Shifting Gears is finding its rhythm in its sophomore season. Tim Allen’s latest sitcom divided critics and audiences, as the Shifting Gears premiere set viewership records for ABC, but reviewers had many critiques of Allen’s sitcom, feeling Allen’s persona and the show’s premise didn’t feel fresh enough for 2025.
However, the show is improving in season 2, with Allen’s character Matt Parker redeeming himself while keeping his signature gruff everyman persona. While Allen is the face and center of the show, everyone in the cast of Shifting Gears has a rich comedic history, even if they haven’t been given a chance to shine — yet.
Two supporting characters, Daryl “Chill” Mitchell’s Stitch and Seann William Scott’s Gabe, have been notably underserved, but Shifting Gears season 2, episode 6, “Loyalty,” finally gives the actors and characters a storyline that highlights their potential as the show’s secret weapons.
Shifting Gears Finally Uses Daryl “Chill” Mitchell & Seann William Scott’s Characters In A Good Storyline
Daryl “Chill” Mitchell and Seann William Scott are Shifting Gears’ secret weapons, and their characters finally get the material they deserve after the show largely relegated Stitch and Gabe to the background. Mitchell, known for 10 Things I Hate About You and Galaxy Quest, has mostly been given throwaway quips rather than quality character-building.
In season 2, episode 6, Shifting Gears slows down and lets both actors show what they can do. The episode centers on Stitch refusing to work on a dream car because he recognizes — and hates — the owner.
The story digs into Stitch’s 20-year history with Matt and the shop, finally explaining his nickname: he’s the interior specialist, a leatherwork genius whose “stitching” skills set the shop apart. The backstory also subtly acknowledges his past as a veteran, potentially tying into how he became a wheelchair user without reducing Stitch to his trauma.
Meanwhile, Seann William Scott’s (American Pie,Dude, Where’s My Car?) character Gabe has spent most of the season stuck in an undercooked love triangle. In this episode, however, Gabe’s increasingly needy loyalty to Stitch becomes a far more compelling character beat, making Gabe feel like a character in his own right and not a piece of Riley’s story.
Shifting Gears Season 2, Episode 6 Is The Best Use Of The Auto Shop Setting To Date
Allen’s sitcom has had plenty of fun using its North Hollywood auto shop setting as a magnet for recognizable faces. Shifting Gears season 2 really has unlocked a cameo gold mine, inviting car-loving icons like Jay Leno and local stars like Dodgers player Mookie Betts to roll through for breezy appearances.
Those moments work because they feel organic to the world of a Los Angeles custom shop — of course celebrities stop by to talk cars — but season 2, episode 6 stands out for doing something more meaningful with the location. Rather than treating the shop as a backdrop or cameo playground, the episode uses it as a storytelling engine.
We see the workers’ specialties — interiors, bodywork, restoration — rather than treating everyone like interchangeable mechanics. Matt gets to pitch his vision for a custom build, speaking with a genuine, almost boyish enthusiasm rarely seen from him in his personal relationships.
That enthusiasm makes it all the more powerful when he turns down the project after learning the client’s history with Stitch — specifically, that he stole Stitch’s girlfriend while Stitch was serving overseas. The emotional stakes, the physical space, and the characters’ identities all inform one another in the episode.
The show doesn’t soften Matt’s gruff personality, nor does it get saccharine. Instead, it finds a grounded, character-driven use of its environment. Shifting Gears season 2 is clearly finding its voice — and the auto shop is finally more than just a set.
- Release Date
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January 8, 2025
- Directors
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John Pasquin, Victor González
