One of the best parts of Shifting Gears is how it feels like a modern take on a classic sitcom with live audiences and, crucially, relatable and hilarious explorations of family. With the relatively low stakes and comforting tone, one wouldn't expect people to find political meaning in the show. However, one article in the Wall Street Journal argues that the show was part of a larger "course correction in Hollywood" in "Trump's America," while the Daily Mail described it as "anti-woke" — with the main reason being that Tim Allen's character is clearly right-wing and implied to be a Trump supporter.