The Shifting Gears forged is about to see one other sitcom legend be a part of the ABC present’s forged. Dharma & Greg’s Jenna Elfman will be a part of the forged of the primary season for a number of episodes beginning this Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. sondramedia spoke to Elfman about showing on the present, her character Eve, and if she’s open to a Dharma & Greg revival.
“Shifting Gears stars Tim Allen as Matt, the cussed, widowed proprietor of a basic automotive restoration store. When Matt’s estranged daughter (Kat Dennings) and her youngsters transfer into his home, the actual restoration begins,” says the synopsis for Shifting Gears that includes Jenna Elfman.
Tyler Treese: Congrats on becoming a member of the forged of Shifting Gears. Now we have some actually enjoyable episodes developing, and it’s an enormous deal everytime you seem on a sitcom, clearly. What about Michelle Nader’s imaginative and prescient for shifting Gears actually obtained you and on board with this?
Jenna Elfman: Yeah, that’s precisely proper. Once I heard there was curiosity, I, after all, thought, “Effectively, Tim’s so nice.” I imply, he’s so, so good at what he does, and attending to work with him on this capability simply deepens my appreciation of what he brings to comedy and to the sitcom format. However earlier than becoming a member of, I had an extended dialog with Michelle Nader, the showrunner, who was a author on Dharma & Greg. So I’ve recognized her perpetually, and simply listening to what her ideas was on bringing again the sitcom, the way it ought to be completed, what her purpose is with it, after which for this character, how she needed to point out what a robust lady really actually seems like. It doesn’t at all times imply the way it’s been completed generally. I simply liked it. I actually understood what she needed to do with the character, and I liked it, and I agree with it, and it feels prefer it’s in me that approach. So, all of it simply felt proper, simply every step of the best way simply felt prefer it all made sense, and I used to be completely happy to come back do it.
What’s enjoyable concerning the present is so lots of the characters have very robust personalities, and we see that along with your character as properly. You and Tim Allen simply get into some actually enjoyable arguments. How is it simply going backwards and forwards with him? Particularly how petty it will get and the way small the core disagreement is.
Yeah. I’m glad you respect it and prefer it. I find it irresistible. Like, I get so excited when now we have a scene collectively. We filmed the ultimate episode of the season final evening, and I liked our scenes collectively. They’re so enjoyable. I get sort of giddy, like I can’t wait to go be within the second with him. I did three episodes this season, and it took me a couple of episodes to go, “Okay, what’s the DNA of the humor of this present?” The writing, how they’ve the jokes come out, how every character and actor delivers their very own comedic rhythm. So, by the third episode, I actually felt like, okay, that is actually cool having the chance to do sufficient scenes with Tim now I see the place the parameters are of timing and the place he likes to play.
It’s identical to attending to know you as a dance accomplice and attending to know the type of your dance accomplice and the place your dance accomplice carries themself and their rhythm. It’s tremendous pleasing. I really like appearing with Tim and each time we do a scene, I simply go like, “Oh my God, that is so enjoyable.” I get so excited, which is a very good feeling. I haven’t had that feeling in a very long time, and I didn’t know if it was attainable to have in a sitcom once more. It’s actually onerous to do sitcoms properly, and this present, the writing, the actors know when to land on a honest facet of just like the heartwarming true communication between relations and the place the jokes are and the place to make enjoyable of ourselves as human beings. So I really feel prefer it actually finds this excellent steadiness of that.
Yeah, I believe that steadiness is why this present’s actually hit with followers so properly.
You talked about dancing. Your character runs a dance studio on this, which is sort of becoming for you. You will have a dancing background. How nice was it attending to characterize that love of dancing throughout the present?
Jenna Elfman: It was superior to have the ability to convey my [background]. I used to be an expert dancer and a classically educated ballerina and jazz dancer. So, to convey my first artwork type and accomplishment in my life into my subsequent accomplishment of doing comedy on multicam and produce them collectively felt actually particular. Additionally, to see nice dancing, one thing good on a sitcom, it simply all felt proper. Like, all of it simply feels good. It simply genuinely feels nice. So, it was a little bit mini celebration in my coronary heart to get to do this. Genuinely.
We get to see you dance as properly. Is that like using a motorcycle for you, or did it take a bit to get again within the saddle? It’s an unbelievable scene.
Thanks. My physique is totally different now than after I was an expert dancer at 19. I’m 53, so yeah, it felt totally different. However it’s like using a motorcycle as a result of I spent so many hours dancing my complete life since I used to be 5 years previous. The muscle reminiscence and the expression level of dance, it doesn’t ever go away you while you’re that completed as a dancer. It’s at all times a part of you. So it felt actually nice. I liked it. I may spend hours in a dance studio just like the choreographer.
We did that first episode in the course of the LA Fires, and so the schedule was a little bit bit unpredictable because of the circumstances happening in Los Angeles. So, the choreographer for the episode, Denise and I, we simply went to the dance studio and spent like three hours a day dancing and simply forming what’s Eve’s choreography. What’s her movement? I actually may keep in a dance studio dancing for six hours a day. It was so enjoyable.
It simply feels so proper seeing you throughout the sitcom house. Dharma & Greg continues to be so beloved, and the cameo in Two and a Half Males was so properly acquired and a hilarious spin on these characters. Is there any curiosity in you taking part in Dharma Montgomery once more sooner or later? Be it like a reunion particular or a revival?
Yeah, I’m by no means in opposition to that. It simply has to really feel as enjoyable and true to what the present was initially. I’ve by no means been in opposition to something like that. However it does must really feel proper as a result of to me, it’s so iconic and so fantastic, and it’s in such a spot in all of our hearts. It must really feel alongside that very same wavelength, you recognize?
Because of Jenna Elfman for taking the time to speak about Shifting Gears.
