Why Jenna Elfman ‘Didn’t Feel Hopeful’ About a Sitcom Return — Until Tim Allen’s ‘Shifting Gears’ (Exclusive)

Jenna Elfman wasn’t sure she would return to sitcoms — until she got the offer for Tim Allen‘s hit ABC series Shifting Gears.

“We all love a good sitcom, but it has felt hard to do in terms of streaming and social media and the great sitcoms were before all of that,” Elfman, 53, exclusively told Us Weekly. “I really love the format [of Shifting Gears]. So I’ve been interested in doing one, but I didn’t feel hopeful that it could be done well or fresh or new.”

All it took was a conversation with showrunner Michelle Nader for Elfman to choose Shifting Gears as her next project, adding, “I’ve worked with Tim before on a film, so I know he’s lovely. He’s so good at what he does. It’s like you don’t even see it happening and then all of a sudden it’s just brilliant. But Michelle Nader and I had a phone conversation, and she was walking me through what her plan is in terms of the sitcom and making it feel fresh, which is so hard.”

She continued: “So Michelle — and the rest of the cast and crew — are just kicking ass. It’s so good. She just wanted to have a fresh take on what a strong woman looks like. Everything she said resonated with me. It felt like home for me.”

Elfman left a lasting impression when she starred on the hit sitcom Dharma & Greg, which scored her a Golden Globe and three Emmy nominations throughout its run. She has remained on our screen since then but fans have been eagerly awaiting another multi-camera project from the actress.

“I loved [Michelle’s] take on how to approach the family at the center of [Shifting Gears] and the generational divides culturally, politically and emotionally. It’s a sitcom but it’s grounded with talent, who knows how to act and who knows how to deliver comedy,” Elfman added. “At the same time, the writing really supports that as well. Everything felt right for me to come play and I’m so glad I did because I had a very good time. We just finished filming the final episode last night and it’s so good.”

Shifting Gears, which premiered in January, follows Allen’s character, Matt, as he reconnects with his estranged daughter, Riley (Kat Dennings), after the death of his wife. Elfman, meanwhile, plays spirited choreographer Eve Drake, who owns a dance studio across from the classic car restoration shop run by Matt.

“You’re going to see more of the dynamic between Matt and Eve,” Elfman teased to Us about her recurring role. “Just more forthright communication, opinions and exchange. You get to see people being their full selves in each other’s face. It’s really fun.”

Elfman went on to praise Allen, 71, for being a perfect scene partner.

“He’s so confident as a comedic actor. He’s just confident and I’m confident and we don’t care if something [doesn’t land],” she noted to Us. “When you’ve been doing it long enough, you’re not paranoid about a joke not working and you don’t care. There’s no preciousness and there’s enough confidence to support the exploration of the scene of humor.”

Shifting Gears airs on ABC Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET before streaming the next day on Hulu.