To say I was happy to see Tim Allen back on my TV screen is an understatement. As a long-time Home Improvement fan, I couldn’t wait to see him opposite Kat Dennings in the new series Shifting Gears.
Caution: This post contains SPOILERS from the Shifting Gears series premiere
Does everything work in this pilot? Definitely not. That’s the problem with pilots, though. They end up rather clunky as they deliver the needed backstory on characters to understand who they are and how they’ve ended up where they are.
We get the basic details about Matt and his estranged daughter Riley. Riley ran away from home at 18 when pregnant and married the guy she ran away with. However, she’s back, sharing that she’s getting a divorce.
What worked in Shifting Gears
The premiere of Shifting Gears worked in the sense that it leaves me interested in watching more. The comedy wasn’t too forced, which it can be in a series premiere, and we got a good amount of backstory to actually feel for the various characters. There’s a point in the episode when talking about the flour shaker that makes it clear that this series will offer some sadness and drama mixed in with the comedy.
Will it do this as well as Only Fools and Horses? I don’t think anything can. That British comedy series is the benchmark for me when it comes to outstanding comedies. However, I think Shifting Gears can balance it well, and part of that comes from having Allen as the male lead. He did this well with Home Improvement and Last Man Standing.
It also worked having people know Riley. She didn’t have to give her whole backstory to them, but could pull in bits of the past here and there. This allowed us to just learn as the episode naturally progressed.
Allen and Dennings do a great job of acting opposite each other. They both bring different viewpoints, and it’s clear that they actually want to mend their relationship. That doesn’t mean it will be easy, but they are willing to try. A lot of comedies would have just had animosity and Matt not really wanting his daughter and grandkids around. However, he’s jumped straight into playing grandfather to the two kids.
There are moments where Riley and Matt are able to find common ground. This is usually over the loss of Riley’s mom/Matt’s wife, but it’s something. There are clearly other areas of common ground as well, and I’m sure we’ll see them play out as the show progresses. Just having one is a good start, because it allows for some emotional moments and makes it clear Riley isn’t just there because she needs a place to crash. She wants to be around her dad.
There are also hints as to how the grandkids could actually help with the business. Carter's comments about Matt's business Instagram page were great, and I think Matt should listen to Carter's thoughts. Between the two of them, they could grow that social media following. What I did like was seeing Matt actually listen a little in between his rants, showing that you can teach an old dog new tricks.
Also, can I just say that Barrett Margolis is just adorable. She nailed some of the comedic one-liners, and her character is just perfect for young girls at that age. Yes, they change their opinions and their dreams on a daily basis. I have two girls who will change what they're interested in within weeks. More of that will be perfect, especially with Matt's commentary on how she can't stick to one thing.
What didn’t work in the Shifting Gears series premiere
Okay, now onto the laughter. It's hard to tell if this was a laugh track or a live audience. I think a live audience, but sometimes the laughter was at points where the jokes just weren't funny. It almost felt like the laughter was inflated to make the series feel funnier than it is. This could be a pilot problem, though. I'm willing to see how things go with the next set of episodes.
The biggest issue for me is the political jokes from both sides. At first, they were funny. I will state that I’m neither Republican nor Democrat. I’m neither Left nor Right. I see things from both sides—and trust me, it can make voting difficult. I’m also not an American, and I have my own country’s politics to worry about. So, it’s got nothing to do with being on one side of politics or another.
I wanted to make that point because I know what people will say. There’s always that claim that people “can’t get a joke” or something. But again, I did find some of the comments funny and well-timed. I also found some of them (from both Allen and Dennings) true and perfect for today’s world. Matt saying something about the world not actually being able to have a grown-up discussion is so right. Too many people on both sides of the political lines end up resorting to name calling instead of actually having a debate or discussion. There’s one thing of calling people out on hurtful and harmful remarks, but there’s another thing in calling someone a name just because you disagree with them.
Anyway, rant over about that. Let’s get back to Shifting Gears and the political comments and jokes. This could work out if used sparingly. My fear is that the jokes will end up becoming too much, and this could ruin the show. It’s going to need to find a balance, because there’s more to talk about than politics and making sly digs at people.
This is something that we’ll only tell as more episodes air. I’m willing to give Shifting Gears a chance. The pilot episode was a little clunky, but it worked to draw me in. Will it be something I religiously watch live? That one I’m not too sure about as the rest of broadcast TV returns. However, I will tune in at the end of the night after Chicago PD on NBC to end my night with something a little lighter.
Shifting Gears airs on Wednesdays at 8/7c on ABC. Catch up the following day on Hulu.
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