Shifting Gears has been a triumphant return to the world of sitcoms for Tim Allen and Kat Dennings, but its ensemble cast deserves a large share of the credit as well. In the show, Allen’s Matt runs a car restoration shop populated by an eccentric cast of characters played by actors including Seann William Scott, Daryl “Chill” Mitchell, and Cynthia Quiles. Quiles was interestingly originally slated to be featured in the pilot of Shifting Gears, but had her first major onscreen moment in episode 2 after cuts were made in the premiere episode.
Quiles’ character, Frankie, is the lone woman working in Matt’s shop. It’s a dynamic the actor is comfortable with, relating it much to her own life as the daughter of a real-life car restoration specialist and a car lover in her own right. As evidenced by Shifting Gears’ viewership numbers, Quiles has found a way to blend passion and work in a hugely successful way.
ScreenRant’s Rachel Foertsch spoke with Frankie actor Cynthia Quiles about her time on Tim Allen’s new hit sitcom. Quiles discussed her love for ‘90s sitcoms, especially Home Improvement, and shared why she believes Shifting Gears is such a hit with audiences. Plus, Quiles talked about what she hopes to see Frankie experience on the show in the future.
Cynthia Quiles Loves That Shifting Gears Is Bringing Back ‘90s-Style Sitcoms
“It’s Just A Feel-Good Genre And Feel-Good Medium”
I immediately wanted to know more about your character as soon as we saw her in episode 2. I would love to know what stands out to you about the show, just as a sitcom on network TV. What do you feel really differentiates it?
Cynthia Quiles: I feel like sitcoms have come in and out of fashion quite a bit, like, let’s just take the last 50 years. My opinion is that Shifting Gears is bringing that ‘90s sitcom back on trend, based on the success of the show, which has been amazing. It has been phenomenal to see the success. I think there’ll be a trend of more ‘90s-style sitcoms. It’s just a feel-good genre and feel-good medium that I feel like has kind of gotten lost in years prior, so I think it’ll start a trend to bring the ‘90s sitcom back.
Yeah, you guys broke viewership records for ABC.
Cynthia Quiles: We did. It became the highest-streamed series premiere ever, which is quite an accomplishment. The power of Tim Allen and Kat Dennings. They are incredible, and that’s been awesome.
It’s so great to see them on screen together. With Tim Allen’s sitcom history, I’m curious if there was a show or project that you had seen him in that made you be like, “Yes, I’m so excited to be in a Tim Allen show.”
Cynthia Quiles: It’s Home Improvement all day every day. That was my jam when I was younger. The ‘90s kid in me is definitely geeking out being a part of this show with Tim, all of the great guest stars that we’ve had, Seann William Scott–all of it. I definitely have moments. Then we had Brenda Song, and she’s married to Macaulay Culkin, and he came to watch the show. The ‘90s kid in me has been geeking out, but the show that stands out the most with Tim would be either Toy Story, or Home Improvement if we’re choosing classic sitcoms, for sure.
Quiles’ Own Love Of Cars Made Her Shifting Gears Role A “Dream Come True”
“It Felt Like A Natural Fit”
I would love to talk a little bit more about your character, because, first of all, the mechanic industry is historically dominated by men. What do you enjoy most about being able to play a woman in this job field?
Cynthia Quiles: Well, to be honest with you, when the audition came across my desk, it spoke to me because I have been obsessed with cars since I could walk. My father actually does in real life what Tim does in real life, and his character does in the show, which is restore classic cars with modern parts. So, I grew up around that world. Additionally, I would say a majority of my friends are guys, so it really felt like a natural fit to be in the shop amongst men in this male-dominated world, and to be able to hold my own and speak in an educated way about the cars that we were dealing with.
I probably know more about some of these cars in the shop than some of our other cast members, and I will exclude names at this point. But it’s been an honor to do what I’ve loved for so long, but as work. To be hired to represent a woman in this male-dominated industry when I’ve played in that world for so long in my personal life has been a dream come true. It’s been a blessing.
