Tim Allen fans can rejoice. The comedic actor has returned to ABC with his third comedy series, Shifting Gears. Is this one to watch with the kids?
Tim Allen plays Matt Parker, a widow who owns a classic car restoration business and is very stuck in his ways. His life is about to turn upside down with the arrival of his estranged daughter, Riley, and her two kids. They need a place to turn, and Matt opens his home to them.
You’ll certainly want to watch the series, especially if you’ve loved the likes of Home Improvement and 2 Broke Girls. The question now is whether this is a show to watch once the kids have gone to bed or not.
Shifting Gears isn’t officially rated yet
There isn’t an official rating given to the series in the United States just yet. However, this is likely to be rated TV-PG. The most it will be is TV-14, but there’s no real need to make it TV-14 based on the elements used to determine the age rating.
Sex & nudity: There are mentions of sex now and then, but nothing has been shown on the screen in the pilot episode. We also don’t expect this to be shown during the series. There may be some kissing as the series progresses and some implication of sex happening, but not graphically shown on the screen.
Violence & gore: There is a point where one of the kids crashes Matt’s car, but this isn’t shown on the screen. We get to see the characters inside the car and then we hear the crash happening. We just get to see the aftermath, and nobody is hurt. This is the type of “violence” that we’re expecting for the rest of the screen. Everything shown is going to be for comedic laughs and to further character development.
Language: Words like “damn” and “hell” are used, but we don’t have any heavy swearing throughout the series. There are two mentions of the “double bird,” with full hands shown to indicate what the characters mean. We don’t actually see the “double bird” on the screen, making it suitable for younger viewers.
Alcohol & drugs: We’re sure to see some of the characters drink at some point in the series. After all, they are adults and we tend to see adults relax with a beer at the end of the day. However, there is no drinking or drug use shown during the episode. In fact, there are mentions of “mocktails” instead of even “cocktails” when talking about how trendy the area has become.
Overall verdict: Who is Shifting Gears appropriate for?
This is one of those shows that you can watch with the kids around. In fact, some of the tweens and teens may find this entertaining, especially with the fact that two of the characters are around that age group.
There are some political comments and jokes mentioned. This may get a little too much later on, but they’re good starting points to discuss the different political views and how it’s healthy to actually debate and not just get offended. Matt also goes on a few rants about kids today, which could be fun to discuss with your kids.
Overall, this is suitable for all ages. It doesn’t mean the kids will want to watch, but you don’t need to worry about them being in the same room as you.
Shifting Gears airs on Wednesdays at 8/7c on ABC. Catch up the following day on Hulu.