Shifting Gears stars Seann William Scott and Daryl “Chill” Mitchell spoke to ComingSoon Editor-in-Chief Tyler Treese about ABC’s new sitcom. The hilarious show, which is headlined by Tim Allen and Kat Dennings, will premiere on Wednesday, January 8, at 8 p.m. ET. It will stream on Hulu the next day.
“Shifting Gears stars Tim Allen as Matt, the stubborn, widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop. When Matt’s estranged daughter (Kat Dennings) and her kids move into his house, the real restoration begins,” says the synopsis for Shifting Gears, which also stars Seann William Scott and Daryl Mitchell.
Tyler Treese: Seann, you’re playing a mechanic in Shifting Gears. Are you a car guy yourself? Do you know what you’re doing when you’re getting under the hood?
Seann William Scott: I know jack s— [laughs]. I don’t know anything about cars, man. Honestly, nothing. I mean, actually I know more about like, not how to fix stuff. I know more about… ’cause I’ve been looking for a car for like two years, so I know about cars, but that is it, man. I don’t know what I’m looking at. We were just talking about it and these scenes where I’m like under the hood and stuff, and all I’m just thinking about is how much of a car dummy I am. I don’t know anything.
Chill, you’re hilarious in this show. What about the character of Stitch really appealed to you, nd made you wanna be a part of it?
Daryl Mitchell: Well, the thing about me, I’m a car enthusiast. I love cars. So it, that’s my whole thing. I love old schools too, so I, I know about carburetors. I take menopause. I know about changing valve cover gaskets. I know about doing tuneups. Yeah, man, changing the gasket. Change the oil. You gotta take the valve, take the filter off, then you take some old oil and rub it right around the top so it can make a nice little seal.
That’s the key.
Mitchell: You know I know, baby. I used to do all that, bro.
Seann, you’re not playing the smartest character. He gets reparations and accommodations mixed up. A very funny scene in Episode 2. You’ve played a lot of lovable goofs in the past, but what’s the secret to keeping them lovable?
Scott: Well, thanks man, I appreciate it. In the beginning of my career, with Stifler and stuff, I just though he was the guy that he didn’t mean to insult people or be mean to people. It was like a guy who just lacked social skills and secretly just wanted to be loved and was insecure and stuff like that. But I think with this character, he is a good guy. He’s just inherently like a sweet guy.
But as far as him being not so smart, it was one of the things, I spoke to Michelle Nader, our showrunner, about, and I was like,”I just think it’s more fun to play a guy who just doesn’t get it, you know?” At least for me, in my experience, it’s just… Comedically, there’s just more to do if he, the more he gets it wrong. I don’t think he should be a total moron. But I just think it’s better if he’s not the brightest guy in the room. So, thanks for picking up on my dumbness.
Chill, I did wanna ask you about working with Michelle Nader because she wasn’t involved in the pilot, but she’s really found a good direction for this show. So, what stood out about working with her?
Mitchell: She’s open, and she lets us play. She gives us some freedom, you know what I mean? Just throw some things out there, and you see what stick and what don’t. One thing, she’s smart, man, and to do that, you gotta be smart. Not only to just write it, but to hear it. So she know when she hears it. So, when it comes out that room, it’s gonna have fire, man. So that’s the main thing.
I told her the other day, she was like, “Whatever you wanna do.” I said, “I’m good because it’s on the paper. If it’s on paper, we in business.” I said, “Once I lock down what they give me, I’m going in, bruh.” So I got that flavor. You got to throw that flavor out there a lot of times.
Seann, Brenda Song is a guest star in the second episode. She’s really fun. You have some fun scenes with her. How is it getting to work with her?
Scott: She was awesome. She’s obviously incredibly talented, but just also such a nice, kind person, and I really had fun. It was great. That scene is really fun at the restaurant. The whole scene was great ’cause also Kat and Brenda know each other, and Kat kind of unravels a little bit there. But I really loved working with her, and Chill goes way back with her.
Mitchell: Yeah, yeah. I did The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, so that was cool. But it was funny ’cause she showed up and it didn’t dawn on her until I told her. I was like, “You remember I did the wheelchair basketball game?” She was like, “Oh my God.” So yeah, man, but she’s real cool.
Chill, Kat Dennings is just fantastic in this show. She plays Tim’s daughter and she brings such an energy to her performance. What really stands out about her as a scene partner?
Mitchell: Yo, a person of her statue, man, you would think would have a little air about them, and it is what it is ’cause she earned and work and deserved that, man. Nothing [of that with Kat]. Ain’t nothing. She pays attention, man. For instance, she knows I’m into hip-hop. I started in hip-hop, and her husband Andrew knew I’m in hip-hop. So they went and got me a book on hip-hop from the Bronx, where I was born and raised, dude. So paying attention, you know what I’m saying? So now I’m gonna take the book. When I go out on the road and see some of the artists, I’m gonna have them sign every picture. I’m gonna try to get that book signed
But as a performer, man, you just watch her, and she got a lot of weight because she gotta be funny. She gotta be serious. She gotta deal with us. She gotta deal with the kids. Yo, she rocks, bro. She rocks.
Seann, you, you’ve worked with so many great actors, but there there’s few sitcom legends who have really mastered that art like Tim Allen has. When you’re working with someone that really has really done it all in the sitcom space, how is it just playing off him comedy wise? Because I can’t think of much better than him.
Scott: Yeah, for sure. I’ll put it this way. Last night, we finished our fifth episode, and we shot it in front of a live audience. When I was walking out to my car, I saw Tim going to his car, and I had to stop him. I just had to thank him for the opportunity. I was like, “This is the most fun that I’ve had, maybe ever, and I’ve had a lot of fun.” Just the whole experience and the opportunity to work with him and he was so great. I got to give him a hug. ’cause it’s like a huge opportunity.
When we’re shooting these scenes, I’m like pinching myself. It’s so surreal. I don’t know if it’ll ever feel not surreal, you know? ‘Cause it’s like he is a legend and he’s so funny. It’s still just kind of surreal to me just to be watching him when we’re doing a scene.
Another thing that’s really fun, I’m sure you feel the same way, Chill, is when you make him laugh, and then you’re like, “Oh, ma. I just made Tim laugh.” That feels good, right?
Mitchell: Oh, it does, man. But he’s easy.
Thanks to Shifting Gears’ Seann William Scott and Daryl Mitchell for taking the time to talk about the sitcom.
