Tim Allen returns to ABC for his newest sitcom, Shifting Gears. Allen and Kat Dennings lead the cast of Shifting Gears, playing a father and daughter with a strained relationship newly trying to coexist under one roof. Matt is a widower stuck in his ways, whose wayward daughter Riley has nowhere else to turn after a divorce. Matt never approved of Riley's choices, and his wife served as the buffer in their relationship. Since her ing, Matt and Riley have grown further apart than ever. However, introducing Matt's yet-to-be-seen son could improve his and Riley's contentious relationship.

Shifting Gears beating The Conners in viewership. Allen has also hinted that Matt's son could appear in Shifting Gears, adding the element that could make the show worthy of its great ratings.

Matt & Riley In Shifting Gears Have An Exclusively Contentious Dynamic

Matt & Riley's Fighting Already Feels Repetitive

Matt and Riley are constantly at odds with each other, making their relationship feel repetitive even after only three episodes of Shifting Gears. Matt is one of many sitcom characters with surprisingly traumatic backstories, but as a widower and a boss, his stubborn nature defines him. He and Riley frequently clash over their generational parenting styles: Riley favors electronic monitoring of her children, while Matt advocates for giving them more freedom. However, this dynamic is revisited so often that it already feels overused.

Riley is not very gracious either, considering she showed up with no warning after 15 years away. She is just as obstinate as her father. Riley's world is in chaos, with the divorce, moving her two children, and her dire lack of finances, but there is none of the comedic yet emotional bonding that happens on other shows, like another freshman sitcom, Happy's Place. Riley and Matt's relationship appears one-dimensional. However, the show has alluded to another character, and Allen has said Matt's son will be introduced in Shifting Gears, which could save Riley and Matt’s dynamic.

Shifting Gears Needs Matt's Son To Make Its Central Relationship More Dynamic

Allen Has Confirmed Matt's Son Will Appear In Shifting Gears

In her memoir Bossypants, Tina Fey credits the magic of 30 Rock to the interplay between Liz Lemon, Jack Donaghy, and Tracy Jordan, three characters with radically different perspectives who would interact with each other in surprising ways. This idea of a triangulation of characters could be the secret to changing the mixed audience reviews for Shifting Gears. Allen has said that Matt has a son in the navy who audiences will "meet later." Bringing a third character into Shifting Gears will breathe new life into Matt and Riley's stuck relationship.

Riley ran away to marry a musician, meaning her life over the past decade will have been drastically different from her brother's. The son's presence could add depth to Matt's stubbornness and Riley's chaotic return, offering opportunities for growth and comedic tension. Allen did not specify when Matt's son would make his appearance on the show, but with Shifting Gears season 2 not yet confirmed, he is likely appearing in season 1. Anything that disrupts the repetitive routine Matt and Riley are already in could be what Shifting Gears needs to resonate with audiences.

Shifting Gears Already Teased What To Expect From Matt's Son

Matt's Son Knows His Sister's Struggles With Their Dad

When Shifting Gears debuted, it was on the heels of two family tragedies for the Parkers. Matt is still grieving the unexpected death of his wife, whose heart suddenly gave out while on a run. Meanwhile, Riley is starting from scratch as she left her husband and has brought her two kids with her. Because Shifting Gears is a comedy, it is unable to fully delve into these dramatic turn of events, although Matt and Riley shared a moment about the loss of their family matriarch in the pilot. It grounded the series, although scenes like that would be rare.

Shifting Gears doesn't even include a voice cameo from the Parker family's son, it's clear that he understands how big of an undertaking it is for her sister to come back home and live with their dad.

Prior to the father and daughter's touching scene, however, Riley got on the phone with her unseen brother to deliver him the news that she has moved back home. While Shifting Gears doesn't even include a voice cameo from the Parker family's son, it's clear that he understands how big of an undertaking it is for her sister to come back home and live with their dad. From that alone, it's safe to say that he knows full well how contentious Matt's relationship is with his sister, or perhaps, even he has a difficult dynamic with Allen's character.

Whatever the case may be, throwing him into the Shifting Gears mix can shake things up and add something fresh to a tired sitcom trope. Across network TV, there are a few comedies that deal with a parent and child's conflict such as Lopez vs. Lopez and Poppa's House. While Shifting Gears is standing on the shoulders of Allen's legacy in the sandbox, it's important to be conscious about making sure that it is unique, so it can be sustainable in the long run. Unfortunately, the cycle of Matt and Riley fighting and making up can grow old quickly.

When Will Matt Son Potentially Debut In Shifting Gears?

ittedly, it may be a little too early in its run to expect Shifting Gears to bring in Matt's son. At this point, the focus of the new ABC comedy is to establish its core cast, especially Matt and Riley. While their relationship is central to the show's narrative, Shifting Gears has also started to develop their respective arcs, with Riley trying to find a job while her dad attempts to connect with his grandkids. Once that's all fully set up, then the Parker family's son can come in to disrupt the clan's new normal.

Whether Riley's brother becomes a regular cast member of Shifting Gears is also uncertain at this point. ABC can bring him in later in its run and make him an official part of the ensemble, assuming that his debut goes well. In any case, it will all boil down to his eventual introduction — something that Allen has already promised will eventually happen.

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New episodes of Shifting Gears air on Wednesdays at 8 ET on ABC.