Shifting Gears Season 2 gets extra episodes even before the premiere

Shifting Gears Season 2, the upcoming installment of the ABC series is slated to premiere on Wednesday, October 1, 2025. However, even before its release, the network added three more episodes to the season’s count bringing the number up from 10 to 13. The additional episodes signal confidence in the sitcom’s performance following its successful debut on January 8, 2025. 

The first season of Shifting Gears ranked fifth among ABC’s scripted series at the time of its release. The comedy starring Tim Allen as widower Matt Parker and Kat Dennings as his estranged daughter Riley continues to explore their complex, evolving family dynamics as they rebuild their relationships while running an auto restoration business.

Scheduled to return in the familiar Wednesday 8 p.m. slot, Shifting Gears will be followed by Abbott Elementary at 8:30 p.m., reflecting ABC’s strategy of leading with Tim Allen’s multi-camera sitcom before transitioning to Quinta Brunson’s single-camera workplace comedy. After the extended 13-episode run concludes, ABC is expected to bring back the highly anticipated Scrubs reboot, complete with original cast members to occupy the 8 p.m. Wednesday slot alongside Abbott Elementary for the midseason lineup.

While the 13-episode order still falls short of a typical full-season (more than 18 episodes), this renewal extension illustrates ABC’s growing investment in Shifting Gears and its continuing commitment to nurturing the Tim Allen-led comedy.

What is the plot of Shifting Gears

Tim Allen plays Matt Parker in the touching ABC sitcom Shifting Gears. Parker is a resolute and sad widower who owns a shop that restores vintage cars. His everyday life is completely upended when his estranged daughter Riley (Kat Dennings) arrives with her adolescent kids and suddenly moves back in with her father.

As they all share a home, the actual process of restoring both the dilapidated cars as well as their broken family ties and relationships begins. While Riley attempts to reestablish her connection with her father and reinvent her life as a single mother, Matt struggles and experiences sensitive moments as he acclimates to fatherhood once more.

Maxwell Simkins, Barrett Margolis, Seann William Scott and Daryl "Chill" Mitchell are some of the vibrant supporting characters that accompany them and contribute to the show’s humor and warmth. During its January 8, 2025, ABC premiere the show immediately became the network's most-streamed launch, attracting millions of viewers across all platforms. The network expects Season 2 to deliver a similar home run.

Check in for more updates on the latest in the world of films and TV shows.