The fate of ABC’s medical dramaDoctor Odysseyis hanging in the air. The network has just announced itslist of renewals for the 2025-26 primetime lineup,which confirms the return of fan-favorite series including9-1-1,Grey’s Anatomy,The Rookie,and more. But despite averaging 4.9 million weekly viewers,Doctor Odysseyhasyet to secure its spotfor Season 2.
Doctor Odysseyand the comedy seriesShifting Gearsare the two ABC seriescurrently on the freshman bubble.However,Shifting Gears, which starsTim AllenandKat Dennings,has been renewed for a second seasonwith a 10-episode order. This means the medical drama starringJoshua Jacksonremains the only scripted ABC series with an uncertain future.
Both shows experienced strong starts on streaming. The trailer forDoctor Odysseyattracted a record-breaking 77.8 million views in the first 48 hours. The show alsogathered 13.6 million cross-platform viewersduring its premiere week in September 2024. However,Shifting Gearseventually performed better with 17 million cross-platform views for its pilot, which aired on July 03, 2025, and markedABC’s biggest new series launchin over six years.
Kat Dennings Believes the Audience Needs a Sitcom Like ‘Shifting Gears’
In an interview with IndieWire, Dennings opened up about ABC’s multi-cam sitcom that follows Matt (Allen), a widowed owner of a car restoration shop whose life changes when his estranged daughter, Riley (Dennings), moves into his house with her kids. Now, while Dennings hasspent nearly three decades working as an actress, she was not ready for how professional Allen would be. According to the2 Broke Girlsstar, her co-star is a“well-oiled machine”and that he absolutely loves what he does even after all these years.
Dennings confessed that the feel-good sitcom is exactly what the audience wants to watch. She recalled her own experience of watchingSeinfeldwith her husband whenever they werelooking for comfortable, relatable entertainment. “It just feels like the coziness is something that specifically right now people are seeking out,” added Dennings. While speaking about thelive studio audienceon the set ofShifting Gears,Denning described their energy as “infectious,” which made filming all the more enjoyable.
Dennings also praised theShifting Gearswriters and showrunnerMichelle Naderfor writing a story that’s easy to watch butisn’t afraid of tackling more difficult conversations.According to the actress, the dynamic between Matt and Riley represents something that happens in a lot of families where people have different political views and sets of beliefs. “What does that look like when you love someone, but you disagree with them in so many ways?” added Dennings before joking that the answer is always comedy.
Shifting Gearsairs Wednesdays on ABC.
Doctor Odyssey
Source:IndieWire
