‘Shifting Gears’ To See Tim Allen Reunite With Old Friend
Tim Allen of Home Improvement and Last Man Standing fame has made his return to television with Shifting Gears. With the show occasionally paying tribute to Allen’s other projects, the series is set to see him reunite with a previous co-star. In fact, the guest’s background fits quite nicely with the theme of the show.
Shifting Gears Will Get A Visit From Someone Who Knows A Thing Or Two About Cars
In the series, Allen plays Matt Parker, a widower who runs an auto shop. He takes in his daughter Riley, played by Kat Dennings, and her two children.
Behind the scenes, Allen also serves as an executive producer for the show. The series, which came out in January 8, 2025, occasionally makes references to Allen’s other acting roles.
As noted by People, an old friend of Allen’s is set to appear on the show: Jay Leno. ABC has announced that the former Tonight Show host will appear on an episode airing March 12. In the episode, Leno will take his car to Parker Customs, the auto repair shop Allen’s character owns.
According to a synopsis, the episode will also deal with Riley being “horrified when she finds weed gummies in Carter’s (Maxwell Simkins) pocket, prompting surprising advice from Matt (Allen). Meanwhile, Eve inadvertently lands Gabriel (Seann William Scott) and Stitch (Daryl Mitchell) in hot water after asking them to donate to a charity auction.”
Shifting Gears Also Announced An Appearance By Another Last Man Standing Alum
Beforehand, Allen and Leno has appeared on Allen’s Last Man Standing together. On that show, Leno played a retired mechanic, Joe Leonard, who later worked with Allen’s character at Outdoor Man.
While primarily known as a talk show host, Leno is also known for his love of cars, even hosting his own auto-themed YouTube series, Jay Leno’s Garage. Allen himself has also notably appeared on the web series.
As the publication noted, Leno’s appearance is also notable as this follows Leno getting injured a few months prior. As previously reported, Leno injured his face during a fall. At the time, he could be seen wearing an eyepatch, which he had to wear during his recovery.
This also notably wasn’t the only Last Man Standing reunion for Allen announced for Shifting Gears. As previously reported by People, Nancy Travis, who played Allen’s wife on the older show, was cast as a widow named Charlotte who makes a connection with Matt.
At the time, Allen revealed a funny anecdote about their previous time working together. As he shared, “Nancy Travis once told me [something] after I called her during Last Man Standing. I said, ‘Have you talked to the girls [who play our daughters] over the summer?’ Then there’s this long pause and she goes, ‘Tim, these aren’t our daughters and I’m not actually your wife.’”
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