Shark Tank‘s Lori Greiner took the opportunity to flirt with Tim Allen during her cameo on Shifting Gears.
In the episode aired on Wednesday, October 15, Georgia (Barrett Margolis) found a way to reach out to Greiner, 55, to highlight her mother Riley’s (Kat Dennings) new coffee cart initiative. Greiner made an appearance to support them and met Matt (Allen) there.
“Now that is a charming daddy I might want to scrub,” she joked as she greeted Matt with a handshake. Eve (Jenna Elfman) quickly introduced herself as Matt’s girlfriend.
Greiner is among the new guests featured in season 2 of Shifting Gears. The season has also seen the arrival of Lilly Singh, Gabriel Iglesias, Mookie Betts, and Home Improvement stars Patricia Richardson, Debbe Dunning, and Richard Karn.
Shifting Gears details the journey of Matt and his estranged daughter, Riley, as they navigate life together and work on mending their relationship following the passing of their matriarch after enduring significant loss.
“Right from the start, [the creative team stated] that we’ve never seen Tim Allen paired with a romantic interest in a sitcom. I expressed that I couldn’t envision this after losing my wife. I appreciate the direction we’ve taken,” Allen told Us Weekly in January. “I am open to it evolving naturally over time, especially between two characters who start off at odds. I’m just very cautious, wanting it to feel natural and appropriate.”
Alongside Allen, 72, and Dennings, 39, Shifting Gears features a cast that includes Seann William Scott, Daryl “Chill” Mitchell, Maxwell Simkins, and Margolis.
“Matt resonates closely with who I am. I’m more of an artist at heart. My background is rooted in design and philosophy, and my comedic style focuses on playfulness,” Allen shared with Us. “I come from a large family primarily led by women, shaping my perspective on gender roles. This character reflects that. He doesn’t fit the traditional mold of a ‘man’s man’, and he isn’t trying to be anything he isn’t.”
The actor remarked that Matt is “not like his previous roles.”
“This is a fresh character that reflects more of who I really am. I’ve experienced grief, particularly when I lost my father,” he noted. “Being a comedian has been a blessing, and I wanted to capture the essence of who I truly am with this character.”
Dennings, for her part, expressed admiration for the immediate chemistry between her and Allen as co-stars.
“For some reason it clicked right away — perhaps because I’ve watched him throughout my life; it just felt natural,” she shared with Us. “As we’ve continued filming, our interactions have been hilarious, if I may say so myself. The arguments we have on screen have become my favorite parts because we both dive in fearlessly, which makes it so enjoyable.”
At that moment, Dennings felt compelled to describe it as a “magical situation”, revealing, “I spoke with a friend about my aspirations, and when she asked me to depict my dream project, I mentioned wanting to do another sitcom. The very next day, I received the call regarding this opportunity.”
She concluded by saying, “It was surreal; it felt like I had manifested this. Growing up watching [Tim’s show] Home Improvement, the chance to play his daughter is incredible. I’m extremely fortunate and grateful for this experience.”
Shifting Gears can be watched on ABC every Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET, with episodes available for streaming on Hulu the following day.
