Kat Dennings returns to comedy in ABC’s ‘Shifting Gears’ alongside Tim Allen in front of a live studio audience

NEW YORK — First came “Home Improvement,” then “Last Man Standing,” and now Tim Allen returns to your TV screen in his latest sitcom “Shifting gears.”

He plays a widowed father to his estranged daughter played by Kat Dennings. The couple suddenly find themselves living together and working to repair their relationship.

The show also marks Dennings’ return to comedy for the first time in nearly a decade.

“Tim Allen plays Matt, and he restores classic cars, so that’s his job on the show,” Dennings said. “And I’m his daughter, Riley, who had kids very young, right out of high school, got married to some kind of bad boy guy and it’s gone downhill and she’s really on her last legs and has no money, nowhere to go. , no option but to show up on her father’s doorstep with her kids and say I’m moving here, sorry about that.”

Entertainment reporter Joelle Garguilo said the shows already have a familiar feel.

“That’s the best compliment because I’ve done a lot of things and it doesn’t always feel like that right off the bat,” Dennings said. “This was like instant chemistry, instant like family with the crew. Also like everybody feels like we’ve been doing this for four seasons.”

The show is filmed in front of a live studio audience, giving it a classic old-school sitcom feel.

“I did a sitcom for a long time and when it ended I thought I’d go back to single cam,” Dennings said. “And then I found myself like, oh, but sitcoms are so special, I miss it. I’d love to do it again. And then I got this call and I thought, that’s it. Good. Tim Allen , of course.”

Dennings said she loves having a studio audience.

“When I did ‘Two Broke Girls’ for the first two seasons, I was so nervous about the live audience that I took out my contacts for the audience show so I couldn’t see anyone because I was so nervous and I could only see like the other person in front of me,” Dennings said. “And then I got used to it and now I love it.”

Dennings was asked what excites her most about working on the show.

“It’s like a surreal feeling because obviously, like most people, I grew up watching ‘Home Improvement.’ So it’s very, this is so crazy that I’m on a show with Tim Allen,” said Dennings.

You can watch “Shifting Gears” on ABC at 8/7c and stream the next day on Hulu.