Shifting Gearshas been changing Tim Allen’s house set as the series has progressed, and production designer Stephan Olson explains why.Shifting GearsstarsAllen as Matt Parker, a widower whose estranged daughter, Riley (Kat Dennings), moves in with him alongside her two kids, Carter (Maxwell Simkins) and Georgia (Barrett Margolis). The show’s core focus is on the pair slowly growing closer, especially after the death of Matt’s wife and Riley’s mother. As new episodes of the series have aired, the set design has also started to change, with some differences evident in various parts of Matt’s house.
Speaking withIndieWireabout these changes,Olson explained the purpose ofShifting Gears' house sets changing is to reflect Matt’s new living environmentwith his daughter and grandchildren. The production designer explained how, at first, the house was supposed to reflect minimalism, and gradually, the kids would bring about more “sitcom clutter” to the set. This includes the depth of the set showcasing something that looks more akin to a real home. See what Olson had to say below:
There’s a growth curve. It’s just a huge learning process for the characters [and] what the house is like. The house changes with these new characters in it.
That is one of the things we talked about, that he would not have changed anything. They had sort of a minimal lifestyle. They were empty nesters. And that was a conscious choice on everybody’s part, to not have that sitcom clutter. We had to do some convincing because I think the network sometimes would like to see it look more comfortable and more inviting, and Tim’s answer to that was, ‘The kids [characters] are gonna bring that.'
[Depth to sets] was an early idea that I pitched, and it kind of went away for a while during the process. Then we were walking on the sets, and we’re like, ‘Boy, it would really be nice to have that.’ So we built it back again. The directors like to play the depth. It gives them the chance for a lot of movement.
What Shifting Gears' Changing Set Means For The Sitcom
A Small Detail That Will Be Interesting To Watch Evolve
Shifting Gears' storyis heavily focused on bridging generational gaps, using both humor and the idea of shared grief to shorten that divide. Over the course of its first five episodes,there has been some evolution of the sets, partially reflecting how Riley and her kids are a new, major presence in Matt’s home. While the show’s outward focus is on how the relationships between characters changes as their new living circumstances are explored, the symbolism of the sets also altering is a physical representation of the family’s mindsets.
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Shifting Gears episode 4 “Grief” sets up its secret weapon that has been there since the pilot could significantly make Tim Allen’s sitcom better.
While other Allen-starring sitcoms have had plenty of important small details, his ABC series clearly has many ideas present that are meant to shape the series with a particular vision in mind. AlthoughShifting Gears' pilot got negative reviews, the series has been introducing elements that could raise the bar,in particular when Matt and Riley attend grief counseling in episode 4. By giving the series added realism in one of its latest episodes, it lays the groundwork for the set also continuing to change, a real-world reflection of the series' themes.
Our Take On Shifting Gears' Constantly Evolving Set Design
It Perfectly Bolsters The Ideas In The Sitcom
Because the set evolves thanks to Matt’s grandchildren, Olson’s explanation makes sense and ties into the broader themes of the show. While it’s unclear just how much the core home setting could evolve as the series continues, there might end up being some drastic differences in later episodes, depending on how close the Parker family grows. Since the show is still in its early days,Shifting Gearsmight look like a totally different series by the time season 1 comes to a close.
Major set design changes can make the house itself feel like a character, reflective not only of the themes of the various episodes, but also of the overarching idea of family healing associated with the series.
Thanks to the show’s focus on family relationships,Allen’s latest sitcomcan use the physicality of its set to also emphasize the growth and change between Matt and Riley. This doesn’t just need to be through the progression of more clutter, either, with the set design possibly reflecting any rough patches or good times the pair have living together. Major set design changes can make the house itself feel like a character, reflective not only of the themes of the various episodes, but also of the overarching idea of family healing associated with the series.
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For example,Shifting Gearsepisode 5 introduced Riley’s ex-husband, Jimmy (Lucas Neff), who is shown to be hilariously incompetent as a father.This makes it clear Matt’s daughter feels more connected to her father, and, by extension, his home, than the life she had with her ex-husband. It’s a change that episode 6 can reflect with even more set design alterations, emphasizing the importance of character decisions and how they have a physical domino effect on the world around them. It’s something that can be normalized through consistent changes, offering a new analytical lens with each episode.
Shifting Gearswas created by Julie Thacker Scully and Mike Scully, best known for writing episodes of animated sitcoms likeThe SimpsonsandDuncanville.
How Shifting Gears' Set Changes Can Impact The Series' Future
There Are Plenty Of Ways The Sitcom Can Change Its Look & Feel
With the series only five episodes in as of writing, there’s still plenty of time for even more elaborate set design changes to happen in the future. SinceAllen’s presence inShifting Gearsis a huge selling point, especially because of his many past sitcom performances, the impact on his character can offer a strong emphasis on how his mindset continues to evolve. As he grows closer not just to Riley but also to her kids, it’s possible he’ll someday acknowledge how much his home has changed physically, representing the changes he’s gone through as a person.
1991-1999
2011-2021
Shifting Gears
2025-present
Since there’s plenty of time for the set to continue evolving,future episodes of the sitcom will no doubt make larger additions to the Parker householdas time goes on. The unique nature of a changing sitcom environment helps it stand out from others currently airing, giving it a unique spin that can be further bolstered as new episodes come out. WithShifting Gearshaving plenty of potential for how its set can evolve, there’s no telling what Matt’s house will look like by the end of the season.
New episodes ofShifting Gearsair Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
