Shifting Gears

I really like Tim Allen and Kat Dennings, and so I was hopeful about their pairing as sitcom veterans in Shifting Gears. I like the premise too and find it relatable. It's challenging when you don't always see eye to eye with your parent but you love them regardless. And as someone who comes from a family with a mix of liberals and conservatives, I like shows that have characters from both sides of the table.

I will say, though...it could just be that it's the first episode and they need more time working together, but the chemistry of the actors seems off. Kat's not really giving me a "became a mom at a young age" vibe yet. Everyone just felt a bit awkard but I will say it's an awkward situation to have to ask your parent for help when your relationship isn't the best. But I couldn't help but feel everything was just a pinched forced.

Tim and the granddaughter connect well, though. She was the best out of all of them, in my opinion. She seemed to be the one that interacted with everyone the best and felt the most natural in the role. She has a bright eyed optimism that is refreshing to see that breaks from the stereotype of " kids these days are just spoiled screen zombies with zero social skills."

I still like the premise, though. And I still got a bit choked up at the end - it felt like Kat and Tim finally "clicked", not just as father and daughter, but as two actors telling a story. So maybe they will find their footing eventually? I'm going to give it more time. Hoping it becomes my comfort show.

Painfully bad & clichés galore!

Kat D thinks her witty sarcastic attitude is always a flex,no matter what she gets cast in.. Would enjoy seeing if she can act,beyond just one style.

Tim seems to feel he can micromanage things from script,etc.. Unfortunately that's his downfall it leaves things stale,because it resembles his past series.

The laugh track doesn't make things funny,but more like your watching a play or guess what.. Cheesy sitcom.

The kids are wrongly cast & not good either.

Also boring another show about a widow getting his life complicated,with shocker.. Kids!

Sean(Former Apple Pie)wasn't great,but made things less insufferable.

I think better direction,script & casting may of improved things.. The acting was flat & you didn't connect with any main characters,because they felt unlikable.

Don't see this making it beyond season one,actually don't see myself making it for episode 2 but will give it another try.. "Maybe" it will find its place & become better.

The cast is great. Sean William Scott needed a new sitcom. His role is perfect for him. Love Tim Allen and all the callbacks to his previous hits. Nice to see Daryl Mitchell again after NCIS NOLA was canceled. But Kat Demmings is the lag.

Riley's exactly the same character as Max from 2 Broke Girls. The same sarcasm and one liner style...same slutty/drunk/party girl backstory as Max. There's virtually no separation between the 2 characters. The only difference is Riley has loving parents and no yellow waitress uniform.

Demmings' character in 2 Broke Girls worked. But in this show...it's already getting old and I'm on the 7th episode now. Hopefully they can change it up a bit by the end of the season. It's funny but her character being soooo similar to her previous series...makes you feel like you're at the end of the series rather than the first season. I'm afraid there won't be a season two without some kind of change with her character. There's great potential with such a good cast.

Everything they say isn't funny so PLEASE give us a break and scrap the laugh track. It's used so often it makes the show unwatchable, which is a shame because it's not off to a bad start as a new series.

The acting is good and the plotline allows room for the show to grow.

But for the show to evolve writers need to stop aiming for the quick easy laugh and develop the characters.

Mostly, tone down the laugh track. We can figure out the comedic lines all by ourselves.

There's good chemistry between Tim Allen and Kat Dennings and the actors who play the kids are quite good. Don't let the laugh track spoil it.

Nothing new or fresh here. The laugh track is embarrassing for what normally would not be laughs. The punchlines are way too predictable, which makes the laugh track pointless. Characters are too cliche'. Storylines as well. This is sitcom style from the 80s when streaming or pay TV was not in play. Now that it is, how can this be on the air? How desperate were the actors for work to sign on to this? Did they not read the script and think: "this type of garbage has been done over and over and over" We're better off watching a blank screen, or better yet quality programming from a pay or streaming service. Cancel this show and save these actors lives....... Unless they want to fall in to obscurity.