KISS
Riley must make a big decision after Jimmy returns with big news and asks her and the kids to move back in with him. Plus, Matt steps out of the way, leaving the decision completely up to his daughter.
Jimmy Returns
The last time we saw Jimmy, he told Riley he intended to wrap up his current tour and then get a steadier job and earn his family back. However, when he returns, he tells her he’s been selected to be the new bass player for the Foo Fighters. He says he put a down payment on a home near where Riley and the kids are and asks them to move back in with her.
Disney/Raymond Liu
Riley is shocked at the proposition. When the series started, she thought she was getting a divorce, but every potential decision is scary. Should she go through with the divorce and start over? Should she reconcile with her husband and keep working on her family? How will either of these decisions affect her kids? And how will they affect her improving relationship with her father?
Matt Doesn’t Get Involved
Riley is overwhelmed by the decision and asks Matt for help, but Matt steps back saying only she can make the right decision for her family. He’s right, of course, but there’s more behind it. When Riley discusses her issues with Gabe and Stitch, Gabe is completely against her reconciling with Jimmy. Gabe clearly has a crush on Riley and wants her happy, but he’s also been vocally opposed to Jimmy since they were teenagers. Meanwhile, Stitch points out that Riley rebelled so much when she was younger, Matt is staying out of it because she would likely do the exact opposite of what he says.
Disney/Raymond Liu
Matt and Eve also discuss the situation with the pair diametrically opposed to where viewers would expect them to be. Eve, who is all about strong women, wants Riley to reject Jimmy because of the pain she still feels from her own husband’s betrayal. Much like Matt, she won’t tell Riley this, but she clearly wants Riley to reject Jimmy. However, Matt, known to hate the world and think everyone else is wrong if they don’t think like him, continues his push to stay out of it, telling Eve his daughter is a smart, independent woman who can make her own decisions.
Of course, Matt finally breaks down and finally tells Riley what he wants. Matt never liked Jimmy and doesn’t want Riley to go back, but he doesn’t want his opinion to impact her decision. Still, he loves his improving relationship with his daughter and his grandchildren and wants that to continue. Of course, he tells Riley after she has already told Jimmy she wants the divorce and to start over. Matt revealed his feelings at the perfect time since it didn’t affect Riley’s decision.
Relationships Flourish
While this has been going on, Eve accidentally hit Matt’s car with her car door. Matt accuses her of projecting her anger at her ex-husband on him. Eve accuses him of projecting his anger at Riley potentially getting back with Jimmy on her. Both are correct. He tries to charge her for the work to restore a “dent” that no one else in the shop can see. She agrees to pay for it until she sees how much he’s trying to charge her. Something is clearly brewing.
After Riley announces her divorce, Eve hosts a party for her at the dance studio to celebrate her fresh start. Matt, Gabe and Stitch are all there to help lift her up. Riley gets too drunk and Gabe takes her home. She fawns over how great he is and tries to kiss him. He walks away and talks about how great she is but she passes out. Gabe promises to always do what’s right by her and covers her with a blanket before leaving her home.
Disney/Raymond Liu
Meanwhile, Matt and Eve revisit their fight from earlier. Both accept that they were projecting anger and frustration for their current situations on each other. Eve offers Matt a handshake before pulling him in for a kiss. It’s clear there are two relationships blossoming here. But does Riley realize that Gabe likes her? And Matt has been hinting he may be ready to get out and start dating since it’s been a year since his wife’s passing. Is Eve who he wants to pursue?
Rating
This is the final episode of the first season and ends with some of the characters in interesting places. Matt has grieved and appears ready to evolve as a person. Riley has truly accepted that her relationship with Jimmy is over. Carter has grown into a full-fledged character. Gabe clearly has a crush on Riley and will do anything for her whether she reciprocates his feelings or not. Stitch and Eve have both grown some since their introductions but still need more development. The only true failure is Georgia. Outside of the career day episode, she’s just been there.
If there’s a second season, the writers need to focus more on her character development. The show hasn’t been renewed for a season two and honestly got off to a rocky start. The show wasn’t bad at first, it just wasn’t good. The show improved over the course of the season and was really strong by the end. It debuted with six million viewers for the weekly broadcast but only finished with 3.7 million by the season finale. However, Hulu’s streaming numbers hint the show averaged 11 million over each seven day period, which means if there’s a season two, it will be due to streaming. I personally hope it gets a second season. The show was definitely enjoyable.
Check out Shifting Gears on ABC and Hulu.
Article Written By: Jeremy Brown for Stelmach Brown Media 2025
Add comment
Comments