Tim Allen’s Grumpy Persona Gets a Surprising Twist in Shifting Gears S2E10

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The second season of Shifting Gears is gaining momentum, as often happens with sitcoms. While the premiere attracted a record number of viewers for ABC, critics weren’t impressed with Tim Allen’s new show, finding it lacked originality.

Tim Allen is a popular actor, as shown by his large viewership, but he’s been playing similar characters – tough, working-class guys – for decades. The second season of Shifting Gears is successfully updating his on-screen image while still giving fans what they enjoy about him.

The latest episode of ABC’s popular show is a standout. It’s successfully turned Matt Parker into a character viewers sympathize with, rather than seeing him as the antagonist, especially in the season 2 finale, ‘Friend’. This episode is one of the best the show has produced so far.

Shifting Gears Makes Matt Parker The Stereotype In Season 2, Episode 10

In the season 2 finale of Shifting Gears, the show does something unexpected: Matt Parker finds himself wrongly accused instead of being the one in the wrong. The episode begins with Matt and Riley at an art show hosted by Damien, a gay gallery owner, and the audience is led to believe Matt will be the source of conflict, as has often been the case previously.

You might expect the episode to focus on Matt making mistakes and learning to see things differently, but it quickly goes in another direction. Instead, Damien immediately sees Matt as a stereotype and treats him that way. He assumes Matt is clueless about art and peppers him with questions designed to make him look silly.

The tension reaches its highest point when Riley attempts to present Matt’s car builds as art, and Damien dismissively compares them to a quick oil change. This is a clever reversal of Tim Allen’s usual sitcom role: instead of the grumpy, old-fashioned father being the one with limited views, it’s the art critic who can’t accept that a mechanic might have skill and good taste.

Okay, so Riley really pushed Matt to stand up for himself instead of just letting Damien trash his work. And it was brilliant! Matt explained that he doesn’t just build cars, he actually brings people’s crazy car ideas to life – something Damien clearly didn’t get. He even pointed out how some of the gallery’s art reminded him of a recent Basquiat show, which totally proved Damien had misjudged Matt’s work from the beginning. It was awesome to see Matt finally get that across!

Typically, episodes of Shifting Gears conclude with Matt offering an apology or realizing a mistake. However, the season 2 finale takes a different approach, with Damien unexpectedly showing up at the shop to say he’s sorry. While he still comes across as stuck-up, he genuinely praises Matt’s skills, which is a refreshing change. This allows Matt to remain true to himself while still earning the audience’s sympathy.

Shifting Gears Shows Matt Parker’s Frustrating Double Bind

In Season 2, episode 10, the show explores the interesting relationship between Matt and Riley, revealing why Matt often keeps to himself. Before they head to an art gallery opening, Riley preps Matt on how to behave, advising him to say “Food for thought” if he feels tempted to say something potentially offensive.

It’s obvious Riley anticipates trouble from Matt, and Matt believes staying silent is the best way to keep the peace. This dynamic becomes important later on, but it unfolds in a completely unexpected manner.

When Damien starts putting Matt down, Riley completely changes her stance and scolds her dad for not standing up to him. She explains that it’s unfair to treat someone differently just because he’s gay, and that Matt should have responded to Damien’s bad behavior the same way he would with anyone else being rude.

Riley seems to have a good point about fairness, but Matt is really thrown off by the sudden shift in expectations. He did exactly what Riley initially asked – stayed quiet and avoided conflict – and now he’s being criticized for not speaking up.

His comment about always being criticized really hits home. He’s in a no-win situation: if he voices his opinion, he might be seen as offensive, but if he stays silent, he’s seen as allowing disrespect to continue. He can’t seem to win either way.

The show perfectly captures a frustrating situation many viewers will remember: being stuck saying the wrong thing, even when you don’t mean to. Matt isn’t prejudiced or scared of new experiences; he just consistently puts his foot in his mouth, and it’s both humorous and something a lot of people can understand.

How Shifting Gears Is Modernizing Tim Allen’s Schtick While Still Honoring It

The season 2 finale of Shifting Gears features a surprising moment of understanding. Damien shows up at the auto shop to apologize to Matt, but instead of a simple apology, he actually praises Matt for standing up to him, even calling his response “punk rock.” This was a smart move by the show, allowing Matt to have the last word without turning Damien into a completely unlikeable character.

The show also demonstrates how Shifting Gears is updating Tim Allen’s well-known image. Allen has long been known for playing relatable, traditionally-minded characters, but the tenth episode reveals that Matt isn’t motivated by prejudice—he simply doesn’t like people. He doesn’t hold any specific group in disdain; he’s generally misanthropic.

I really loved the way the Damien storyline tied back to that earlier episode with Matt and his friend, Pistol Pete. It was so well done how Pete came out to Matt, bracing for a reaction, and Matt was just totally cool with it. He basically said everyone probably already knew, pointing out Pete’s love for Boy George way back in high school! It felt so natural and refreshing to see that kind of acceptance.

Pete feels a weight lifted, and Matt playfully teases Pete about his husband, showing he’s completely at ease and comfortable with the situation. The show doesn’t ignore past prejudice – Matt admits high school in the 90s wasn’t always accepting – but he also lives in modern-day Los Angeles and understands that LGBTQ+ people are part of the world.

Rather than changing who Matt is, the show helps us see the world through his eyes. He convincingly argues that his unique builds are art, highlighting the skill and creativity involved rather than just the physical work. While Matt shares similarities with characters from previous shows, Shifting Gears continues to find fresh and effective ways to present this familiar personality to today’s audiences.

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2026-01-17 01:39