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Published Feb 5, 2026, 5:30 PM EST
Jeff Dodge (he/him), a published author and graduate of Western Washington University, has been a TV news editor for many years and has had the chance to interview multiple reality show stars, including Randy Jackson, Nick Cannon, Heidi Klum, Mel B and John Cena. Fun Fact: he’s been to every single Idol Live! Tour.
Shifting Gears season 2 ended with several major relationship updates, and showrunner Michelle Nader is revealing how those complications will impact the Tim Allen-led series going forward. The finale showed Riley Parker breaking up with Andy and Gabe ending his relationship with Amelie.
Just when it seemed like Riley and Gabe would end up together, Andy, played by Grey's Anatomy alum Jesse Williams, proved he wasn't about to let her slip away. This complicated love triangle means Riley will be forced to deal with her feelings for Andy and Gabe next season.
After the Shifting Gears season 2 finale aired, Nader spoke with TVLine about what all of this means for the show's future.
The showrunner admitted that her goal was always for Riley and Gabe to be together, but when they cast Williams as Andy, those plans were thrown out the window because the Grey's Anatomy alum turned out to have great chemistry with Kat Dennings and strong comedic timing. Not even Nader knows what the future holds for this love triangle.
"I honestly have no idea. The plan was always to get Riley and Gabe together—and then Jesse Williams walked in and we were like, 'Holy s***.' He's incredible. I joke with him that I discovered this incredible comic talent that's been hiding under all those dramatic roles. That really surprised us. So how it unfolds next season? Your guess is as good as mine."
Riley wasn't the only one who had to grapple with relationship drama, of course. Matt Parker reunited with Eve (Jenna Elfman) and then headed to the airport after they parted ways again when he realized how much he cares about her.
Romantic relationships aside, Matt and Riley's bond is the heart of the series. Nader said that they have "a long way to go in terms of understanding each other and accepting their differences."
What's shaking up their relationship is Eve, who's a "catalyst" for the father and daughter duo as well as a "truth teller." When Matt and Riley are at odds with each other, Eve steps in to challenge their respective narratives. "She's part of their healing—and part of their conflict," Nader revealed.
"Matt and Riley still have a long way to go in terms of understanding each other and accepting their differences. Eve is a really interesting catalyst for both of them—she's kind of a truth teller. She won't take sides, but she will say what she really thinks, and that can be good and bad for them. They both dig their heels into their own narratives, and Eve challenges that. She's part of their healing—and part of their conflict."
While the relationship drama is expected to continue into the third season, ABC hasn't renewed Shifting Gears yet.
However, if the network does give the go-ahead, Nader wants to bring back Riley's brother, Sam Parker (Luke Macfarlane), because she found the Brothers & Sisters alum to be "so funny" and he felt so believable as part of the Parker family. Also, Allen "loved working with him."
"Luke is so funny, and he fit into that family immediately. I believed them right away. Tim loved working with him, and we all loved the idea of that character. I definitely think we'll see more of Uncle Sam—and his acting journey—in season 3."
ABC ordered 10 episodes for the first season of Shifting Gears and 13 episodes for the sophomore season that just wrapped. Nader has no idea how many episodes the network will order should the sitcom be renewed. However, "as many as they give us, I'll fill them to the brim," whether the episode count is 10, 13 or even 22.
While it's beneficial to know the exact number "up front" so she can map out the entire season, she and her team of producers and writers will "figure it out" no matter what happens.
"I really left behind any fixed expectations a long time ago. I truly mean this: As many as they give us, I'll fill them to the brim. If it's 10, if it's 13, if it's 22—that's great. The new normal is shorter orders, so I try to pack as much as possible into every episode because you just don't know how many you'll get."
"It does help to know the number up front so I can plan the season. We didn't know we were getting three extra episodes this year, so we had to adjust where we ended. But if they say, 'You're getting more,' we'll figure it out. That's part of the job."
After Allen starred on Home Improvement in the '90s and Last Man Standing from 2011 to 2021, the comedian returned to ABC alongside 2 Broke Girls' Dennings for their latest sitcom, which debuted in 2025 and just ended its second season.
Seann William Scott, Daryl "Chill" Mitchell, Maxwell Simkins and Barrett Margolis also star on Shifting Gears.
Williams is one of many well-known actors who have had recurring roles on Shifting Gears across its first two seasons. Others have included Elfman and Nancy Travis (from Last Man Standing).
As Nader mentioned, Williams is best known for his dramatic work on shows like Grey's Anatomy and Station 19, but joining Shifting Gears has allowed the actor to showcase his comedic side as part of a love triangle that the showrunner hopes to continue next season.
Release Date January 8, 2025
Directors John Pasquin, Victor González
English (US) ·