Shifting Gears season 2 ended with a love triangle cliffhanger — however there’s already plans for extra “bombshell” reveals in season 3.
Through the Wednesday, February 4, finale of the hit ABC sitcom, Matt (Tim Allen) and Eve (Jenna Elfman) obtained their pleased ending — extra on that right here — once they reconciled and jetted off to Spain. Matt’s daughter, Riley (Kat Dennings), nevertheless, discovered herself in a far more difficult place in her love life.
Riley got here clear to Gabe (Outdated William Scott) about her emotions for him after two seasons of build-up, even ending her romance with newcomer Andy (Jesse Williams). Audiences had been left shockednevertheless, when Gabe selected to not make the leap and discover his curiosity in Riley. That’s till the final moments of the episode when he modified his thoughts and got here to battle for Riley — as did Andy.
“The long run plan from after I began the present — even in casting Sean — was that these two are going to have a will-they, received’t-they and so they’re destined to be collectively. He has at all times liked her since they had been youngsters and he or she wasn’t conscious at first. Then he declares his love on the finish of final season,” showrunner Michelle Nader solely informed Us Weekly in regards to the preliminary concept for the present. “We (solid a love curiosity for Gabe) and it was humorous and dealing. Then once we thought of this arc for Riley — the concept was that she and Andy had been going to interrupt up.”
Emily in Paris and Physician Odyssey are good examples of TV reveals with iconic love triangles that may be higher off introducing a throuple. The hit Netflix sequence, which debuted in 2020, adopted Emily (Lily Collins) as she made the transfer from the U.S. to France, and the challenges that include that. Emily discovered (…)
She continued: “They had been positively gonna break up on the finish as a result of we all know what we wish and we all know the place we’re going. Then it was similar to, ‘Oh my God, Jesse Williams is so humorous.’ So I used to be like, ‘What are we doing?’”
Williams’ efficiency finally “pivoted” the present in a brand new path.
“Now we don’t know. We don’t know who she must be with,” Nader admitted. “That’s the story now. It was very a lot occurring in actual time for us.”
Shifting Gearswhich premiered in January 2025, confirmed Riley within the months after her break up from then-husband Jimmy (Lucas Neff). Whereas Riley and Gabe had been teased as a potential couplethe season 1 finale pumped the brakes.
“Riley is actually hours out of her marriage. She ought to actually pull it again a bit bit,” Dennings joked to Us in March 2025 about how lengthy it might take for Riley and Gabriel to get collectively. “She’s been separated for a very long time and he or she hasn’t been emotionally on this relationship. However nonetheless, she simply obtained out of a really lengthy relationship.”
She continued: “She additionally actually loves Gabriel as a good friend. So I feel there’s a lot of causes for the sluggish burn.”
Who doesn’t love a very good love story? Woman falls in love with boy, then falls in love together with his greatest good friend too, for instance. The love triangle has been a frequent plot level in TV and movie for years, however there may be perhaps no extra iconic angsty trio than the one between Dawson (James Van (…)
On the time, Dennings, 39, and Scott, 49, gushed about being scene companions.
“We get alongside. We immediately actually hit it off and obtained alongside and we have now numerous issues in widespread and I actually assist you together with your telephone rather a lot,” she quipped, to which Scott added, “Once we had been taking pictures, it’s one factor. Once we’re not taking pictures, we grew to become buddies immediately and I instantly was like, ‘Oh wow, it is a big present.’ Not solely do I get to do that present but it surely got here with only a actually vital expensive good friend for all times. I don’t suppose I’ve ever skilled it earlier than the place I used to be like, ‘Oh wow, we do have chemistry.’”
Shifting Gearsin the meantime, has different surprises deliberate for a possible third season.
“I clearly wish to proceed the love triangle with Jesse, Seann and Kat. I clearly wish to deliver Eve again. However there are — I can’t say proper now — however there’s going to be one thing I’m hooking up that I’ve already talked to the writers about,” Nader teased to Us. “It’s one other potential bombshell of an individual to come back into their life.”
Shifting Gears is at present streaming on Hulu.