Tim Allen Returns to TV: How to Watch ‘Shifting Gears’ Online

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, The Hollywood Reporter may receive an affiliate commission.

Tim Allen is putting his tool belt back on for his return to TV in Shifting Gears, a new sitcom premiering on ABC.

Allen stars as Matt, a stubborn widower who owns a classic-car restoration shop. “He is confronted with his most unexpected and challenging project yet when his estranged daughter, Riley (Kat Dennings), and her adolescent children (Maxwell Simkins and Barrett Margolis) come crashing back into his life,” per the series’ logline.

At a Glance: How to Watch Shifting Gears Online

Shifting Gears also stars Daryl “Chill” Mitchell as Ed and Sean William Scott as Gabriel. The series marks Allen’s return to ABC, which was home to the hit ’90s sitcom Home Improvement (which ran for eight seasons) and the nine-season drama Last Man Standing. Watch the full trailer below.

Keep reading for more on how to watch Shifting Gears online with and without cable, including for free.

How to Watch Shifting Gears: Premiere Date, Episode Release Schedule

Shifting Gears premieres on Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET on ABC and streams the following day on Hulu. The first season spans 11 episodes, and the finale is expected to air on March 19.

How to Watch Shifting Gears Online

Shifting Gears will be released every Thursday (the day after episodes air on TV) starting Jan. 9 on Hulu. The easiest way to stream the series is with a Hulu subscription, which starts at $9.99 per month. Eligible new subscribers can watch Shifting Gears for free with a 30-day trial to Hulu’s ad-supported base plan; learn more here.

Those with an existing cable subscription can watch the show online by logging into ABC.com or the ABC app with their TV provider credentials, including traditional and streaming services such as DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Sling, Verizon, Xfinity and others.

Cord-cutters can watch Shifting Gears live online without traditional cable using any TV streaming service that carries ABC, including DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Sling and others. See for some of the best options that offer free trials and deals.