Shifting Gears has finally cast a familiar face to play Tim Allen‘s onscreen son following his onscreen absence.
Deadline confirmed on Tuesday, December 9, that Luke Macfarlane will be playing Sam a.k.a Matt’s (Allen) son and Riley’s (Kat Dennings) brother. He was previously brought up on the show as a Navy hero but not much else has been mentioned about the missing member of the Parker family.
Macfarlane, 45, will guest star on Shifting Gears later this season.
“We hope to introduce Sam in Season 2,” showrunner Michelle Nader told TVLine earlier this year about expanding the family. “We think he will be another fun casting opportunity and a great character for everyone to complain to!”
Shifting Gears follows Matt and his estranged daughter, Riley, as they find themselves living together and working to repair their relationship after the loss of their matriarch. In addition to Allen, 72, and Dennings, 39, Shifting Gears also stars Seann William Scott, Daryl “Chill” Mitchell, Maxwell Simkins and Barrett Margolis.
Jenna Elfman, meanwhile, plays choreographer Eve Drake, who is currently Matt’s girlfriend after a slow-burn romance.
“From the very beginning, [the creative team has said] that we’ve never seen Tim Allen in a sitcom with a romantic interest. And I said, ‘Well, I’ve just lost my wife, so I don’t see it.’ So I love where we are,” Allen exclusively told Luxury Handbag Shopping in January. “I said, ‘If it happens over time and happens organically with two people that do not get along, then it is OK.’ I just am really cautious about this. I just want it to happen where it’s organic and proper.”
Allen enjoyed getting to use himself as inspiration for the show.
“[Matt’s] more like me. I’m more of an artist. I was a design student and a philosopher and my standup comedy is really about messing with people in a good way,” he shared with Us. “I came from a huge family run by women. So my perspective is very different about men. I don’t think we run things. So I want this to be that guy. He’s not a ‘man’s man’ in that term, and he wasn’t trying to be anything but what he does.”
The actor noted that Matt is “not like the other guys” he’s played before.
“This is a new character and it’s much closer to [who I am]. I’ve been through grief in my life with losing my father,” he added. “I’ve been blessed to be a comedian and so that’s who this [character] is. If I did it again, I wanted to get as much closer to the [man] that I am.”
Shifting Gears airs on ABC Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET before streaming the next day on Hulu.
