Nancy Travis is certainly keeping busy! Not only is she back with Tim Allen for the second season of Shifting Gears, but she’s also landed a major role on the popular CBS drama NCIS. Fans will see a lot more of the 63-year-old actress on their screens this fall.
Travis is joining the cast of NCIS for its 23rd season. She will play Harriet Parker, a Navy Vice Admiral and the sister of Alden Parker, played by Gary Cole. The two characters will come together to deal with the tragic murder of their father. This family crisis promises to peel back some layers on Alden’s past, giving viewers a new look at the agent.
Showrunner Steven D. Binder recently chatted with TVLine about this new dynamic, giving us some juicy details. He explained that the Alden Parker we know now is not the same person he was growing up. Binder shared that Alden had a tough childhood; he was a troubled kid, even spending time in a juvenile center and getting into trouble for stealing. This is the background his sister Harriet knows, with Alden as the "bad boy" and her as the "good one."
Bringing Harriet into the story should help us understand who Alden is outside of his work life. Binder teased that the siblings will revisit their past together. Harriet is a very proper Navy Vice Admiral, while Alden still has that "bad boy" spark inside him. These two are bound to clash, and the real fun begins when their arguments happen during a global crisis, not just a quiet family dinner. Binder promised that these disagreements will be "very NCIS."
Beyond her new NCIS role, Travis is also reprising her character, Charlotte, in the second season of Shifting Gears. This project brings her back together with her TV husband, Tim Allen, who is 72. They previously worked side-by-side on Last Man Standing for a decade, from 2011 to 2021.
Travis told Us Weekly in February that the reunion felt truly special. She noted Allen’s loyalty, saying it was great to return to a set where most of the crew were familiar faces from Last Man Standing. Even director John Pasquin, a personal friend, directed many episodes of their previous show. That kind of familiarity makes any new project feel like coming home.
When asked about more Last Man Standing cast members making guest appearances on Shifting Gears, Travis didn’t rule it out. She joked that she wouldn’t be surprised if everyone from their old show, and even those from her co-star Kat Dennings’ series 2 Broke Girls, dropped by if Tim Allen had his way.
However, Travis explained why she didn’t want to play Allen’s wife again. She enjoyed having that shared history and bond to work with him, especially for their comedic timing. She found it great to bring that comfort to her role as Charlotte. While she loves working with Allen, she also thinks it is fun to try out different character relationships. She called it "very meta, maybe too meta" to always play his spouse.
Mark your calendars! Shifting Gears is set to premiere on ABC on Wednesday, October 1, at 8 p.m. ET. You can stream it on Hulu the very next day. Meanwhile, NCIS kicks off its 23rd season on CBS on Tuesday, October 14, at 8 p.m. ET.