Shifting Gears Episode 6 Exposes What Tim Allen's Matt Really Needs To Be Compelling

Warning: this article contains SPOILERS for Shifting Gears episode 6.Shifting Gears episode 6 flirted with the idea of giving Matt (Tim Allen) a love interest, but the storyline only revealed that he needs a different kind of relationship. Allen leads the ShiftingGears cast of characters as Matt, estranged father to Riley (Kat Dennings) and grouchy grandfather to Georgia (Barrett Margolis) and Carter (Maxwell Simkins). Matt owns an auto shop where he employs Stitch (Daryl Mitchell), Gabriel (Seann William Scott), and Frankie (Cynthia Quiles), but he’s just their boss. Ultimately, Allen’s character in Shifting Gears is simply an authority figure, regardless of the setting.

Though Matt may have initially begun as a static character, Shifting Gears episode 4 pivoted to a grief storyline for Riley and her dad, which added much-needed depth and humanity to the characters. The next step of Matt’s grief journey is opening himself up to future romance, as explored in Shifting Gears episode 6, However, meeting Charlotte (Nancy Travis) only further illuminates the real gap in Matt’s life: she doesn’t need a girlfriend in Shifting Gears, he just needs a friend.

Matt's Failed Date Shows How A Friendship Can Make Him A Better Character

Charlotte Got Matt To Open Up

Charlotte (Nancy Travis) and Matt (Tim Allen) in Shifting Gears episode 6.

WhileShifting Gears already introduced the perfect love interest for Riley, episode 6 is the first time Matt has the opportunity to connect with someone new. He meets Charlotte when he goes to visit his wife’s grave, only to find out her grave is directly next to Charlotte’s husband. Effortlessly, Charlotte matches Matt’s banter and mellows out his harsh personality while they talk. After Charlotte texts him information about a grief support group, they part ways until they run into each other later that day at the grocery store.

Although Matt and Charlotte have clear chemistry, they both make it clear nothing will come of it in Shifting Gears. Matt isn’t ready to move on from his wife, and Charlotte thinks he’s too much like the last guy she dated (a cheeky nod to Last Man Standing, where Travis and Allen last acted together). However, Matt and Charlotte’s dynamic shows the hidden potential in Matt’s character that doesn’t necessarily need to be developed romantically. In fact, Shifting Gears could introduce a new character to be Matt’s equal, a friend who doesn’t see him as a relative or boss.

Introducing A New Relationship For Matt Can Showcase A Different Side Of Tim Allen's Character

Friendship Is The Dynamic He's Missing

Part of what made Shifting Gears’s initial reviews so poor was how all the characters felt supplemental to Matt, but what the sitcom needs to fix the comedy is a solid friendship. Shifting Gears shows Matt as Riley’s father; as Georgia and Carter’s grandfather, and as Gabriel, Frankie, and Stitch’s boss, but never just a character on his own. In order to fully develop Allen’s role, Shifting Gears needs to give him a friend who is separate from Matt’s work and home life. Matt having a friend would also free the ensemble cast to develop independently of him in the future.

Actor	Shifting Gears Character
Tim Allen	Matt
Kat Dennings	Riley
Seann William Scott	Gabriel
Daryl Mitchell	Stitch
Cynthia Quiles	Frankie
Maxwell Simkins	Carter
Barrett Margolis	Georgia

Unfortunately, there are no permanent characters in Shifting Gears who would fit the bill as Matt’s friend. The sitcom would need to introduce a new character entirely or shake up the current character dynamics at play in Shifting Gears season 2. There’s a world where Matt could be Stitch’s friend if they didn’t work together, or Matt could show more vulnerability to his family. As it stands, however, the closest Matt will come to opening up is letting glimpses of his feelings slip. Tim Allen’s character wouldn’t just benefit from a friendship in Shifting Gears —Matt needs one.

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Shifting Gears continues February 26 on ABC.