Reba’s back for laughs in NBC’s ‘Happy’s Place’
NBC has added three new series this fall, including two new comedies – the hospital mockumentary “St. Denis Medical” and Reba McEntire’s sitcom return in “Happy’s Place.”
Heck, yes! Country music icon McEntire, a coach on NBC’s “The Voice” for the past two seasons, is back with a TV comedy for the first time since WB’s “Reba,” which ran from 2001 to 2007. “Happy’s Place” features McEntire as Bobbie, who inherits her father’s restaurant and discovers her new business partner is the half-sister, Isabella (Belissa Escobedo), she never knew she had.
Melissa Peterman, who starred in “Reba,” has a spot in “Happy’s Place” as McEntire’s best friend and co-employee. The multi-cam sitcom will feature McEntire’s real boyfriend Rex Linn, who will play a short-order cook.
“Happy’s Place” will air Friday nights after “Lopez and Lopez,” the comedy starring the father-daughter team of George and Mayan Lopez, which NBC renewed for Season 3.
McEntire will pull double NBC duty with “Happy’s Place” and as a coach on “The Voice” as “The Voice” has been renewed for season 26.
“St. Denis Medical” stars Wendi McLendon-Covey, Allison Tolman and David Alan Grier as medical staff keeping their sanity at an understaffed Oregon hospital. The comedy will air Tuesday nights before “Night Court,” which was renewed for Season 3 this month.
Rookie drama “The Irrational,” starring “Law & Order” and Broadway veteran Jesse L. Martin as a behavioral scientist working high-stakes cases, was renewed for its second season to complete the Tuesday night lineup.
NBC’s third new series is the medical drama “Brilliant Minds,” starring Zachary Quinto as a neurologist working with his team exploring the last great frontier – the human mind – while dealing with their relationships and mental health. “Brilliant Minds” will air Mondays after “The Voice.”
NBC’s returning stable of shows remains markedly consistent, with cocreator Dick Wolf’s stacked lineup returning to Wednesday nights: “Chicago Med,” “Chicago Fire” and “Chicago P.D.” Thursday night will feature the return of Wolf ’s “Law & Order” and “Law & Order: SVU”, along with the Shanola Hampton-led missing-person drama “Found,” back for Season 2.
Among the missing: Wolf’s “Law & Order: Organized Crime,” starring Christopher Meloni as Det. Elliot Stabler, will move from NBC to Peacock, the sibling streaming service, for Season 5.
NBC already had canceled the Jon Cryer comedy “Extended Family” after one season, the drama “Quantum Leap” after two seasons, and the drama “La Brea” after three seasons (the series finale aired Feb. 23).
Big Ten and Notre Dame college football will continue to anchor NBC’s Saturday night, with “NBC Sunday Night Football” fortifying Sunday.
The “Suits” spinoff “Suits LA” has shot a pilot that was not ready for fall scheduling consideration. A schedule placement decision on the show will be made in the near future.
Also in the near future, a major comedy milestone. “Saturday Night Live” will mark its 50th anniversary with a 2025 celebratory weekend culminating in a live special. Despite the famed title, the special will air Sunday, Feb. 16.