Tim Allen has never been shy about looking backward — and Shifting Gears Season 2 was meant to be about embracing that instinct at full throttle. ABC’s comedy returned on October 1, and the season was being framed as a celebration of Allen’s long TV legacy. The problem? All that nostalgia doesn’t seem to be translating into streaming momentum.

Despite its broadcast presence, Shifting Gears is currently struggling to break into Hulu’s Top 15, a worrying sign for a series entering its sophomore season. In an era where post-air streaming performance often determines a show’s long-term future, that lack of traction raises real questions about whether this comedy can survive beyond its current run.

Season 2 was clearly designed to generate buzz. We’ve already had full-on Tim Allen reunion event, bringing together Patricia Richardson (Home Improvement), Nancy Travis (Last Man Standing), and Jenna Elfman — all sharing scenes with Allen’s Matt Parker. For longtime fans, it’s an unmistakable nostalgia play: Jill Taylor, Charlotte, and Eve all orbiting Allen’s familiar, wisecracking persona.

Richardson returned for a guest appearance after eight seasons as Jill Taylor on Home Improvement, while Travis reprises Charlotte, the widow who bonded with Matt in Season 1. Elfman’s Eve, meanwhile, is back following her romantic turn with Matt, setting up a love-triangle-adjacent dynamic that feels very much in Allen’s comfort zone.

Tim Allen Loves Being a Sitcom Dad

During the summer, Allen took the time to reflect on his daughters, both fictional and real. Writing for AARP, he compared Kat Dennings’ sharp-tongued Riley to his real-life daughter Katherine Allen:

“Kate, just like Kat on the show, is very sharp and acerbic. You can get cut pretty easily if you’re not careful. Sometimes it can be a little alarming.”

His other daughter, Elizabeth Allen Dick, has appeared with her dad already, starring as Sandra Calvin in Disney+’s The Santa Clauses. Allen said he admired the way she thought about things and reflected on what they had in common.

“Elizabeth shares my fascination with how things work and stubborn determination to fix anything. I’m really good with computers, cameras, phones and all that stuff, but sometimes I get confused. She’ll just take it out of my hand, press three buttons and it’s back on.”

Shifting Gears Season 2 airs on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu.