Is Jenna Elfman leaving

Jenna Elfman as Eve on ‘Shifting Gears’. Credit:

Disney/Raymond Liu

The Shifting Gears season 2 fall finale sees Jenna Elfman’s Eve accept a job overseas.
Eve’s departure, along with her split from Matt (Tim Allen), raises questions about Elfman’s future on the show.
Shifting Gears season 2 returns in January 2026.

Tim Allen’s sitcom Shifting Gears was a hit for ABC last year, and the show just aired the fall finale of its second season.

Created by former Simpsons writers and real-life couple Julie Thacker Scully and Mike Scully, the comedy stars Allen as Matt Parker, a widower who runs an auto body shop. Life gets complicated when he opens his home to his recently divorced daughter Riley (Kat Dennings) and her two kids, Carter (Maxwell Simkins) and Georgia (Barrett Margolis).

Amid all the familial chaos, Matt sparks a new romance with Eve (Jenna Elfman), a choreographer who owns a dance studio across from his shop. After sharing a kiss in the season 1 finale, the pair are officially dating in season 2.

But the new season’s fall finale throws Matt a curveball when Eve tells him she’s leaving town for a while. Does this mean Elfman is leaving Shifting Gears? Let’s break down what happened with her character and what it could mean for Elfman’s future on the show.

What happened in the Shifting Gears season 2 fall finale?

Tim Allen as Matt and Jenna Elfman as Eve in the ‘Shifting Gears’ season 2 fall finale.Disney/Raymond Liu

The Shifting Gears season 2 fall finale is set during the holiday season, with the Parkers and Eve helping Carter ask his crush to prom with an elaborate “promposal.”

Meanwhile, Gabe (Seann William Scott) encounters tension in his relationship with Amelie (Carson Fagerbakke) when his mother arrives and suggests he and Riley are meant for each other. Luckily, everything is resolved and everyone gets into the Christmas spirit.

But the biggest surprise arrives at the end of the episode. Matt thanks Eve for helping with the promposal and takes a risk by confessing his love for her. This prompts Eve to reveal that she’s going to Korea (and Europe) for five months to help choreograph a K-pop tour for BTS and TXT.

Matt is supportive of the opportunity, and Eve tells him he can come visit her anytime. But the couple quickly realize that a long-distance relationship won’t be easy. When Eve mentions the tour could last even longer, Matt admits he can’t handle being apart, and they break up

“You think I’d be used to losing a love, but I’m not,” Matt tells Eve. “I want what’s best for you… but I also want what’s best for me.”

The two share one last hug. As Eve walks away, she tells Matt she loves him, too.

Is Jenna Elfman leaving Shifting Gears?

Matt (Tim Allen) and Eve (Jenna Elfman) share a hug in the ‘Shifting Gears’ season 2 fall finale.Disney/Raymond Liu

As of this writing, there’s no official word on whether Jenna Elfman is leaving Shifting Gears, though reps for ABC told Entertainment Weekly to expect updates in the New Year.

In the fall finale, Eve tells Matt she’ll be back in town “here and there,” suggesting that Elfman may only be written off the show temporarily. Plus, since Eve’s dance studio is still near Matt’s auto shop, it’s likely she’ll continue to appear (and maybe even rekindle their flame).

Eve’s relationship with Matt is a central part of the sitcom, and their unexpected split has concerned many viewers. However, showrunner Michelle Nader previously hinted to Us Weekly that, like any relationship, Matt and Eve’s romance would have its ups and downs.

“I will say that it is really interesting to watch them,” she teased about their season 2 storyline. “It’s interesting to watch their relationship develop, and so they’re going to go into high gear — but it’s going to be a little bit of a roller-coaster.”

Elfman is clearly enjoying her time of Shifting Gears, and it seems like she has no plans to leave anytime soon. “I’m loving doing the show. I love working with everybody on it,” she gushed to Us Weekly. “I love the showrunner. It genuinely is like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop because I can’t believe how good it is. I’m very excited for everyone to see it.”

Where can I watch Shifting Gears?

Tim Allen as Matt and Jenna Elfman as Eve in ‘Shifting Gears’.Disney/Raymond Liu

Shifting Gears season 2 is slated to return on Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. Fans can also stream the show on Hulu.