The Fictional Sitcom In Hulu's Reboot Recycled The Set From A Real Hit Sitcom [Exclusive]
A number of things about Hulu's latest sitcom "Reboot" are extremely meta. The series was created by Steven Levitan, who has worked on some of the most popular sitcoms in history such as "Wings," "Frasier," and "Modern Family," and it lovingly calls back to the corniest family sitcoms of the late 1990s and early 2000s. And like many of the revivals of these shows, this series also looks to the past to deliver heartfelt messages to a modern audience in a way that honors the history of the medium. But this show starring Keegan-Michael Key, Johnny Knoxville, Judy Greer, Calum Worthy, Rachel Bloom, and Paul Reiser pays homage to the ones that came before it in more ways than just the impeccable writing.
Thanks to a new interview, we learned that a major part of the fictional sitcom from the new Hulu Original was actually repurposed from a real life sitcom. In fact, it was a hit show that a "Reboot" cast member had previously appeared on.
While speaking to /Film's Ethan Anderton, "Reboot" star Krista Marie Yu revealed that the living room set for the show within a show called "Step Right Up" is the same one from "Last Man Standing," the sitcom starring Tim Allen that originally aired on ABC before moving to Fox after their sixth season. Before landing the role of Hulu executive Elaine Kim, Yu played foreign exchange student Jen on the popular series about a conservative father navigating through his life with his wife and three daughters.
Outdoor Man
In our interview with her and so-star Calum Worthy, Yu shared that the stairs, atrium, front door, and more are exactly as they were when she interacted with them previously. The walls even featured reminders of the past on their backsides as "Mike Baxter's office" and AD Sean T. Lafferty's name adorned the area unseen by the live studio audience. And for the actor, it brought her great comfort to have a piece of her own past along with her as she embarked on a new project:
"Yeah, that was really nostalgic and meaningful to me. And yes, it is super meta, and I do believe that most of my comedic inspiration has come from the cast of 'Dr. Ken,' and the advice that I got from ['Last Man Standing' stars] Hector Elizondo, Nancy Travis, and Tim Allen. They've all just made me who I am today, so I feel very grateful."
One piece of advice that stuck with Yu beyond her time on "Last Man Standing" came from Allen. She said that the "Toy Story" star taught her how important it was to be okay with making mistakes. "It really freed me up as an actor," she says. "Because I was able to jump more freely and make bolder choices." In the first three episodes of "Reboot," Elaine certainly makes some bold choices that are both hilarious and heartwarming, so hopefully we see more of that from Yu as the series progresses.
New episodes of "Reboot" premiere on Hulu every Tuesday through October 25, 2022.