Reba McEntire is pulling double duty on NBC this fall as she's been filming both The Voice and her new sitcom, Happy’s Place in preparation for their premieres on the 2024 TV schedule. However, on top of that filming schedule being a tall order, her new sitcom faced some big challenges as the singer revealed that they had to do reshoots after spending millions on the pilot.
What Happened With The Happy’s Place Pilot
It was announced in January that a pilot was ordered by the network for Happy’s Place, but it wasn’t as easy as one would think to make it.
Executive producer Kevin Abbott told TV Insider how he and the writing team of Mindy Schultheis and Michael Hanel spent a year trying to figure out ideas for a new series centered around McEntire. When the pilot eventually came to fruition, he was not very satisfied:
Have you ever turned in a project that you’re really proud of, and then at night, you wake up and go, ‘Aw, shit! I should have done it that way?’ Well, I did that, but I’d already spent a couple million dollars. Sorry, NBC!
While it’s not completely uncommon for a show or film to do reshoots, it’s certainly not too typical, either. However, shows like Game of Thrones and The Big Bang Theory reshot their pilots, and it worked out for them in the long run.
Also, it's worth noting that it wouldn’t be surprising if things are different between the pilot and the second episode. A lot of times, appearances and settings can change after shooting the pilot. However, with the reshoots, I also could see things staying consistent between the premiere and episode two.
It does suck that millions were already spent on the pilot, though. However, it seems to have worked because last spring, NBC gave Happy’s Place a series order.
What Came From The End Result
Even though a lot of money was spent on the initial pilot, and likely even more was spent on reshoots, Kevin Abbott’s only goal was to make sure that the series was done right, and it’s a good thing he did. A pilot defines a series and is the first episode networks and studios see to determine if it’s worth picking up. While we don't know what happened in that initial first episode, it’s the end result that really matters.
Now, Abbott has broken down what we can expect from Happy's Place, and I'm here for it! Overall, it sounds like all that hard work paid off, as they landed on a premise and set that they're proud of:
We like to tell stories that are reflective of little dilemmas that people actually encounter and try to find humor in them. It’s a pleasure to take everything that we have gone through in our lives, the growth that we’ve had, and continue to apply [that to stories]. It’s nice to do this at a tavern as opposed to [in] a family [setting] show because we’re both now at our stage where the kids are grown. It’s more interesting to us to do more adult stories — even though they are told for a family.
For some context about the show's premise that Abbott just talked about, Happy’s Place centers on Reba McEntire’s Bobbie, as she inherits her dad’s bar but finds out that a half-sister she never knew about is also the co-owner. Also, it’s not a Reba reboot, it's a sitcom that harkens back to the country star's comedy days.
Belissa Escobedo will play Reba's half-sister, Isabella, while Melissa Peterman will reunite with her Reba co-star to play bartender Gabby. Also starring in the series are McEntire’s boyfriend and CSI: Miami alum Rex Linn, Pablo Castelblanco, and Tokala Black Elk.
Overall, it's simply exciting to hear about all the work that's gone into this show, because I'm sure their passion and determination will translate onto the screen.
Fans will soon be able to see these cast members and their funny and relatable stories, as well as the outcome of those reshoots, when Happy’s Place premieres on Friday, October 18 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC (and you will also be able to watch it with a Peacock subscription).
