Reba McEntire stars in the NBC sitcom

I’m not even a particularly big Reba McEntire fan, but I know we don’t deserve Reba McEntire. We as a society have done nothing to be worthy of someone who was one of the greatest country singers of all time, then became one of the greatest sitcom actors of all time, and then tried his hand at being one of the greatest awards show hosts of all time and Reality show panelists. I can only assume that Reba McEntire regularly bowls 300 times in her free time, cooks a perfect beef wellington, and has built a completely Nazi-free social media site consisting entirely of substantive conversations and sparkling personalities.

So when I say that Reba McEntire’s new NBC series Happy’s Place is not worthy of Reba McEntire’s talents…well…get in line, Happy’s Place.

So let’s change the unreasonable parameters.

As for bar-set NBC sitcoms, Happy’s Place is no Cheersin the two episodes sent to critics. But maybe that’s not a fair comparison. The Cheers Pilot may be the best sitcom pilot ever made, let alone the 274 episodes that followed.

On the other hand, Happy’s Place is also no Undateable or Abby’stwo back-to-back NBC sitcoms that set the bar much, much, much lower, so to speak.

What Happy’s Place So far there has been a very good logline and a great central star. The episodes themselves are boring and struggle to define the central setting and their main characters in any way. I’ve seen countless terrible television comedies, and while this one doesn’t deserve nearly that level of condemnation, “terrible” is still “memorable.” For those who aren’t particularly fond of Reba McEntire, this show is an unforgettable experience.

However, as I said, the comedy created by Kevin Abbott actually starts with a solid premise. Bobbie (McEntire) runs Happy’s Place, a Nashville-area dive bar founded by her father. When he dies, Bobbie is excited to finally take power. Why? The series can’t make this clear because there’s no indication that she has much passion for the place. But whatever.

Anyway, complications arise in the form of Belissa Escobedo’s Isabella, who shows up at Happy’s Place in response to a mysterious call from a lawyer. She is shocked to find out that her father was also Bobbie’s father and that he left each of them with half of the establishment. The only person more shocked by this news than Isabella is Bobbie.

Isabella is young, Latina and has absolutely no idea about bar management. Bobbie is very determined in her way. How could it be otherwise than hilarity ensues?

Ask the first two episodes of Happy’s Placewhich only provide two good moments.

In the pilot, Bobbie reflects on the last 15 minutes of surprise and confusion and realizes, “You look at me and you see the father you wish you had.” And when I look at you, I lose the father I thought I had believed.” It’s a really good and emotionally charged summary of the basics of the narrative. I heard the sentence, nodded, and thought, “That’s a good central conflict for a series.” (In fact, it’s kind of the central conflict in Starz’s fantasy Vida. Check this out instead. Probably not as a family, though. It’s very sexy.)

Then, in the second episode, Bobbie goes on a rant after acting like a jerk to Isabella for about 20 minutes. Her tone suggests that she is disemboweling her half-sister, but the dialogue and McEntire’s performance make it clear that this is complete self-harm. I watched that monologue and thought, “Man, Reba McEntire is really good at this sitcom acting.” She has the ability to hit very conventional punchlines hard while still remaining authentic as a person, not just a character. It simply looks and sounds comfortable in this format.

Of course, the entire show was prepared for McEntire’s well-being, from the “Nashville” setting to co-stars like Melissa Peterman, a veteran of The WB Rebaand Rex Linn, McEntire’s longtime partner. There’s nothing wrong with that, and at least I can briefly describe their characters. He’s a taciturn chef—Happy’s Place serves nebulous food at nebulous times of day—who offers words of wisdom, while she’s the manager who longs for Bobbie’s affection.

Other supporting cast members include Takoda (Tokala Black Elk), an endlessly chirpy waiter who does odd jobs and never seems to serve anyone, and Steve (Pablo Castelblanco), the accountant who, despite various social anxieties, does his work sitting in the middle of a crowded place Commercial facility. (Why does such an insignificant bar need a dedicated accountant? Unclear.) None of them are actually characters, but I imagine the text on the page describes them along those lines.

As for Escobedo’s Isabella, who should be an equal co-star in the comedy just like she is an equal owner in the bar, she is a Gen-Z generation with a degree in psychology. I can’t tell you if Escobedo is funny or what Isabella’s funny voice sounds like. I also couldn’t tell you where the character came from or what she did with her life, which didn’t seem ambiguous until she abruptly mentions in the second episode that she was staying at a motel.

I hate going back there Cheers Another pilot episode, but over the course of less than 30 minutes, the Charles brothers and Jimmy Burrows introduce you in detail to every employee, half of the regular customers, and the repeatable premise of an ongoing sitcom. You know exactly who works there and who drinks there, and if someone said, “That’s not how it works at Cheers” in the second episode, you’d know exactly what that meant.

I don’t know who works at Happy’s Place. I don’t know what they’re doing. I certainly don’t know who eats or drinks there. Bobbie makes a joke about how little money Isabella is expected to make, even though there are plenty of background extras in every scene. You could tell me that this place hosts weekly raccoon mud wrestling or that it’s the mayor’s favorite hangout, and I’d just as likely believe you, because Happy’s Place doesn’t feel like an established Nashville institution. It feels like a regular bar on a studio lot and the staff feels like descriptions on a casting notice, plus Reba McEntire.

Does the series have a premise that it could grow into? Yes indeed! Is there a cast that could grow with you? Perhaps? I’m not annoyed Happy’s PlaceI’m just not interested in charting its development. But maybe I’ll get back to you at the beginning of the second season.