Shifting Gears keeps pulling in notable sitcom veterans from the network's own history, as another former TV lead appeared on the Tim Allen series just a couple of weeks after he reunited with Nancy Travis. It's been a long time since the 90s sitcom Dharma & Greg, and Jenna Elfman has only sparingly taken the sitcom route since. She didn't feel hopeful about getting another chance to be in one in 2025, but Tim Allen's Shifting Gears swayed her.
Elfman debuted in the latest Shifting Gears episode "Picnic," in which she played the owner of a dance studio that shares an alley space with Matt's auto shop, Eve. As Shifting Gears continues to be one of the highlights of the 2025 TV schedule, the actress talked about her doubts about ever returning to sitcoms in the modern age in an interview with US Weekly:
We all love a good sitcom, but it has felt hard to do in terms of streaming and social media and the great sitcoms were before all of that. I really love the format [of Shifting Gears]. So I’ve been interested in doing one, but I didn’t feel hopeful that it could be done well or fresh or new.
Tim Allen and showrunner Michelle Nader's vision for the series convinced her that Shifting Gears was doing enough differently to take a chance on, so she's officially on board as the recurring character Eve. Eve has made fast friends with Kat Dennings' Riley, who I'm rooting for as Season 1 continues.
Eve doesn't get along with Allen's Matt, as their clash of political ideals made for some of the more entertaining moments of her Shifting Gears debut. Jenna Elfman hinted about what's ahead between Eve and Matt, and it looks like we can expect more clashes between them in the future:
You’re going to see more of the dynamic between Matt and Eve. Just more forthright communication, opinions and exchange. You get to see people being their full selves in each other’s face. It’s really fun.
Eve and Matt will continue to butt heads on Shifting Gears, and I'm sure Riley will often find herself caught in the middle. While Tim Allen and Kat Dennings get along great working on the series, their characters are still getting back in the swing of being in each other's lives again.
I can see Riley getting in fights with her dad for pushing back against Eve's more spiritual initiatives and ideals that encroach on his business, and her feeling a need to defend her father. That said, it almost feels like some romantic tension between Matt and Eve could surface, so maybe they won't be at odds for too long.
Shifting Gears appears to be a home for stars from the past to return, as Jay Leno was announced as an upcoming guest star for the ABC series. It would be great if he can continue to be a haven for sitcom stars of the past to appear, and we could get more guest-starring characters from other great sitcoms past and present. With The Conners ending, I would love to see one of their cast members hop over to the new ABC hit if it makes sense to do so.
All that said, I'm content with the lineup Shifting Gears has so far. Catch new episodes on ABC on Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET, and be ready for some laughs when tuning in.
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