 8, in an episode featuring previously announced guest stars Lilly Singh and Mookie Betts. "The plan is to have her in the majority [of Season 2], and we're doing big episodes with her — like our Halloween and Christmas episodes."
HOLIDAY EPISODES
Yes, you read that right: multiple holidays will be celebrated in Season 2 — including Halloween on Oct. 29. For Matt, the real terror begins when Eve suggests spending the night. Then at Christmas, viewers might even meet Gabe's mom. "I love doing those old school episodes," Nader says. "That's what we all love about this genre, you know? Those memories of those big [holiday] episodes when we were kids."
RILEY'S NEXT STEP
With Gabe off the table romantically — at least for now — Riley is finally "taking agency" in her life. "This season is really about becoming an adult," Nader says. "She can't be the rebellious teenager anymore that spite-married [Jimmy]." In Episode 3 (airing Oct. 15), "Riley will venture out and explore a career, and Matt will have really strong opinions about what that should be. It's something that will involve what she loves the most and keep her near the garage. It's a big reveal." That same episode features a cameo by Allen's Santa Clauses co-star Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias. It also welcomes Georgia's #GirlBoss idol, Shark Tank's Lori Grenier.
A SITCH FOR STITCH
Daryl "Chill" Mitchell's character has "a really big, dramatic story midseason," Nader tells TVLine. It involves "somebody from Stitch's past that he has beef with who has a fleet of amazing cars. Matt is put to a test in terms of his loyalty, and Gabe is ride-or-die, so it's a real interesting dynamic. I think it's going to be a great story for Daryl."
MATT'S SETBACK
Riley's son Carter is about to reach a big milestone — one that Grandpa won't soon forget. "Carter's gonna drive," Nader reveals. "There will be a really funny story with Carter getting his license... and Matt losing his license, not realizing his license has expired."
What did you think of Wednesday's Shifting Gears premiere — and what are you most excited to see in Season 2? Grade the episode via the following poll, then leave a comment and let us know.