Tag: Maxwell Simkins

Series Review: Shifting Gears Season 2 (ABC/Shaky Gun Productions/Lost Marbles/20th Television)

By: Jesse Striewski

For as long as I can remember, Tim Allen has been an American institution. First introduced on the small screen to most of us in the early ’90s via Home Improvement, then cementing his status as a comedy legend with such classics as The Santa Clause and Toy Story. And Kat Dennings, blessed with both beauty and wit, has earned her own place inside many households since 2 Broke Girls in the 2010’s. Put the two of them together, and you’ve got a (mostly) winning combination.

The first season of Shifting Gears was enjoyable enough from what I remember – though I actually spent much of it watching from a hospital bed at the time, so my memories are not as clear for obvious reasons. But season two seems to have really hit its stride, focusing on everything from young love, to deeper issues centered around post-loss relationships (Newcomer to the series Jenna Elfman is undeniably likeable here as Allen’s character Matt’s new love interest).

Highlights that stick out from this latest season include a brief Home Improvement reunion of Patricia Richardson, Richard Karn, and Debbe Dunning on the season premiere, and some fairly fun seasonal episodes centering around both Halloween and Christmas. There’s even a humorous episode (simply titled “Danger”) that revolves around a nuisance raccoon that allows the young Maxwell Simkins of the recent Mighty Ducks: Game Changers to shine again as well.

Sure, some laughs may fall flat, while a few others might even feel a bit forced at times. But overall, there’s way more cringe-worthy things to behold on prime time TV these days other than Shifting Gears.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Series Review: The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers Season 2 (Disney +)

By: Jesse Striewski

This latest season of The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers is even more predictably wholesome than the last, yet somehow it still works. All the familiar underdog story tropes are thrown in as usual, but even the “bullies” are painfully likable this time around.

Our heroes now find themselves fish (or ducks?) out of water when they arrive unintentionally invited to an elite summer hockey camp ran by a former NHL player (Josh Duhamel). As the team and their coach (played by the returning Lauren Graham) struggle to fit in and make their own individual marks at the camp, they encounter new allies and adversaries, and plenty of conflicts to contend with.

Gone is Emilio Estevez as Gordon Bombay, replaced this time by Duhmal, who does his best take on the stereotypical alpha male role. And the returning team itself is again made up of some talented youngsters, lead by Brady Noon, Taegen Burns, Swayam Bhatia, Maxewell Simkins, and Luke Islam, this time joined by the likes of newcomer Naveen Paddock.

There’s obvious similarities to other youthful contemporary shows like Cobra Kai, though everything is kept family friendly. And as corny as it may be, both seasons of Game Changers so far have been the most fun I’ve had watching a fictional hockey-themed show since going to see D2 in the theater all the way back in 1994. With that being said, the kid in me actually enjoyed skating into this one with the fam, and you just might too if you slide into the neutral zone with an open mind.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars