Reba McEntire is in a happy place, in more ways than one.
The country music icon’s acting career has endured, confirmed in large part by the repeats of her first sitcom, “Reba,” that continue on Hallmark Channel, CMT and UPtv. She hits many of the same notes — along with one of the same co-stars — as she returns to comedy series work in “Happy’s Place,” which NBC debuts Friday, Oct. 18.
Also continuing as a coach on Season 26 of NBC’s “The Voice,” McEntire now plays sassy, strong-willed Bobbie, who gets multiple surprises as “Happy’s Place” begins. She learns that she has inherited her late father’s restaurant (which gives the program its title), and also that she has a partner in running it: Isabella (played by Belissa Escobedo, “Blue Beetle,” 2023), the half-sister she didn’t know she had. Their business views differ frequently, and trying to
help moderate those are the site’s staff: bartender Gabby (fellow “Reba” alum Melissa Peterman), cook Emmett (Rex Linn, who also worked with McEntire on “Big Sky”), waiter Takoda (Tokala Black Elk, “Yellowstone”) and accountant Steve (Pablo Castelblanco, “Alaska Daily”).
“We all said, ‘Yes, let’s go for it!’,” McEntire recalls of embracing “Happy’s Place” when the idea was presented initially. “I love the sitcom genre. Out of all the things I get to do, this is my favorite, because it’s camaraderie. It’s fun. You just get to go to work and play, and it’s creative. It’s very comforting to me. I absolutely love it, and to get to work with these folks? That’s icing on the cake.”
A three-time Grammy winner and Kennedy Center Honors recipient, McEntire has brought along several former “Reba” executive producers — Kevin Abbott, Mindy Schultheis and Michael Hanel — as she shares that title with them
on “Happy’s Place.” Abbott’s wife, Julie, is billed similarly, having come up with the show’s concept. Executive producer Kevin Abbott, who is doing much of the writing for “Happy’s Place,” is comfortable in reteaming with McEntire. “I’ve worked with a lot of people,” he says, “and I have never worked with anybody who has such immense talent in so many areas and yet still keeps a spirit of humility and graciousness and gratitude [that] makes coming to work with her just a joy. It’s very easy for me to write for her, for whatever reason. I sync up very well with her attitudes and the way she looks at life.”
The same goes for co-star Peterman, who has kept a link to McEntire via the Lifetime movie “The Hammer” (2023) and the recurring roles they both had on CBS’s “Young Sheldon.” Also the host of the syndicated game show “Person, Place or Thing,” Peterman confirms of McEntire:
Reba McEntire returns to sitcom duty as the NBC series “Happy’s Place” premieres Friday, Oct. 18.
Reba McEntire, Melissa Peterman and Belissa Escobedo star in “Happy’s Place”
“We’ve never really left each other. [‘Reba’] ended, and we’ve been friends ever since. We’ve done other things together. I got to go on tour with her and open the show and do stand-up, and we vacation together. We hang out, and we just were waiting for another project so we could actually go to work together again.”
Linn is McEntire’s significant other off-camera, so he has multiple reasons to be glad to act opposite her again. He notes that “The Hammer” launched their professional collaborations: “Reba was 110% behind getting me to be a part of it, so that was wonderful. Then, ‘Big Sky’ came along, and she was talking to the producers on Zoom about her character. I just walked back in the background a couple of times — out of focus, which always happens — and then pretty soon, Reba wondered if her character had a husband. Anyway, that happened, too. And now I’m really glad to be a part of this.”
What’s Available NOW On
“Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara” (Oct. 18)
Exploring the dark side of fandom, this documentary, from filmmaker and investigator Erin Lee Carr, looks into the chilling case of indie rockers Tegan and Sara’s stalker. While this individual has be stalking Tegan and terrorizing the band’s fans and community for over 15 years, the film interweaves new discoveries with information from the investigation initially conducted in 2011.
“Rivals” - Season 1 (Oct. 18)
Based on the celebrated novel by Dame Jilly Cooper, this series, set against the backdrop of the drama, excess, and shocking antics of the power-grabbing social elite of 1980s England, dives headfirst into the ruthless world of independent television in 1986. David Tennant, Aidan Turner, Alex Hassell, Nafessa Williams, Katherine Parkinson and Bella Maclean star.
“Late Night with the Devil” (Oct. 19) A live television broadcast in 1977 goes horribly wrong, unleashing evil into the
“Pupstruction”Season 2 (Oct. 15)
This imaginative, music-filled animated series follows the adventures of the Pupstruction team — a doggone hard-working construction crew that ranges from some of the brawniest breeds to irresistibly cute and playful puppies. It centers on Phinny (Yonas Kibreab), an innovative young corgi, who might be the smallest pup on the crew but proves that you don’t need big paws to have big dreams or big ideas.
