Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage latest episode, called “A Bus Bench and Faith out the Wazoo” and available with a Paramount+ subscription, as well as the Shifting Gears episode, “License,” now available with a Hulu subscription. Read at your own risk!
I’ve followed Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage and Shifting Gears since their beginnings, and have loved what each of the two shows has done in their second seasons in the 2025 TV schedule. Usually, these two couldn’t be any more different when it comes to subject matter, so it was really odd this week when both shows aired a very similar storyline.
The CBS and ABC sitcoms delivered episodes with a subplot about the family patriarch running into trouble at the DMV. While I enjoyed both, I do have to crown one as my definitive favorite between the two.
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Showed Jim Struggling With His Eyesight At The DMV
I’ve enjoyed Will Sasso since his first appearance as Jim McAllister on Young Sheldon. Now that he’s retired after selling the tire shop, I love following his adventures even more. The latest included him failing the vision test at the DMV and only realizing after a car accident that he should be wearing glasses while driving.
Though he was upset about it, Jim went and got glasses and ultimately was able to drive again without issue. He even returned to the DMV to ace the vision test, only to unnecessarily gloat and rub it in the face of an uncaring receptionist, who seemed weirded out by the whole exchange.
Shifting Gears Featured Matt Failing His Driver’s Test To Renew His License
Matt Parker found out Riley replaced him as Carter‘s driving instructor, so he tagged along to observe how new-age driving instruction is done. After challenging the instructor, Matt was informed his own license had expired, and he had to retake his driver’s test as a result. He took the test, and despite hitting it off with the person testing him, he failed.
Matt was depressed after thinking back to when his own father got to a point where he could no longer drive. The episode ended with him being consoled by Riley and the kids, reassuring him that he will likely pass the test eventually.
I Prefer How Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage Handled It
Between the two similar storylines, I have to tip my hat to Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage. To start, Matt in Shifting Gears failed the test not because his eyesight was bad, but mostly because he was a rude and aggressive driver. All he had to do to pass the test was be less of a jerk, for lack of a better term, and he’d have his license renewed. It made his sad scene at the end a bit silly, because who has ever been barred from driving forever because they’re too mean?
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage felt more authentic, because that realization your eyesight is getting bad is a real thing we all deal with. I know I’ve had that moment where I’ve realized it was time to update my prescription, and in the end, it was Jim who realized he was the one who needed to change.
Shifting Gears is good at hitting the mark when it comes to cameos and funny moments, but Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage will always reign supreme for me when it comes to delivering relatable moments. Hell, the entire show is centered around an eventual divorce, which happens to a lot of married couples. Both shows are good at what they do, but in this specific instance, I have to give the win to the CBS sitcom.
Stream Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage over on Paramount+, and check out the latest episode of Shifting Gears on Hulu. I’d love to hear other takes from anyone else who watched both episodes, and honestly, I’m kind of hoping this happens again so I can compare the two once again.
