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Shifting Gears is returning for a third season — but there has been concern about not everyone returning.
During the February season finale of the hit ABC sitcom, Matt (Tim Allen) and Eve (Jenna Elfman) got their happy ending — more on that here — when they reconciled and jetted off to Spain. Matt’s daughter, Riley (Kat Dennings), however, found herself in a much more complicated place in her love life.
Riley came clean to Gabe (Seann William Scott) about her feelings for him after two seasons of build-up, even ending her romance with newcomer Andy (Jesse Williams). Audiences were left shocked, however, when Gabe chose not to make the leap and explore his interest in Riley. That is until the very last moments of the episode when he changed his mind and came to fight for Riley — as did Andy.
“The long term plan from when I started the show — even in casting Seann — was that these two are going to have a will-they, won’t-they and they’re destined to be together. He has always loved her since they were kids and she wasn’t aware at first. Then he declares his love at the end of last season,” showrunner Michelle Nader exclusively told Us Weekly about the initial idea for the show. “We [cast a love interest for Gabe] and it was funny and working. Then when we thought about this arc for Riley — the idea was that she and Andy were going to break up.”
She continued: “They were definitely gonna break up at the end because we know what we want and we know where we’re going. Then it was just like, ‘Oh my God, Jesse Williams is so funny.’ So I was like, ‘What are we doing?’”
Williams’ performance ultimately “pivoted” the show in a new direction.
“Now we don’t know. We don’t know who she should be with,” Nader admitted. “That’s the story now. It was very much happening in real time for us.”
Shifting Gears, meanwhile, has other surprises planned for a potential third season.
“I obviously want to continue the love triangle with Jesse, Seann and Kat. I obviously want to bring Eve back. But there are — I can’t say right now — but there’s going to be something I’m hooking up that I’ve already talked to the writers about,” Nader teased to Us. “It is another potential bombshell of a person to come into their life.”
Keep scrolling to see who is — and isn’t — returning in season 3:
Tim Allen
There would be no Shifting Gears without Allen — and his character, Matt.
Kat Dennings
Dennings’ Riley will be front and center in the third season.
Seann William Scott
The third season will pick up after the cliffhanger involving Scott’s character Gabriel.
Daryl ‘Chill’ Mitchell
Mitchell is reprising his role as Stitch when Shifting Gears returns.
Maxwell Simkins
Riley’s son will be in the third season of Shifting Gears.
Barrett Margolis
As a member of the Parker family, Georgia will continue to play a large role.
Jenna Elfman
After Elfman was cast in Fox’s The Interrogator, she spoke to Us about her future as Eve on the hit ABC sitcom.
“I can go play on Shifting Gears,” she revealed in May 2026 before suggesting a possible cameo on the Fox project from her Shifting Gears love interest. “[Having Tim Allen on] would be very entertaining. He’s very funny and I think Stephen interrogating Tim Allen [would be cool].”
Jesse Williams
Williams’ role was expanded after he was introduced in season 2.
Luke Macfarlane
After being introduced in season 2, Macfarlane could come back in the future.
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