“The Devil’s Climb” (Oct. 18)
This thrilling documentary special follows renowned rock climbers Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell as they take on a 2,600-mile expedition to tackle one of the most daunting challenges of their careers: summiting the infamous Devils Thumb, deep in the wilderness of southeast Alaska.
“Beyond Black Beauty”Season 1 (Oct. 15)
Young equestrian Jolie Dumont (Kaya Coleman) finds her Olympic dreams dashed when her mother (Sagine Sémajuste) moves them from Belgium to her family’s urban ranch in Baltimore. Wishing for nothing else but to have her old life back until she bonds with a spirited horse named Black Beauty, Jolie learns to embrace her heritage while continuing toward her Olympic-hopeful future.
“Kiff: The Haunting of Miss McGravy’s House” - Halloween Special (Oct. 16)
The series follows Kiff (Kimiko Glenn), an optimistic squirrel whose best intentions often lead to complete chaos, and her best friend Barry (Michael Croner), a sweet and mellow bunny. In this full-length special, Kiff and her friends haunt a house on Halloween to save it from being sold.
2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (Oct. 19)
Music’s highest honor, the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction will be live on Saturday, Oct. 19, at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio at 7:00 p.m. EDT/6:00 p.m. CDT/5:00 p.m. MDT/4:00 p.m.
PDT. 2024 inductees include Cher, Mary J. Blige, Dave Matthews Band, Foreigner, Peter Frampton, Kool & The Gang and Dionne Warwick.
“Brothers” (Oct. 17) Brothers tells the story of a reformed criminal (Josh Brolin) whose attempt at going straight is derailed when he reunites with his sanity-testing twin brother (Peter Dinklage) on a cross-country road trip for the score of a lifetime. Dodging bullets, the law, and an overbearing mother along the way, they must heal their severed family bond before they end up killing each other.
“The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh” - Season 1 (Oct. 17) This sitcom follows the Pradeep family and the events of their life in America after moving from India. As told through hilarious (and often conflicting) flashbacks from an interrogation room, the Pradeeps quickly find themselves embroiled—romantically, personally, and professionally—with a polar-opposite neighborhood family, leading to a predicament with many surprising twists.
“Mighty Mosterwheelies” (Oct. 14)
Tapping into the Universal Monsters vault, this children’s animated series is an action-packed adventure-comedy series which reimagines classic characters as half-monster, halftruck vehicle heroes who team up to use their special powers to serve and protect the all-vehicle city of Motorvania from troublemakers like Phantom Freeze and Invisible Van.
“The Lincoln Lawyer” - Season 3 (Oct. 17)
Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), an iconoclastic idealist, runs his law practice out of the back seat of his Lincoln as he takes on cases big and small across the expansive city of Los Angeles. Based on the series of bestselling novels by renowned author Michael Connelly, the third season is based on the fifth book in The Lincoln Lawyer series, “The Gods of Guilt.”
Continuing the story of Lucy Chambers
a woman caught up in
for serial
in ways she never could imagine, this new season sees Gideon’s true intentions finally revealed. As he attempts to involve Lucy in his mission to stop an elusive force of evil, Isaac (Benjamin Chivers), meanwhile, is discovering new emotions and struggling to keep his balance in a reality that rejects his existence.
15) Comedian and actor Rachel Bloom muses on birth, death, cosmic uncertainty and pungent trees in this whimsical and reflective musical comedy special.
“Woman
The
and
serial killer (Daniel Zovatto) in the midst of a years-long murder spree, whose lives intersect when they’re cast on an episode of “The Dating Game.”
“Rachel Bloom: Death, Let Me Do My Special” (Oct.
of the Hour” (Oct. 18)
stranger-than-fiction story of an aspiring actress (Anna Kendrick) in 1970s Los Angeles
a
nation’s living rooms. Starring David Dastmalchian, Laura Gordon and Ian Bliss.
“The Devil’s Hour”Season 2 (Oct. 18)
(Jessica Raine),
the hunt
killer Gideon (Peter Capaldi)
Sports Zone
7
7
10 p.m.
Paju, Gyeonggido, Korea, Republic of. (Live)
8 a.m.
Damm N.A.
