Tim Allen is reuniting with a quartet of familiar faces from his hit sitcoms for the second season of Shifting Gears. The NBC comedy will feature Patricia Richardson and Richard Karn alongside Debbe Dunning, all of whom worked with Allen on Home Improvement, while Nancy Travis is returning to her role from Last Man Standing for a guest appearance. Travis’ return follows her Season 1 arc as Charlotte, which also brought Allen back together with Travis after their Last Man Standing collaboration.
Richardson, Karn, and Dunning are set to appear in the October 1 season premiere, stepping into Allen’s world in an “unexpected” way that supports his character, Matt. It’s a familiar pattern for Shifting Gears, which has regularly called on Allen’s old costars to pop in for guest spots since the show began.
A quick reminder of where Allen’s TV journey began and where it’s going: Allen’s breakout came with Tim “The Toolman” Taylor on Home Improvement, a role that helped him become a household name and earn a Golden Globe. He later found continued success as Mike Baxter on Last Man Standing, a character he played from 2011 through 2021. After Last Man Standing ended, Allen resumed his television work with Shifting Gears, though taking some time before returning to the medium he’s long helped shape.
In a broader look at his career moves, Allen has explained that the shift to Shifting Gears wasn’t taken lightly. He’d been involved in other projects, including Disney+’s Santa Claus series, but ultimately chose to pursue a return to linear television with something he believed could be elevated by strong storytelling and a cast that fans already know and love. He has also spoken about the kind of character he wants to play: someone who isn’t the stereotypical “man’s man,” but a nuanced, artistic individual who grapples with real-life challenges.
For Season 2, Allen has described a disciplined approach to crafting the show’s central figure: a man who recently lost his wife and is navigating grief, set against a backdrop of a complicated family dynamic and a custom car shop. Those elements help set a future for the season that promises both humor and heart, a blend that has long defined Allen’s work and the kinds of reunions his fans tend to celebrate.
Shifting Gears returns to NBC on October 1 at 8 p.m. Eastern time, with new episodes streaming on Hulu the following day. The premiere’s guest list serves as a reminder of the enduring appeal of Allen’s on-screen family ties and the familiarity fans bring to his projects across networks and streaming platforms.
What this means for audiences and the franchise: the appearance of Richardson, Karn, Dunning, and Travis signals a deliberate strategy to lean on beloved colleagues from Allen’s past to drive interest in a show that blends nostalgia with new storytelling. For NBC, this cross-pollination of fan bases can help boost initial viewership for the fall lineup, while streaming on Hulu keeps the show accessible to a broader audience who prefers on-demand access.
In short, Season 2 looks to deepen the emotional core of Matt’s world while sprinkling in familiar faces that longtime fans will recognize and cheer for. This reunion of past collaborations underscores Tim Allen’s lasting influence in the sitcom space and suggests Shifting Gears will continue to pair humor with heartfelt moments as it moves forward.
Summary: Tim Allen brings back a familiar cast, including Patricia Richardson, Richard Karn, Debbe Dunning, and Nancy Travis, for Shifting Gears Season 2, with appearances debuting in the October 1 premiere. The show remains on NBC with Hulu streaming the next day, and the guest appearances are framed as meaningful supports for Allen’s character. Positive outlook ahead as Allen leans into cherished TV relationships to broaden the series’ appeal.