Shifting Gears

Old-school broadcast sitcom fans, the kind who like a studio audience and a garage set, will be at home here. Tim Allen grumbles through every scene as the gruff dad he has played for decades, and Kat Dennings answers with sharp, fast timing. Matt tagging along to Carter's high school open house is the sort of small errand it runs on, with a few jokes and one sincere beat.

It takes a few episodes to find its rhythm, so give it past the first one.