Second Round. From
Sotogrande in
de
(Live)
2 p.m. GOLF PGA Tour Champions Golf Dominion Energy Charity Classic, First Round. From The Country Club of Virginia in Richmond, Va. (Live) 5 p.m. GOLF PGA Tour Golf Shriners Children’s Open, Second Round. From TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. (Live) 5:25 p.m. ESPN2 Formula 1 Racing United States Grand Prix, Sprint Qualifying. From Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. (Live)
vs. United States. From Akron Stadium in Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. (Live) WedneSday
6:30 p.m. USA NASCAR Xfinity Racing Series Ambetter Health 302, Qualifying. From Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas. (Live)
7 p.m. ATTPT NHL Hockey Carolina Hurricanes at Pittsburgh Penguins. From PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. (Live) ESPN2 College Football Florida State at Duke. From Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, N.C. (Live) MSG NBA Basketball New York Knicks at Washington Wizards. From Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. (Live)
Korea, Republic of. (Live) thurSday
5 p.m. GOLF PGA Tour Golf Shriners Children’s Open, First Round. From TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. (Live) TBS TRUTV MLB Baseball All the latest action from Major League Baseball. (Live)
8 p.m. ESPN 2024 WNBA Finals Game 4: Teams TBA. Women’s basketball action from the 2024 WNBA Finals. (Live) TBS MLB Baseball American League Championship Series, Game 3: Teams TBA. All the latest action from Major League Baseball. (Live) TRUTV MLB Baseball All the latest action from Major League Baseball. (Live) WNYW-5 WUTV-29 College Football Oregon at Purdue. From Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind. (Live) 10:15 p.m. ESPN College Football Oklahoma State at BYU. From LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah (Live) 10:30 p.m. ESPN2 NBA Basketball Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors. From Chase Center in San Francisco. (Live) 11 p.m. GOLF LPGA Tour Golf BMW Ladies Championship, Third Round. From Seowon Valley CC in Paju, Gyeonggido, Korea, Republic of. (Live) Saturday
7:30 a.m. GOLF DP World Tour Golf Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters, Third Round. From Real Club de Golf Sotogrande in Spain. (Live) USA Premier League Soccer Tottenham Hotspur vs. West Ham United. From Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. (Live)
10 a.m. USA Premier League Soccer Newcastle United vs. Brighton & Hove Albion. From St. James’ Park in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England. (Live)
12 p.m. ESPN ESPN2 FS1 WKBW-7 WNYW-5 WUTV-29 College Football Teams TBA. All the action from NCAA college football. (Live)
12:30 p.m. WGRZ-2 WICU-12 Premier League Soccer AFC Bournemouth vs. Arsenal. From Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, England, United Kingdom. (Live)
1 p.m. WIVB-4 WSEE-35 NWSL Soccer San Diego Wave FC at Kansas City Current. From CPKC Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. (Live)
2 p.m. GOLF PGA Tour Champions Golf Dominion Energy Charity Classic, Second Round. From The Country Club of Virginia in Richmond, Va. (Live)
3:30 p.m. ESPN ESPN2 FS1 WIVB-4 WKBW-7 WPIX-11 WSEE-35 College Football Teams TBA. All the action from NCAA college football. (Live) WGRZ-2 WICU-12 Women’s College Volleyball Nebraska at Ohio State. (Live)
4 p.m. TRUTV College Football New Mexico at Utah State. From Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium in Logan, Utah. (Live) WNYW-5 WUTV-29 College Football Teams TBA. All the action from NCAA college football. (Live)
4:30 p.m. USA NASCAR Cup Series South Point 400, Qualifying. From Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas. (Live)
5 p.m. GOLF PGA Tour Golf Shriners Children’s Open, Third Round. From TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. (Live)
7 p.m. ESPN College Football Teams TBA. All the action from NCAA college football. (Live)
FS1 Horse Racing Breeders Crown - America’s Day at the Races. The best racehorses square off in the premiere races from across the country. (Live) MSG NHL Hockey New York Rangers at Toronto Maple Leafs. From Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. (Live)
In Focus
“What We Do in the Shadows”
classiccorner
BY JAY BOBBIN
TV is offering plenty of ‘Hocus Pocus’
It wouldn’t be Halloween season without a little “Hocus Pocus” … actually, more than a little, since the popular Disney feature typically gets a bounty of showings during October. That’s the case again this year, since FX has the 1993 horror-comedy-fantasy movie on Sunday, Oct. 13, and Saturday, Oct. 19 – and Freeform also presents it on Monday, Oct. 14, Wednesday, Oct. 16, and Friday, Oct. 18 (with more telecasts of it slated later in the month).
Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy star as 300-year-old sibling witches who are revived by an unwitting teen (Omri Katz), who thinks he’s just clowning around when his actions have that drastic result at a museum in Salem, Mass. (where else?). It’s then up to him, his sister (Thora Birch) and his attractive new classmate (Vinessa Shaw) to try to reverse the trouble he has set in motion. The picture’s enduring success inspired a 1994 prequel and, even more notably, a 2022 sequel that reunited the three top stars.
