EXCLUSIVE: Jenna Elfman, best known for her starring role in the 1997 ABC sitcom Dharma & Greg, is returning to the network with a recurring role on another multi-camera comedy series, the upcoming Shifting Gears, headlined by fellow ABC sitcom star Tim Allen. It is produced by the same studio, 20th Television.
Shifting Gears stars Tim Allen as Matt, the stubborn, widowed owner of Parker Customs, a classic car restoration shop. When Matt’s estranged daughter (Kat Dennings) and her kids move into his house, the real restoration begins.
Elfman will play Eve Drake, a spirited choreographer and owner of the dance studio across from Parker Customs. The role should be a good fit for Elfman who is a classically trained ballerina and began her career as a professional dancer, appearing in music videos by Depeche Mode and Anthrax and dancing on the 1991 Academy Awards live broadcast. Elfman also did some “interpretive dancing” while co-hosting the 1999 Emmys with David Hyde Pierce.
The rest of Shifting Gears main cast includes Seann William Scott as Gabriel, who also works at the shop, Daryl “Chill” Mitchell as Stitch, Maxwell Simkins as Carter and Barrett Margolis as Georgia.
Allen executive produces alongside showrunner Michelle Nader, Marty Adelstein, Becky Clements, Richard Baker, Rick Messina, John Pasquin, who directed the pilot episode, Jim Patterson, Bob Daily and John Amodeo. Dennings is a producer. Shifting Gears creators Mike Scully and Julie Thacker Scully are executive producers on the pilot episode. The series, produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios, will premiere Jan. 8, airing in the 8 PM slot where Dharma & Greg spent some time. It will stream next day on Hulu.
This marks Elfman’s return to multi-camera comedy. Following her five-season starring turn as Dharma on ABC/20th TV’s Dharma & Greg, which earned her a Golden Globe and three Emmy nominations, she starred in one more sitcom, CBS Courting Alex, and a couple of single-camera broadcast comedies, NBC’s 1600 Penn, from 20th TV, and ABC’s Imaginary Mary. She more recently has done drama series, including a five-season series regular stint on AMC’s Fear The Walking Dead. Elfman guest starred on the ABC/20th TV drama series Will Trent earlier this year and will next be seen in an eight-episode arc on Season 3 of AMC’s Dark Winds. She is repped by WME, Artists First and Latham & Watkins.
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