Denis Leary has been "gearing up" for his new show, which was filmed on an active military base.

Denis Leary's portrayal of a famous military figure in his latest role was a result of his lifelong study of that figure.

""Going Dutch" character was developed with George Patton as a touchstone, and I, being a huge history buff and my favorite military figure of all time, portrayed that character, according to Leary's statement to Planet Chronicle Digital."

In the new comedy on FOX, Leary portrays U.S. Army Colonel Patrick Quinn, who is transferred to a Dutch base where he must train a group of misfit soldiers, with the help of his estranged daughter and right-hand officer, both played by Taylor Misiak and Danny Pudi, respectively.

According to Leary, he told Church-Cooper that he used the vanity, ego, and self-importance of George Patton as a reference point for playing the comedy version of the character, as he knew a lot about him and believed his characteristics matched the colonel.

I've read every book on George Patton and seen every documentary about him. I've been preparing my whole life to play him.

Leary has been a longtime supporter of the military and firefighters. In 2000, he founded the Leary Firefighters Foundation after the deaths of his cousin and childhood friend, as well as four other firefighters.

Denis Leary is set to portray a military figure in a new sitcom, playing a comedic version of his life.

He transformed his support for firefighters into a successful TV series "Rescue Me" on FX, portraying a New York firefighter coping with the aftermath of 9/11.

"According to Leary, the similarity between playing a firefighter and a member of the military onscreen lies in their self-sacrificing approach to their job, which involves putting their lives on the line to protect or save others. This aspect of their work matches up completely. Additionally, there is a similar camaraderie among the crew members in both professions."

Filming on a base in Ireland, Leary and his co-stars experienced the stark contrast between playing a fictional soldier and the real thing.

"The Irish army allowed us to use one of their bases. They were exceptional. We were able to shoot whatever we wanted and they provided us with some of their equipment," Leary stated. "However, we were aware that they were training on the base while we were filming a scene, which was only a short distance away. They were going through drills."

It was "so surreal" for Misiak to observe the soldiers performing their tasks.

She laughed as she said, "We're getting touched up with makeup, and they're like, throwing smoke bombs, and they have shields, and they're fighting each other, and we're like, ‘Sorry, excuse me!’"

Pudi added, "The scale of the equipment is impressive. We have full tanks and tow trucks designed to tow them. The base feels lived in and real. Working with real soldiers is a gift. It's interesting to do scenes where we walk on the base and have disputes while real soldiers walk by. One soldier even came up to me and said they were a fan, which was surreal!"

"I've read every book on George Patton, seen every documentary you could see on him. I guess I had pretty much been preparing my whole life to play this guy."  — Denis Leary

Misiak found it enjoyable to learn the proper protocols, including how to salute and etiquette between ranks in the Army, as consultants were present to teach them.

Leary's first sitcom in five years, "Going Dutch," marks his return to TV, along with the limited series "No Good Deed" on Netflix this year.

However, the 67-year-old does not consider it a comeback.

"He said, "I don't see it as just a task. I see it as an attempt to do justice to the scripts. When I work on a series, it's like a game to me, like a hockey game or any other sporting event I'm involved in. I get butterflies, wanting to do a good job.""

Filming on a live military base was a surreal experience for Denis Leary and his co-stars while filming "Going Dutch," they recall.

He added, "Especially in something like this, where improvisation is required and other actors are skilled, I was more anxious about maintaining my performance, particularly on the first day of filming."

"It's the same sacrificial approach to their job, which is they're putting their lives in place to protect others or to save others." — Denis Leary

Pudi from "Community" and Misiak in an early scene were praised by the Emmy-nominee, who was a fan of both actors.

He said of Misiak, "When I looked across the table at her before we started this big argument scene, I thought, 'Oh no, she's trapped!'"

""Denis's constant presence on set created a lively and energetic atmosphere, where we knew anything could happen. He was always ready to go and if something fun happened, he'd encourage us to do it again or try something new. This created a really fun atmosphere inside," Pudi said."

According to Leary, performing in a live show, stand-up, or concert gives him butterflies, especially in a team sport like basketball. He loves the feeling of looking at the other player and knowing they're ready. This feeling is amplified when both players are improvising and are good at it. That's why Leary does it.

"Going Dutch" premieres Jan. 2 on FOX.