‘2 Broke Girls’ Star Kat Dennings Returns to Broadcast TV for Tim Allen’s New ABC Show ‘Shifting Gears’

Dennings has been cast as Allen’s estranged daughter, Riley, who moves back home with her two kids.

Kat Dennings is officially returning to broadcast TV. Deadline reports that the 2 Broke Girls alum has been cast in the multi-camera comedy pilot Shifting Gears opposite Tim Allen. The actress will also serve as producer on the series, which is written by Mike and Julie Thacker Scully.

LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 06: Actress Kat Dennings attends the 25th anniversary MusiCares 2015 Person Of The Year Gala honoring Bob Dylan at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 6, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. The annual benefit raises critical funds for MusiCares’ Emergency Financial Assistance and Addiction Recovery programs. For more information visit musicares.org. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for NARAS)

The potential series will center on Allen’s Matt, who is a stubborn, widowed owner of a classic car restoration show. Soon, Matt’s estranged daughter and her teenage kids move into his house. Dennings will play the estranged daughter, Riley, who has butted heads with her father more than enough times growing up and left to marry the boyfriend he hated. After getting divorced, Riley has to move back home with her two kids in the hopes of rebuilding her relationship with her father.

Shifting Gears (working title) will mark Dennings’ return to broadcast TV since starring in CBS’ hit sitcom, 2 Broke Girls, which ran for six seasons before ending in 2017. She has been plenty busy on the television side since then, however. She starred in the Hulu comedy Dollface for two seasons from 2019 to 2022 and Disney+ and Marvel’s WandaVision in 2021. She’s also lent her voice to numerous projects, including Dallas & Robo, What If…?, and The Simpsons.

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