Tim Allen<\/strong> and Jenna Elfman<\/strong>\u2018s romance on Shifting Gears<\/em> has raised eyebrows \u2014 but what has been said in regards to the surprising fictional age gap?<\/p>\n Shifting Gears<\/em>, which premiered in 2025, introduced fans to Matt (Allen) and Eve\u2019s (Elfman) romance in season 1. The pair dated throughout the second season before calling it quits on account of long distance. Matt and Eve \u2014 who’ve an age gap \u2014 found their way back to one another before season 2 concluded.<\/p>\n \u201cOur showrunner [Michelle Nader] put this thing together they usually really just like the romance. I wanted a automotive show a few widower to cope with grief. That\u2019s what I wanted,\u201d Allen exclusively told Us Weekly<\/em> in June 2026. \u201cI loved Kat Dennings [as my daughter] because she\u2019s the proper alternative. That old dynamic is absolutely where I used to be at.\u201d<\/p>\n Allen selected to drift when Elfman\u2019s character was introduced, saying, \u201cThey threw this romance in there and I do know Jenna so I said, \u2018That\u2019s not the issue. It\u2019s just that I\u2019m feeling way too old for her.\u2019 Sometimes they are saying, \u2018Visually it doesn\u2019t seem like you’re thinking that it does.’\u201d<\/p>\n After seeing the reception to the connection, Allen got interested to see where the show takes the characters next.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s so fun to be around and it\u2019s brought out a complete different a part of that show and brought a special audience to that show,\u201d he continued. \u201cI\u2019m really on the market for the automotive guys and I make certain the automotive stuff is fun and exciting. Then the office is cool and now you\u2019ve got romance for the those who want that. Since it seems the flirting and the actual activity between these two characters is working and I said, \u2018All right, I\u2019ll go there.\u2019 [Jenna is] really good at this and the romance is sort of generated quite by accident.\u201d<\/p>\n Elfman, meanwhile, praised Allen for his support as a scene partner.<\/p>\n \u201cI like doing scenes with Tim. I got very excited and it took me a pair episodes to go, \u2018OK, who’re we on this? Who’re you? How is he playing inside this format? How is his timing?\u2019 It takes a moment to see how we\u2019re dancing together as partners,\u201d Elfman told Us in February 2025.<\/p>\n The actress continued: \u201cHe\u2019s so confident as a comedic actor. He\u2019s just confident and I\u2019m confident and we don\u2019t care if something [doesn\u2019t land]. Once you\u2019ve been doing it long enough, you\u2019re not paranoid a few joke not working and also you don\u2019t care. There\u2019s no preciousness and there\u2019s enough confidence to support the exploration of the scene of humor.\u201d<\/p>\n Keep scrolling for probably the most candid commentary about Matt and Eve\u2019s age gap:<\/p>\n After the ABC show featured jokes in regards to the age gap, Allen spoke to Us about his response.<\/p>\n \u201cThe age difference is just not much different than my wife and I,\u201d Allen, who has been married to wife Jane Hajduk since 2006, told Us in June 2026.<\/p>\n Allen noted that his response to the age gap varies, adding, \u201cIt relies on the photographs. It gets creepy for me at a certain age [and] we\u2019re right at that border. If Jenna didn\u2019t look so rattling nice than our age gap is just not that much. I just let my hair go natural and she or he just looks \u2014 especially on camera \u2014 quite young.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey are saying once you\u2019re lit higher and I am going, \u2018Once I\u2019m lit higher, I look probably 68,’\u201d he quipped to Us. \u201cI just don\u2019t wish to be creepy about it \u2014 and that\u2019s sort of the borderline image lately.\u201d<\/p>\n Allen continued: \u201cIt hasn\u2019t really come out \u2014 except after they joke about, \u2018Well, a man your age.\u2019 After they have her making jokes about it, it\u2019s not my preference. But I said, \u2018It\u2019s admitting what’s there.\u2019 There\u2019s times \u2014 and I\u2019ll give it to them \u2014 that they lit right and in the proper clothing so it doesn\u2019t look creepy.\u201d<\/p>\n After Matt and Eve\u2019s transient onscreen split, Allen shut down the belief that their issues were too large to work through.<\/p>\n \u201cComing up, you\u2019ll see it\u2019s not over yet and it\u2019s really a special thing for a comic book to play this,\u201d Allen told Us in January 2026. \u201cWithin the show, by design there\u2019s more drama to put the comedy on top of. It\u2019s something I\u2019ve all the time liked to do.\u201d<\/p>\nExpressing Concerns<\/h2>\n
Trusting the Vision<\/h2>\n
Following What Works<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/themes\/us-weekly\/assets\/img\/newsletter-bg-narrow.jpg\")
\n\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/themes\/us-weekly\/assets\/img\/newsletter-bg-wide.jpg\")
<\/p>\n