We don’t know that much about Frankie yet, so what do you think brought her to the car restoration shop? Do you have any personal theories?
Cynthia Quiles: I feel like she is the type of character that Matt, Tim’s character, took under his wing. I feel like she had a love for cars, was hanging around the shop, was brought on board, and has made that her home away from home. There’s very much a family dynamic amongst the cast on-screen and off-screen. From the moment that I got together with Chill, Seann, my co-stars, and Tim, it was such a natural fit in the shop. I feel like, for Frankie, it was probably the same thing. I feel she probably stumbled in, maybe there was a cool classic car outside, Matt took her under his wing, and now she’s a part of the crew.
Quiles Shares Her Feelings About Frankie’s On-Screen Relationships
Her Time Working On The Show Also Led To Quick Off-Screen Bonds With Cast Members
I was going to ask if you and Matt have more scenes this season. Are we going to see that relationship play out a little bit more?
Cynthia Quiles. Hopefully. Everything is kept really under wraps, so we don’t really know what’s coming up. Like I said, we have a couple more episodes on the horizon. The next episode that Frankie appears in, Matt’s actually left us to our own devices in the shop, so he won’t be there, but hopefully in the future we get to share some screen time. I would love a little bit more screen time with Tim, and with Kat especially.
I’m such a fan of both of them, and to even say that sounds funny because it’s become like an instant, just-add-water, comfortable family dynamic. It’s really incredible. I have experienced a lot of good relationships amongst cast members before, that’s always been important to me, but this just hits on a different level. So, hopefully there’s more stuff between Frankie and Matt and Frankie and all the characters.
From what we’ve seen so far, it feels like she already has this established working relationship with Gabriel and Stitch. What do you think it’s like for her to be a part of that dynamic, and how do you perceive this working relationship between the three of them?
Cynthia Quiles: My opinion of Frankie is that she probably thinks she’s smarter than the smartest person in the room when she’s amongst these guys and they’re really cutting up, because there are definitely moments when things come out Gabriel’s mouth that are a little eyeroll worthy or a giggle worthy, like, “Oh, that’s cute, baby, that you think that makes sense, what you just said.” That part is really fun.
Frankie and Stitch have a really good dynamic. Frankie’s like the muscle with Stitch. He’s obviously limited because he is actually disabled, and I feel like Frankie brings some strength to that dynamic in addition to some playful banter, and that will be seen in some of the upcoming episodes for sure. Just that banter dynamic between Frankie, Gabriel, and Stitch–it’s a really cute dynamic between the three of them.
Quiles Hopes Frankie Has An On-Screen Love Story
“I Would Love To See A Love Interest”
Do you have a favorite episode for Frankie that you have shot where we get some more insight into her character?
Cynthia Quiles: Well, definitely episode 2 with the coming out. I was in the original pilot, and then we came back to reshoot it and all of those things. But episode 2 is where she actually comes to life a little bit, and at that particular taping with that particular joke, her coming out, the reaction from the fans in the audience definitely caught me off guard.
It was more than laughter. There was definitely a lot of hootin’ and hollering going on from the audience, and it just hit. It was one of those one-line moments that felt like it hit it out of the park, and that was really phenomenal. It allowed me to kind of play, again, with that banter between the guys. To make a one-off comment about my behaviors of last night in such a casual way was really awesome, so that maybe was my favorite moment.
She did mention her behaviors of last night, so could there be romance on the horizon for Frankie?
Cynthia Quiles: I think so. I would love to see a love interest or a storyline play out in that way. Obviously with nobody who’s in the shop right now, they’re not exactly her cup of tea, but it’d be great to have a little love interest that came through. It’d be fun thing to explore, so we’ll see.
What is a storyline that you would like to see explored for Frankie? Have you personally thought of anything that you’re like, “I think it would be cool if we learn this about her,” or, “if we took this route?”
