Shifting Gears has been changing Tim Allen’s house set as the series has progressed, and production designer Stephan Olson explains why. Shifting Gears stars Allen 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 with IndieWire about these changes, Olson explained the purpose of Shifting Gears‘ house sets changing is to reflect Matt’s new living environment with 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‘ story is 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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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. Although Shifting 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 because of 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 Gears might look like a totally different series by the time season 1 comes to a close.
New episodes of Shifting Gears air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
Source: IndieWire
Shifting Gears
5/10
- Release Date
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January 8, 2025
- Directors
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John Pasquin