ABC Debuts New Sitcom ‘Shifting Gears’ Featuring Tim Allen and Kat Dennings

ABC is set to premiere a new family sitcom titled ‘Shifting Gears‘ on January 8 at 8 PM ET. The show stars Tim Allen and Kat Dennings, who portray a widowed father, Matt, and his estranged daughter, Riley, respectively. The show follows their journey as they navigate life under one roof, striving to mend their strained relationship.

In an exclusive first look provided to PEOPLE, the audience gets a glimpse of the dynamic between Matt, a classic car repair shop owner, and his daughter, who returns home due to financial struggles. The trailer humorously opens with Matt recognizing a stolen vehicle, only to find Riley at the wheel. «Is that my GTO? I built that 15 years ago and somebody stole it,» Matt declares, to which Riley responds, «Hi, dad,» prompting him to accuse her jokingly of being the thief.

The series is not just about repairing cars but also addressing family issues. Matt quips to Riley about her teenage rebellious years, «I asked if you locked that back door, you looked back at me and you gave me a double bird.» Riley retorts, «I was 18, the double bird is how I ended all of our conversations.»

Alongside Allen and Dennings, the series features Seann William Scott as Gabriel, Daryl «Chill» Mitchell as Stitch, Maxwell Simkins as Carter, and Barrett Margolis as Georgia. Notably, Allen, known for his roles in ‘Home Improvement’ and ‘Last Man Standing,’ also serves as an executive producer while Dennings assumes the role of a producer.

Brenda Song, known for her roles in ‘The Suite Life of Zack & Cody’ and ‘The Social Network,’ joins the cast in a guest role as Caitlyn, an assistant principal and Riley’s former high school classmate. Song’s casting signifies a professional reunion with Dennings, as they previously worked together on the Hulu series ‘Dollface.’

The show faced creative changes over its production timeline, with Michelle Nader taking over as showrunner from the original writers and executive producers Mike Scully and Julie Thacker Scully. Nader brings prior experience working with Dennings from their time on the CBS sitcom ‘2 Broke Girls,’ fostering familiarity within the team.

The potential for nostalgic reunions is further highlighted as ‘Shifting Gears’ brings back Tim Allen and Daryl Mitchell together since their previous collaboration. The ABC family comedy could pave the way for more such reunions if further seasons are commissioned.

Following its television premiere, ‘Shifting Gears’ will be available for streaming on Hulu, offering audiences an opportunity to catch up on another promising addition to ABC’s sitcom lineup.