"I'm always surprised when anything I do does well," says Kat Dennings about ABC's Shifting Gears, the latest TV series placing her front and center in living rooms.
She's being modest, of course, as the sitcom co-starring Tim Allen has proven to be a huge success for ABC, with the network's most-streamed series premiere ever. "I'm very happy," she says. Dennings remembers how the show was originally described to her. "They said, 'Okay, here's the idea: Tim Allen is returning to TV, and he's doing a sitcom. This one is a lot different than his others. Would you be interested in playing his daughter?' And I was like, 'Uh, yeah. Yes, I would.' That was kind of the bare-bones pitch."
On the show, Allen portrays Matt, a curmudgeonly, conservative guy who's a widowed classic car restorer. Dennings is his daughter, Riley, who moves back in with him — two kids in tow — when times get tough. Coming from different generations and opposite political leanings, and given deeper issues of familial estrangement and unresolved grief, the two are constantly butting heads, which makes for scripts full of snark at both characters' expense. Whereas many network sitcoms might bend over backwards to avoid the polarization of current American politics, Shifting Gears tackles it head on.
"It's echoing a lot of realistic, very timely family dynamics, where you believe in one thing and have a certain set of beliefs, but someone very close to you has a different set of beliefs," says Dennings. "And just what it means when you love someone but disagree with them so much about almost everything, and how you navigate that."
What sounds like a controversial premise on paper proved to be popular among viewers, and Dennings credits the show's relatability. "I think people are tuning in because they can identify with Riley or Matt, or they understand and have a similar situation in their family, and it's fun and cathartic to watch other people do it," she says. "It's about these two characters being different but finding a common ground, you know?"
Here, Kat Dennings shares some of the TV that helped define her, from childhood to today.
The show that first caught my interest as a kid: The Big Comfy Couch
I was so obsessed with TV as a kid, because my mom very much limited it for me. So, the things I was allowed to watch — they were heaven on earth. There's one, it's kind of a deep cut, but it was a show called The Big Comfy Couch. I listened to a whole podcast about it a while ago, because it was so important to me as a kid. I think it came out of Canada, but don't quote me.
The concept is there's a little girl who's also a clown, okay? And every prop is huge. She's a normal-sized girl, but there's a huge couch that's kind of like her central area in the show. It was so impactful for me as a little kid. It's kind of a culty classic for certain generations, and I love nothing more than the couch as an adult — maybe that's why.
Shows that were formative for me as a teen: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
I was a big fan of anything The WB came out with — like, huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan. I never missed an episode. Loved Felicity. Loved Dawson's Creek. That was the golden age of teen drama. But Buffy was very, very formative for me. I mean, being a baby goth, it was really important.
[Regarding the idea of a Buffy reboot] Oh my god, please. Please somebody make that happen. She hasn't aged a day. She's more stunning than ever. And I think everybody from that show is still actively working. They should do it.
The show that's must-watch viewing for me: Columbo
My husband [musician and motivational speaker Andrew W.K.] and I have been watching Columbo almost every night, though I know that's not current television. We also love The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and The Golden Bachelor, obviously. We're big fans. But it's mainly Columbo. We watch Columbo every single night. It's my favorite show in the world.
The show I can watch over and over: The Nanny
The Nanny was big time for me growing up, because seeing a Jewish heroine was very important to me. Fran Drescher's beauty and style in that show, and her voice and the insanity of the premise — the whole thing was so brilliant, and you just can't take your eyes off her. And it was so genuinely funny.
The last show I watched: Severance
We started season two the other day, which we are enjoying. But I think we're going to have to watch season one all the way through again. It's been too long. We were like, "Wait, what?" And it's such a good show that it's actually worth watching again.
The show I love that might surprise people: Garfield and Friends
I don't know if anything would be surprising to anybody at this point, but let's see. God, what's a show I love? Let me ask. [To her husband in the other room: Honey, what's a show ... no, everyone loves The Great British Bake Off. What's a show I watch that would be surprising to people, you think?]
He just reminded me that I often rewatch a classic from my childhood, which is the Garfield and Friends cartoon show. When I'm feeling particularly depressed, I will put that on. It's an instant dopamine hit.
Also, I am trying to make a play for [any platform] to stream a show called Popular [1999–2001]. It was a Ryan Murphy show. It might be my number one or number two show of all time, and it is nowhere to be found. I'm literally about to buy a DVD player so I can have it somewhere to watch. It's so amazing.
The show I'm embarrassed to say I've never seen (all of): The Wire, The Sopranos
Oh, God. I mean, I haven't seen every episode of The Wire, and I know that's everyone's favorite show in the world. I've seen quite a few, but I haven't seen everything. And I never made it to the end of The Sopranos, either, which I feel terrible about, because that's an amazing show.
Switching Gears airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.
