Happy's Place, a new Reba McEntire comedy, is coming to NBC (What to know)

Updated: May, 15, 2024 -- If you've been binge-watching Reba on Netflix and lamenting the loss of the Queen of Country's comedic timing on Network TV (outside of her time on The Voice, of course), you're in luck! NBC just greenlit a new series that stars Reba McEntire!

Titled Happy's Place, the multi-cam comedy follows McEntire's Bobbie after she's inherited her father's restaurant. The twist, however, is that she'll have to run it with a business partner, Isabella, the half-sister she never knew about.

TVLine reports Isabella, played by Belissa Escobedo (Hocus Pocus 2), is a 20something psychology student who is quite jazzed to be working at the restaurant. She never misses a moment to analyze people, and she's got big ideas for how to turn the place into a thriving business. I suspect these ideas are going to clash with Bobbie's to great comedic effect.

Reba fans, Melissa Peterman is also a part of this project, so this is yet another reunion between the actress and McEntire. Peterman plays Gabby, a bartender at the restaurant who's described as being a bit needy and dramatic. She'd love it if Bobbie were her sister but, alas, she's not.

The rest of the cast:

• Rex Linn as Emmett, the restaurant's cook
• Tokala Black Elk as Takoda, a waiter
• Pablo Castelblanco as Steve, an accountant

Happy's Place release window

A premiere date has yet to be announced for Happy's Place but the comedy is expected to debut during the 2024-2025 season. The series is joining NBC's comedy slate which features Night Court and Lopez vs. Lopez.

With Extended Family not moving forward with a season 2, it's possible that Happy's Place could slot into the schedule with Night Court, presumably in the fall. A Reba McEntire-led show would be well suited for a Fall TV debut. We're likely to hear word on just where the series will fit in the schedule come NBC's Upfront presentation on Monday, May 13.

A production start date has yet to be announced for the show. The pilot wrapped filming in April.

Will Reba McEntire be leaving The Voice?

Previously, Hidden Remote had reported that it was likely the Queen of Country would be stepping down as a judge on The Voice for season 26 but that isn't the case. NBC has announced that McEntire will actually be the sole remaining judge from season 25 to be on the coaches panel. She'll be joined by Snoop Dogg, Michael Bublé, and veteran coach Gwen Stefani, so she'll be pulling double duty between the singing competition and her new comedy.

New music from the Queen of Country will be in Happy's Place

Happy's Place isn't just going to be imbued with the same soul that Reba had because the Queen of Country is reuniting with Melissa Peterman and the comedy's executive producers Kevin Abbott, Michael Hanel and Mindy Schultheis--with Abbott writing the series and his wife, Julie Abbott, joining the creative team.

McEntire, ahead of the show's series order, shared with People that she will be incorporating her music into the series as well. "I'm a Survivor," the iconic theme song from Reba, remains a cultural touchstone. In a television era that's pretty much abandoned the hook that is an opening song, it feels fitting that Happy's Place will be the sitcom that blesses us with a new, catchy intro that stays a part of the pop culture lexicon for years to come.

"Oh, definitely. I'll be singing the theme song. We've started working on it, and we'll have it soon finished. If they say it's a go, I'll finish it up and have it ready for when we go to series."

Right now, as you'll note in the teaser trailer, McEntire's hit "Fancy" is a place holder as it plays throughout our glimpse of the funny, heartfelt story that Happy's Place has in store for us.

We'll keep you posted as news comes in about Happy's Place. Personally, I'm intrigued by the show's premise. Particularly as McEntire does have restaurant experience herself. She'd shared with The Oklahoman--"I have a lot more knowledge about running a restaurant and a tavern than before, so, yeah, I think it'll help"--in reference to her eatery, Reba's Place, in Atoka. Perhaps there will be real life restaurant gaffs and goofs written into the series.

Stay tuned to Hidden Remote for more TV coverage!