Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Shifting Gears episode "Valentine's." Stream it with a Hulu subscription and read at your own risk!
There's a lot for Last Man Standing fans to celebrate lately, as just a day after it was announced Jay Leno would reunite with Tim Allen on Shifting Gears, the series welcomed Nancy Travis into the fold. Travis played Allen's wife in the previous sitcom, so I was curious to see how this episode would go, considering it was centered around Valentine's Day.
As someone who watched the previous series and is watching Kat Dennings' latest sitcom, I'm happy to say I was pleased with how Shifting Gears handled this appearance. ABC's series continues to be one of the best shows on the 2025 TV schedule, and it is mindful of the amount of fan service it delivers to anyone who has watched Tim Allen's previous show.
How Shifting Gears Referenced Tim Allen And Nancy Travis' Past Roles On Last Man Standing
Tim Allen's Matt spent his Valentine's Day visiting his late wife's grave when he came across another person visiting their late spouse. After exchanging some witty banter with Charlotte (Travis), the two went their separate ways, only to have a chance encounter later that day at the supermarket. Matt was waiting on a prescription for his sick granddaughter Georgia and convinced Charlotte to join him for a cup of coffee while it was filled.
The duo got along well enough in their conversations, and there was a hint of the same chemistry the actors shared on Last Man Standing. Sure enough, when the possibility of any romantic connection came up, Charlotte quickly said that he reminded her too much of "The last guy she was with." It was a simple meta joke to their time on LMS, but perfect for the moment.
Why I Like How Shifting Gears Handled The Storyline With Nancy Travis' Caroline
I'm sure some people hoped Matt and Caroline might become an item in this episode, but I'm happy Shifting Gears showed restraint. The way the characters left things allowed for Nancy Travis to return later, as Charlotte gave Matt her number and the invitation to talk whenever he needed to.
At the same time, it was clear neither were in a place where they wanted to date, so it's not going to step on one of the core elements of the story. Grief is a major theme of Shifting Gears, especially in Matt's delay of coping with the loss of his wife. Introducing a new romance so soon into the series would step on that storyline, and I think it's important enough to keep going for a while.
As we've pointed out, Matt's vintage-style home is a symbol of who he is. He's old school, and making such massive changes to his life has been overwhelming. It would be unrealistic for him to take on a new romance so soon after rekindling his relationship with his daughter and letting her and her two children move into his house. Maybe save a romance angle for a couple of seasons and let Matt continue to adjust and deal with this new situation he was thrust into.
Shifting Gears airs on ABC on Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. If you're a Last Man Standing fan who still has yet to check it out, what are you doing?