Warning: Contains SPOILERS for the season 1 finale of Shifting Gears.ABC’s Shifting Gears wrapped up its first season on Wednesday, March 19, bringing several ongoing plotlines to a head. The Tim Allen led sitcom follows Matt, “a stubborn, widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop” whose life is turned upside-down when his estranged daughter (Kat Dennings) moves back in with her two children. Episode 10 sees Riley’s ex, Jimmy, return, hoping the four of them can be a family again.
While Riley struggles to make a decision, Gabriel (Seann William Scott) grapples with his feelings for her. Dennings’ character opts to stay put, asking Jimmy to sign their divorce papers and officially end their marriage. In her alcohol-induced state, Riley tries to kiss Gabriel, but he turns her down, afraid to ruin the friendship. However, “Kiss” does live up to its name, as the finale ends with Matt and his nemesis, Eve (Jenna Elfman), sharing an unexpected moment.
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ScreenRant interviews stars Kat Dennings and Seann William Scott about Matt and Eve’s romance, whether Riley has feelings for Gabriel, and the Shifting Gears finale’s full-circle scene.
The Shifting Gears Cast Was Shocked By Tim Allen & Jenna Elfman’s Final Scene
“They went through some different iterations of it and this was definitely unexpected.”
ScreenRant: Kat, since you’re also a producer, did you know the gist of what was going to transpire in the finale before you got the script?
Kat Dennings: I knew a little bit. Michelle Nader, our incredible showrunner, gave me a little sneak peek, and I was also asking just incessantly what was going to happen. So I knew the overview of it, but I did not know the more fun details of it. So I was very excited.
The finale is titled “Kiss.” Did you know who the kiss was going to be between?
Kat Dennings: No. They had pitched me a different sort of version of the finale. I guess there’s no point in talking about that because it’s not what we did. But they went through some different iterations of it and this was definitely unexpected. Everyone was so shocked when it was the Tim Allen and Jenna Elfman kiss.
And, in fact, when I watched them do the run-through, I actually squealed out loud watching it, like I was an audience member. I was like, “Oh my God!” I couldn’t believe it even though I knew it was going to happen. It was very well done.
Sean, I’m curious who you thought it was going to be. Did you think it was Riley and Gabriel?
Seann William Scott: I didn’t, because Michelle told me what was going to happen at the end. But actually, for some reason, I didn’t even know that Tim Allen and Jenna kiss until just now. I don’t know how I missed that. I read the script.
Kat Dennings: You didn’t read the stage directions.
Seann William Scott: No, I don’t do that. I only read my dialogue.
Kat Dennings: Yeah, it’s a Christopher Walken technique that is quite popular.
Seann William Scott: Exactly.
The Shifting Gears Writers Were Split On Riley And Jimmy’s Relationship
“It was interesting because the man writers thought one thing, and the lady writers thought another thing.”
Riley’s been struggling with what she wants from Jimmy since he showed up earlier in the season. Do you believe she still had romantic feelings for him, or was it purely about what would be best for the kids?
Kat Dennings: I really waffled about that with the writers too, because the writers were kind of split into two camps about the Riley and Jimmy relationship. It was interesting because the man writers thought one thing, and the lady writers thought another thing. And I thought the same as the lady writers. It was very interesting. It’s just interesting how men and women process these things. But since I’m playing the character, I think I can just have final say on it. [Laughs]
I felt like it had become so second nature to Riley to be with him. And she says in the episode that all she really has known is being unhappy with him, and it’s kind of part of her life and part of her identity. And I think they’ve grown apart so much that it’s just too obvious to her now that even staying with him for the kids is not possible for her. I think she was with him for the kids for a long time just because she didn’t know what else to do.
And I think that’s a pretty relatable situation for a lot of people. So yeah, I think it had finally become really obvious, maybe even through getting to know Gabriel more and seeing like, “Oh, someone could actually care about me and listen to something as small as my coffee order and remember it.” And just these small gestures that she hadn’t gotten from Jimmy, ever, factored into her decision.
Dennings Didn’t Want Gabriel To Feel Like A Rebound For Riley
“I think she was just tipsy, and she loves Gabriel as a friend, and I think it just intersected for a moment there.”
Stitch even encouraged Gabriel to tell Riley how he felt. It could have been his only chance. Sean, why wasn’t he ready to take that leap?
Seann William Scott: That’s such an actor question. I don’t know. [Laughs] I think maybe, yeah, he’s just not ready. Honestly, I don’t think I even thought about it when I was playing it. I was probably thinking, “Don’t screw up in front of a live audience.” Character-wise though, I mean for a guy who’s had feelings for somebody for so long and also start off as friends, it probably just comes down to being afraid, and also maybe not wanting to ruin a friendship and all sorts of circumstances.
Riley does try to kiss Gabriel. Was it the alcohol, or do you think she really does have feelings for him?
Kat Dennings: I think it was 80% alcohol and 20% realizing in that moment that maybe she does have feelings for him. I was afraid of it seeming like she was just doing a rebound thing. I definitely didn’t want that seeming like what was happening. So I think she was just tipsy, and she loves Gabriel as a friend, and I think it just intersected for a moment there.
Gabriel’s feelings for Riley have been a thoroughline during the first season. Do you want them to continue to be a will they/won’t they relationship throughout the series?
Kat Dennings: I speak for both Sean and myself. We hope that the show goes a long time. That would be the dream. We just hope for many, many seasons. And in all these classic shows, there’s always this maybe, maybe not, will they/won’t they romance thing that just keeps viewers really invested in the relationship.
I think that would be the smart way to do it. Sometimes coupling in a sitcom—there are only so many ways it can go. You get together and then you have to break up and then you have to hate each other or something. There has to be something funny or interesting to do with it. So I think a will they/won’t they would be the most fun.
Dennings Reflects On Riley’s Decision In The Shifting Gears Finale
“She doesn’t want to do it, but she needs to do it.”
What do you think Riley and Gabriel’s reactions will be to finding out what happened between Matt and Eve? They’ve been witnessing this feud firsthand, and Eve is Riley’s boss.
Kat Dennings: Riley is going to be absolutely furious. That I am 100% sure about. She finally has this job that she really likes and this environment that’s really good for her, and she loves Eve, and this is just the worst thing that could happen—for her dad to start dating her. To her, maybe not for him. But I think she’ll be mad.
Seann William Scott: Gabriel has had a different experience than Riley because there’s been so much back-and-forth flirtation in the car shop. So I would imagine that he wouldn’t be too surprised.
Matt and Riley have come such a long way this season. What do you think is most significant about where they started in the pilot versus them both wanting her to stay in the finale?
Kat Dennings: Yeah, what a big difference. It’s so sweet how all that drama in the pilot went down on the sofa and then this big realization happens on that same sofa where she’s like, “Wow, I cannot believe I just turned down my husband to stay with my dad in his house.”
It’s kind of a sweet thing because she doesn’t want to do it, but she needs to do it. And I think she just has this slow realization of, “Oh no, what have I done?” I’m literally a grown person living with my dad, and now what do I do? It’s been a journey to say the least.
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About Shifting Gears Season 1
Created by Mike Scully And Julie Thacker-Scully
Shifting Gears stars Tim Allen as Matt, a stubborn, widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop. The real restoration begins, however, when Matt’s estranged daughter Riley (Kat Dennings) and her kids move into his house. The show also stars Daryl “Chill” Mitchell, Sean William Scott, Maxwell Simkins, and Barrett Margolis.
Check out our other interviews with the Shifting Gears cast:
Shifting Gears season 1 is currently available to stream on Hulu.
Shifting Gears
5/10
- Release Date
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January 8, 2025
