Tim Allen's new ABC sitcom, Shifting Gears, is off to a strong start and marks a major improvement for its timeslot. Created by Mike Scully and Julie Thacker Scully, with Michelle Nader serving as showrunner and executive producer, the multi-cam comedy centers on car restoration shop owner Matt (Allen). A widow, who is fairly stuck in his ways, Matt reluctantly takes in his daughter Riley (WandaVision's Kat Dennings) and her children despite their estrangement. It airs Wednesdays at 8 PM ET, streaming the next day on Hulu.
TVLine reports that Shifting Gears is off to a strong start in terms of viewership, debuting with 6.1 million viewers and a 0.7 in the key 18-49 demographic. It did better than The Golden Bachelorette, in addition to besting other ABC sitcoms like The Goldbergs and The Conners which were previously in the Wendesday 8 PM timeslot. Allen and Dennings' new series came close to having the biggest audience of the night, coming in slightly behind NBC's Chicago Med which had 6.2 million viewers.
What The Strong Ratings Start Means For Shifting Gears
A Lot Of Curious Viewers Tuned In
The reviews for Shifting Gearshave generally not been positive, dinging the show's humor and failure to capitalize on a talented cast. Still, the initial viewership numbers point to the fact that there is interest in seeing Allen return to the network comedy format after Home Improvement in the 1990s and Last Man Standing in the 2010s. It's also Dennings' return to network television following her co-lead role on 2 Broke Girls opposite Beth Behrs.
Shifting Gears:MainCast & Characters
Actor
Who They Play
Tim Allen
Matt
Kat Dennings
Riley
Seann William Scott
Gabriel
Daryl Daryl “Chill” Mitchell
Stitch
Maxwell Simkins
Carter
Barrett Margolis
Georgia
Noting that the numbers are likely to rise once delayed viewership and streaming numbers are factored in, the divide between Shifting Gears and other ABC comedies is not too surprising. It is a new show with familiar actors, including American Pie alum Seam Williams Scott, whereasThe Conners will soon end with season 7. The story of Matt and Riley ls just beginning, whereas the Roseanne spinoff has more or less solidified its audience. The question now turns to whether Shifting Gears can build on its solid debut.
Our Take On Shifting Gears' Strong Debut
Follow-Up Is Crucial
It is not all that unusual for a high-profile new series to kick off with impressive numbers. What will be the thing to keep an eye on, as Shifting Gears progresses. is how the sitcom holds onto that initial audience. Some level of drop off is inevitable. It's just a matter of how many viewers still tune in during the weeks ahead. That will be what determines season 2.
Matt, a widowed and stubborn owner of a classic car restoration shop, has his life turned upside down when his estranged daughter, Riley, and her teenage children move in with him.
English (US) ·