‘Deli Boys' and ‘Shifting Gears' showrunner Michelle Nader says both shows ‘are about humanity and make people laugh'
Michelle Nader, the showrunner behind two of the year's new comedies — Hulu's Deli Boys and ABC's Shifting Gears — says "both shows are about humanity and making people laugh." With two very different worlds, casts, and tones to balance, Nader has crafted shows that not only entertain but resonate deeply with audiences.
Created by Abdullah Saeed, Deli Boys follows a pair of privileged Pakistani-American brothers who lose their lavish lifestyle after their convenience-store mogul father dies in a freak golfing accident. Nader calls the genre-blending comedy one of the most rewarding experiences of her career.
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'Deli Boys is so special to me,' Nader shares. 'The experience of working on it has been one of the best I've had in my long career. It was such a gift to be able to tell this story about a family coming together through crime. I come from Philadelphia, it's set in Philadelphia, and it was a convergence of so many great things — the cast, the writers' room, and the directors. It's a special show that is resonating with people. The genre is such a blend of action, comedy, and craziness. That's what people want now — laughing and being surprised. A lot of comedies today are just smiles." Deli Boys brings on the laughs.
At the heart of Deli Boys is its ensemble cast, led by Asif Ali and Saagar Shaikh as the brothers navigating their father's criminal empire. Nader credits their bond as the driving force behind the series' success.
'Asif Ali and Saagar Shaikh are brothers now,' Nader says. 'They are the two sides of Abdullah [Saeed]: the hardworking person and his pursuit of weed. It's about rich kids — one wants to enjoy [the wealth], and the other wants to keep [the family business afloat]. Both Saagar and Asif really took that to heart. They came every day ready to explore [their characters] with each other and with us. The dialogue between the writers and them, as actors, brought their performances and the show to a level that people are responding to.'
The diverse and energetic writers' room also played a pivotal role in shaping the voice of Deli Boys. 'Abdullah is Pakistani, I'm Lebanese and Italian — there were Indian people, Persian people, Thai, other Pakistanis, Jewish writers. We had this Ocean's Eleven group of weirdos with crazy backgrounds drama,' Nader explains. 'I would say in the writers' room, 'It has to be a runaway train to a rocket ride.' Abdullah created something so rich. We were able to cull from that and develop it."
While Deli Boys explores crime and chaos, ABC's Shifting Gears takes a more traditional sitcom approach, with Tim Allen playing widower Matt Parker, whose estranged daughter shows up with her two teenage children, sparking both family drama and heartfelt humor. Though Nader didn't work on the pilot, she was thrilled to join forces with Kat Dennings, whom she calls her 'professional wife' after working closely together on 2 Broke Girls.
'It was going to be hard for me to watch Kat in another relationship on a show,' Nader jokes. 'Miraculously, fate brought me to [Shifting Gears]. Then I got to work with Tim Allen, who is such a legend. I was nervous because he's such an icon, but he was so welcoming and trusting. We were on the same page — we wanted this to be a classic sitcom but modernized.'
The chemistry between Allen and Dennings was what ultimately convinced Nader the show could work creatively. 'They are so magical together,' Nader says. 'I responded to their dynamic and chemistry as actors, but I also love the exploration of grief and how people have to rebuild. The show is about Matt Parker restoring classic cars, so thematically, I wanted to mirror that idea of restoration in the family as well. They still fight, but they have to make peace with their differences and drive the car together.'
Deli Boys and Shifting Gears are both streaming on Hulu.
This article and video are presented by Disney/Hulu.
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