Shifting Gears Star Believes Riley Will Be “Absolutely Furious” Over Tim Allen’s Final Scene With Jenna Elfman

This article contains spoilers for Shifting Gears season 1, episode 10, “Kisses.”

Shifting Gears star Kat Dennings opens up about that finale kiss between Tim Allen and Jenna Elfman’s characters, explaining why it will make Riley furious. The hit ABC sitcom, which stars Allen and Dennings as Matt and Riley, respectively, recently concluded its first season run. Although the previously estranged father and daughter duo made big strides in their relationship, the Shifting Gears finale complicates things when Matt kisses Riley’s boss — who is played by Elfman.

In an interview with Screen Rant‘s Rachel Foertsch, which also included fellow Shifting Gears star Seann Williams Scott, Dennings opened up about Riley’s reaction and detailed what it is that makes her so upset. Dennings, who is also a producer on the show, indicated that this new potential relationship between Matt and Eve (Elfman) makes Riley’s job harder:

Riley is going to be absolutely furious. That I am 100% sure about. She finally has this job that she really likes and this environment that’s really good for her, and she loves Eve, and this is just the worst thing that could happen—for her dad to start dating her. To her, maybe not for him. But I think she’ll be mad.

As for Scott, who plays Gabriel, the American Pie alum mentioned that his character wouldn’t be too surprised by the development. Considering that Gabriel works for Matt, as Scott explains in the quote below, he would have seen some of the flirtation between Matt and Eve:

Gabriel has had a different experience than Riley because there’s been so much back-and-forth flirtation in the car shop. So I would imagine that he wouldn’t be too surprised.

What The Shifting Gears Finale Means For The Show

It Goes Back To The Premiere

In the debut of Shifting Gears, which is showrun by Michelle Nader, the daughter and father duo have a heart-to-heart about the difficulty of moving forward after the death of the family matriarch. She acted as a buffer between Riley and Matt, often the peacemaker, and it’s clear that they don’t fully know how to move forward now that she’s gone. Riley’s hurt feelings may be about her job becoming more complicated, there may be more going on underneath the surface.

Shifting Gears: Main Cast & Characters
Actor	Who They Play
Tim Allen	Matt
Kat Dennings	Riley
Seann William Scott	Gabriel
Daryl “Chill” Mitchell	Stitch
Maxwell Simkins	Carter
Barrett Margolis	Georgia

The family dynamics in Shifting Gears, generally, are due for clarification. There is a budding relationship between Riley and Gabriel, coupled with the fact that Riley may not be completely over her ex-husband. Shifting Gears season 2 is not officially renewed. But considering that it’s one of ABC’s biggest hits, an official renewal announcement is likely only a matter of time.

Our Take On The Shifting Gears Ending

It Mixes Things Up

Matt and Riley talking to someone in Shifting Gears season 1, episode 2

It’s not yet known how long Elfman will stick around on Shifting Gears. But while she’s there, the goal is that her character might help to illuminate the relationship between Riley and Matt. In that sense, the kiss in the finale already does the job of altering the sitcom in a significant way.