'Shifting Gears' renewed for Season 3 as Kat Dennings and Tim Allen sitcom's cliffhanger still looms large
ABC is keeping the engine running on its hit comedy show. The network has officially ordered a third season of ‘Shifting Gears’, guaranteeing another round of family fights, awkward romances, and garage-floor bonding for the 2026–27 television season. The series, led by Tim Allen and Kat Dennings, has built a steady following since its debut in early 2025. While ABC has confirmed the renewal, it’s still keeping quiet about how many episodes fans will get this time around. At its core, the show has a simple but relatable setup. Allen plays Matt Parker, a widower who runs a classic car restoration shop and isn’t exactly known for being easygoing. His routine gets flipped upside down when his estranged daughter Riley, played by Dennings, shows up with her kids and moves into his home.
What starts as a reluctant reunion turns into something messy, warm, and often pretty funny. The “restoration” in the series isn’t just about cars, it’s about relationships that need serious fixing. The supporting cast adds plenty of flavor to the story. Seann William Scott appears as Gabriel, while Daryl Chill Mitchell plays Stitch. The younger generation is brought to life by Maxwell Simkins as Carter and Barrett Margolis as Georgia. Meanwhile, Jenna Elfman plays Eve, a character who has become rather important in Matt’s personal life. Season 2 wrapped things up with some significant developments on the romance front. Matt’s love life, for one, took a surprising turn. After trying his luck on a dating app, he found himself reconnecting with Eve.
Their timing wasn’t exactly perfect, though, since she was soon leaving to go overseas again. Still, Matt wasn’t about to let her slip away. He showed up at the airport ready to join her, ticket in hand, making it clear he wasn’t done with their relationship just yet. Riley’s situation, on the other hand, was a bit more complicated. Her relationship with Andy (Jesse Williams) hit another wall. The split came after yet another close moment between her and Gabriel. Not long after, Gabriel also called it quits with Amelie (Carson Fagerbakke), seemingly ready to finally act on his feelings for Riley.
Gabriel arrived at the Parker house, prepared to take a step forward with Riley, only to find Andy already there, hoping for another chance. That left Riley stuck in the middle, with two very different paths ahead of her. The finale left that question hanging, setting up a major storyline for Season 3. Looking ahead, the upcoming installment has a few obvious threads to pick up. Riley’s love triangle is front and center, and it’s hard to imagine the show dodging that question for long. Matt and Eve’s relationship will also be worth watching, especially with the added distance factor in play.
