Ted Danson is 'A Man on the Inside' in Netflix comedy: 'This is me now'

SAN FRANCISCO – Make no mistake. Ted Danson is Mike Schur's man on the inside.

The television sitcom legend – he's rocked everything from "Cheers" to "Curb Your Enthusiasm" – was the only choice for creator Schur when it came to playing a septuagenarian amateur spy digging into robberies at a San Francisco assisted-living facility in his new Netflix series, "A Man on the Inside" (now streaming).

That doesn't mean the two, who teamed up for a four-year run of NBC's "The Good Place," take each other seriously.

"Yes, so I thought this would be a fun show, but then I thought crap, I'm going to have to work with Ted again," deadpans Schur, whose sitcom bona fides also include "The Office," "Parks and Recreation" and "Brooklyn Nine-Nine."

Danson, 76, seated beside Schur during a recent video call, laughs as he flashes his inimitable high-beam smile.

Then Schur regroups. "No, seriously, this was all about doing it with Ted. Without Ted, we just don't do it."

Danson says he was in after the very first call from Schur, even before he learned the show was a funny take on a heartwarming 2020 documentary, "The Mole Agent," which unfolds at a nursing home in Chile. It likely didn't hurt that Schur's reputation is fast approaching that of sitcom icons including his "Cheers" boss, James Burrows.

"I'm not going to make comparisons, but I will say that there is not a casual bone in Mike's body," says Danson. "At this stage in my life, I want to be very purposeful with my acting choices, and Mike is a very purposeful guy."

For Ted Danson, 'Man on the Inside' allowed him to play a senior who is 'passionate, curious and involved'

Danson leaped at the chance to reteam with Schur to play a character who experiences the joys of living even as the Grim Reaper draws nearer.

"I love the opening (montage), where you get to see photos of the me you knew decades ago and the me now," says Danson. "The (TV) audience likely knows me well enough to recognize both versions. But this is me now, and I love playing silly in this show, playing someone passionate, curious and involved. I just get to be the human I am now, and I love that."

Danson also gets to hang out a bit in San Francisco, where last summer the crew spent a week shooting scenes that highlight the city's many famous locations, from a baseball game at Oracle Park to a ferry ride around San Francisco Bay. For Schur, the choice was integral to "A Man on the Inside."

"In the show, there's this sense that there's this busy city just outside that they can't access," says Schur. "It's about a feeling like, 'Look at all this life around you, go live it.' I've always loved San Francisco. You just can't believe all this stuff is in one place: the water, the bridges, the views."

On a breezy summer day, the crew was shooting a scene where Charles (Danson) and fellow resident Calbert (Stephen McKinley Henderson, 75, who's done everything from August Wilson plays to "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit") have a rare outing together outside of the retirement home.

For Danson, working with the veteran actor was a gift. "In one of our scenes, we were surrounded by redwoods," he says. "To me, Stephen is a redwood of a guy. He's all truth."

In fact, the stories told off camera by this veteran cast blew the mind of Stephanie Beatriz, a "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" veteran who plays Didi, the sweet but all-knowing director of the Pacific View community.

"We're sitting around one day, and all of a sudden Sally Struthers, 77 (who played Sally Stivic on "All in the Family" and now a resident of the home), is telling us all about her dates with Elvis," says Beatriz, her voice rising an octave at the memory. "Then there were conversations with others about being on Broadway 40 years ago. I mean, these people are legends. I felt so lucky. It was a great reminder these people are so full of life."

Schur gets worked up easily on the topic of ageism in Hollywood.

"Our country is so youth-obsessed: It's all about 'look younger, be younger, deny your age, rub this cream into your forehead to remove the wrinkles,' and that is so stupid for so many reasons," he says.

"When I was 9 years old, I was this suburban Connecticut kid watching 'Golden Girls,' a show about retirees in Florida who had nothing in common with my life," he says. "But the stories were good and the actors were great. And it just makes me wonder, why are there not more shows like this now that showcase these amazing talents that we have who are older?"

'Only Murders in the Building' another proof point that older stars can generate hits, says Mike Schur

Schur points to the success of Hulu's "Only Murders in the Building," on which his wife J.J. Philbin is a writer-producer, as proof that 70-something stars such as Steve Martin, Martin Short and Meryl Streep can score with a broad viewership. "I really hope there's a renaissance of more interesting parts for people who aren't in the 18-to-49-year-old demographic," he says.

Danson nods. Schur looks over at his silver-haired star, then continues. "This topic just seems like an extremely relevant theme to pursue in a show, even if I'm not the age of, well ... Charles."

Danson stares hard at Schur.

"You were about to say, 'I'm not the age of Ted,' weren't you"? says Danson.

Schur immediately cracks up. "Well, yes, I was."

And cut.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ted Danson's 'A Man on the Inside' tackles aging (and crime)