Note: This story contains spoilers from “Shifting Gears” Season 2, Episode 13.
“Shifting Gears” chose chaos for the end of Season 2, with Tim Allen’s Matt hopping on a plane to Barcelona with his girlfriend and a wild romantic cliffhanger for Riley (Kat Dennings) in the finale’s last scene.
The finale, titled “Surprise,” followed as Riley couldn’t keep quiet about her lingering feelings for Gabe (Seann William Scott) and broke up with her boyfriend Andy (Jesse Williams.) But Gabe hesitated on listening to his own feelings for Riley at first, leaving a heartbroken Riley to go home alone. That was until she got home and got a visit from Andy, hoping to convince her to get back together. At the same time, Gabe showed up to say he’d broken up with his girlfriend Amelie (Carson Fagerbakke), and also wanted to give their relationship a go.
“Internally, we planned for Riley and Andy to be over, but Jesse’s talent and their chemistry made us pivot,” showrunner Michelle Nader told TheWrap of the cliffhanger ending. “I’m sure you’re going to ask me this, I have no idea where this goes, which is the exciting part. I think that’s what’s exciting to the audience, too.”
For Matt, the episode had started with him being open to dating again — going on a hilarious date with “The Office” alum Angela Kinsey. He later reunites with his ex-girlfriend Eve (Jenna Elfman), who had been traveling since their breakup earlier in the season. The impromptu reunion led to a proposition for Matt to join Eve on the next trip to Barcelona. Shockingly, he agreed and the pair jetted off on a happy ending, at least for now.
Below, Nader breaks down the finale’s biggest moments and guest stars, and how she juggled running both “Shifting Gears” and the upcoming season of Hulu’s “Deli Boys.” This story has been edited for length and clarity.
TheWrap: Congratulations on a great run for Season 2. The show has been growing in viewership this season, a rarity for any show. How does it feel to see the show resonating with audiences at such a competitive time in Hollywood?
Nader: Thank you for asking that, because it really has had an impact on us. When people are liking what you’re doing, it just feels good. We work to make each other laugh but when audiences are responding to it then you’re like, “OK, this is right. What we’re doing is right. We’re on the right track.” Obviously I don’t live and die by reactions to anything, because that’s a bad thing, but I did really come into doing the show wanting to bring back the classic sitcom. It was important to me, because I grew up on them. And Tim and Kat are these perfect sitcom stars, these guest stars are so major, and it’s all coalescing.
I also feel like people are wanting that right now, the comfort of the sitcom, and we’re giving it to them.
This season saw Matt, Riley and Gabe exploring romantic relationships with some hilarious ups and downs. How did you and the writers decide how each of their arcs would go in Season 2?
The tricky thing with the Riley-Gabe will-thy, won’t-they is that, just like in any rom-com, keeping them apart for as long as possible is the key. Once they’re together then that’s a whole different thing.
When we hired Carson to play Amelie, Gabe’s girlfriend, she was so good. It was a natural obstacle, because you can tell she’s kind of crazy, but she’s fun and it’s working. And Jesse Williams was so … I told him that I discovered a new comedic star, because I had no idea he was going to be this funny and this compelling. We did not think that he was going to be such a real threat. We first thought this character, whoever we cast, was just going to be a temporary obstacle in the Gabe and Riley thing. But then we’re like, “Wow, they look like they’re having fun too.” So that’s how we sort of wound up with this.
Jenna Elfman also returned as Eve to give Matt the chance to go for it romantically and go with her to Barcelona for a while. Why end things there for him and for this couple?
The idea of watching Tim Allen dating on a sitcom, you’ve never seen that. This is his third sitcom.
Matt would say dating isn’t his thing, he’s not comfortable with that. But Jenna, she’s so magical on and off the screen. During the Christmas episode [when they first broke up], people were really bumming out that she left and it was so heartbreaking. Fans were saying “Why would you do that at Christmas?” We knew she would be back, but it’s a little like “Crying at Christmas, crying in your eggnog,” that’s the greatest.
I really believe that Matt loved his wife, and it’s hard for him to start something with another and to be in love. So we really wanted some time to pass and really make this a mature decision. That’s why we did this back and forth. And I promise you there will be more Jenna Elfman [on the show] as long as I’m alive.
Matt’s dating escapades took him on an unhinged date with “The Office” star Angela Kinsey. How was it recruiting her for this finale highlight?
We’ve been so blessed with these guest stars, like Pamela Adlon, Lilly Singh, Jesse, Jenna, Angela, the hits keep coming. People are interested in doing the show. We’re drawing the best talent to do stuff for us, and that’s elevating everything that we’re doing. When you have somebody like Angela Kinsey, you’re doing something in just one or two scenes, but it makes it so incredibly funny and special.
Also [in the finale] we had [Los Angeles Dodger player] Mookie Betts. He’s like part of the show now, it’s so funny. The environment on the show is fun, and everybody feels like they want to be part of this fun thing that’s happening in L.A. So much production is not in L.A., the business is contracting. But our tape nights. They’re fun. They’re really fun.
There are lots of questions left unanswered at the end of Season 2, which bodes well for your confidence about being back for more in the fall. What are you hoping to explore in a potential Season 3?
Right now, because it’s so fresh, I haven’t thought through [what’s next]. But we talked about just casually in the writers’ room, about, “Do we literally pick up where we left off in that moment with Riley, Andy and Gabe?” It’s going to be really interesting to see how we can resolve that. Because I am telling you Jose, I don’t know what I’m rooting for at this point.
You made it really hard on yourself too. Obviously we love Gabe, but Andy really did come in and blow us away. Be even bolder, have her pick both.
(laughs) Right? Why do we have to pick?
As far as for Matt and Eve, they’re going to explore their relationship. Relationships are always complicated, even if two people now are on the same page. So there’ll be some fun stuff with that. And then Carter is of dating age. There’s going to be a house full of a lot of romantic stuff going on. I think everybody loves it. It’s so juicy. We love our family stuff, and we’ll do a ton of that stuff, but the romantic stuff has been a real surprise, I think. It’s something that I really wanted to bring to the show. When we recast the role of Gabe, I knew that I wanted that kind of thing because, again, all sitcoms have that romantic element, and they’re great at it.
You’re also the showrunner for Hulu’s “Deli Boys,” which is coming back for Season 2 soon. How does your approach to showrunning change when tackling a streaming comedy vs. a multicam for broadcast?
I just literally got back from Chicago. We wrapped on “Deli boys” Friday. [The shows] are so different. But I was running them at the same time. I had a floor, and one side was “Shifting Gears” and the other side was “Deli Boys.” I’m not going to lie, it was challenging. But I had such a great team on the “Deli Boys” side that really helped figure out those stories. We did six episodes, but they’re very serialized and action-packed, so they’re complicated.
But it being Season 2 was helpful because the characters are already dialed in, so we were able to really hit the ground running. This season, I’d always say to the writers, had to be a runaway train to a rocket ride. It’s very action-packed and fast and funny. I’m really excited [for people to see it.]
“Shifting Gears” Seasons 1-2 are now streaming on Hulu.
The post ‘Shifting Gears’ Boss Breaks Down Season 2 Finale’s Romantic Cliffhanger: ‘Their Chemistry Made Us Pivot’ appeared first on TheWrap.
