Tim Allen is returning to television when Shifting Gears hits the 2025 TV schedule, and I couldn’t be more excited. This will mark the actor’s third show on ABC, following Home Improvement and Last Man Standing. Additionally, Allen will be joined by fellow sitcom veteran Kat Dennings, who is playing his daughter, and the Allen himself just clued me in to their weird connection.
Shifting Gears centers on Allen’s Matt Parker, a widow and owner of a classic car restoration shop. His estranged daughter, Riley (Dennings), winds up moving back in with her kids. While Matt and Riley may not be close on the show (yet), Allen told TV Insider about his connection to Dennings IRL, and it’s honestly pretty crazy:
Kat’s so freaking talented. We’re born on the same day, which is kind of weird. Certainly different ages!
Yes, it’s true. Allen was born on June 13, 1953 while Dennings was born on June 13, 1986. Of course, meeting someone with the same birthday as you is not totally uncommon, but it makes the fact that they’re playing father and daughter all the more fitting. It’s honestly quite a fun coincidence, and I can only imagine how the conversation went when they found this out, whether or not it happened on set.
Already, fans have been seeing what Allen and Dennings’ relationship is like on the small screen. The two gave fans a look at their new comedy for the holidays that not only shows what their chemistry is like off-screen, but it also gave us a good idea about what Matt and Riley are like. There will be a lot to look forward to when Shifting Gears premieres, and the fact the actors are able to play an estranged father and daughter while clearly having a great relationship is proof of just how talented they both are.
Along with Tim Allen and Kat Dennings, Shifting Gears also stars Seann William Scott, Daryl Mitchell, Maxwell Simkins, and Barrett Margolis. Even if none of them share a birthday like their leads, it would be hard for me to believe they won't gave killer chemistry. There’s a reason that Shifting Gears was picked up by ABC, and part of that has to do with the cast making the premise work, regardless of who made the cut from the pilot to the full series.
Meanwhile, Allen’s return to TV makes him “feel like Tom Brady” in that he just can’t stay away from TV. He’ll take a little bit of a break but then come back at full force. While Allen did star in The Santa Clauses that can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription, this will be his first return to network television since Last Man Standing ended in 2021.
It will be an exciting series to watch when it premieres on January 8 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. Even though it’s too early to tell if a second season is possible. Tim Allen and Kat Dennings might celebrate their birthdays on the same day, but they are also bonded for life now.