“Freaky Friday” (Hulu, streaming): It’s a good time to catch this 2003 body-switching comedy-fantasy – which the Disney studio made twice before – since stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan have completed filming a sequel
Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy in “Hocus Pocus”
15. Cable TV prizes 17. Madhouse 18. Cult Canadian comedy troupe, with “The” 20. Pickles of “Rugrats” 21. “Your majesty” 22. QB Brett 24. Boxer Mike 28. “This ___ House” 29. Milk
45. “Game of Thrones” weapon 46. Vince Vaughn series 47. Combine 48. “___ Man” (2008) 49. Dublin’s land 50. Farm pen 51. Bakery product 52. “Send help!”
5. Simpson and Maverick
6. Patrick Swayze’s role in “Point Break” (1991) 7. Maintain
Jesus (Jonathan Roumie), Peter (Shahar Isaac), Matthew (Paras Patel), Mary Magdalene (Elizabeth Tabish) and his other disciples are growing weary, though for vastly different reasons. Jesus sets off a chain of events after bringing Lazarus back to life.
Halloween Wars
FOOD 9 p.m.
What’s a bite between friends? Host Jonathan Bennett asks the competitors to imagine a sweet treat of a vampire on a terrible date. But as they work their cake magic,
8. “___ Sync Battle”
13. Neighbor of 14. Oft-broken
30. Plague 33. Slumping athlete’s hopeful phrase
35. Andes capital 38. “Sprechen ___ Deutsch?”
39. 4-Down series
Down
1. Furniture wood 2. “Sound of Metal” (2019) actor Paul
3. Some old TV box sets 4. Actor Tudyk
The Bradford Era 814-368-3173 www.bradfordera.com Olean Times Herald 716-372-3121 www.oleantimesherald.com
The Bradford Era 814-368-3173 www.bradfordera.com Olean Times Herald 716-372-3121 www.oleantimesherald.com
it will only take one bite from Shinmin Li and Aarti Sequeira to know who moves on.
Monday
NCIS
WIVB-4 WSEE-35 8 p.m.
In this Season 22 premiere, the NCIS team, led by special Agent Alden Parker (Gary Cole), finds themselves searching for a missing agent during an active hostage situation. The two-hour series premiere of “NCIS: Origins” airs next. NCIS: Origins
WIVB-4 WSEE-35 9 p.m.
This new series follows the career of a young Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Austin Stowell) in 1991, who shows flashes of brilliance as the newest special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office, led by NCIS legend Mike Franks (Kyle Schmid).
Tuesday
Last Bite Hotel
FOOD 9 p.m.
With four chefs are left at the hotel, host Tituss Burgess welcomes chefs Esther Choi and Judy Joo as guests. The pair tests the chefs by ordering something with a little kick before requesting something icy cool to balance things out.
FBI: Most Wanted
WIVB-4 WSEE-35 10 p.m.
Even aquarium fish aren’t safe when a detective’s murder puts everyone on high alert, connecting to a string of horrific homicides. Then, Remy (Dylan McDermott) and Abby’s (Susan Misner) relationship grows stronger in the face of danger.
Wednesday
The Challenge
MTV 8 p.m.
No one saw this coming. One contestant has witnessed their entire “era” team disappear through elimination. Now, the lone member standing must represent and stay in the game. Meanwhile, stresses to alliances form when multi-era pollination occurs.
Joan
WPIX-11 9 p.m.
Joan (Sophie Turner) has very particular set of skills — and she knows how to use them. In order to provide for her sixyear-old daughter (Mia Millichamp-Long) after escaping her abusive marriage, Joan uses her skills to become a notorious jewel thief.
Thursday
Doctor Odyssey
WKBW-7 9 p.m.
It’s all hands on deck for the latest episode of ABC’s
newest seafaring medical drama as Max (Joshua Jackson) and his medical team deal with all the medical emergencies that happen to The Odyssey’s guests and crew. Don Johnson also stars.
Elsbeth
WIVB-4 WSEE-35 10 p.m.
Elsbeth Tascioni (Carrie Preston) is back for Season 2, cornering brilliant criminals with her unique point of view. After a finance executive is found murdered, the surprising suspect is an opera lover enraged over a ringing cell phone.
Friday
Happy’s Place
WGRZ-2 WICU-12 8 p.m.
In this series premiere, Bobbie (Reba McEntire) runs her father’s bar in Tennessee. But when he passes away, she learns that she has a half-sister (Belissa Escobedo) she never knew about, who turns out to also be her new business partner.
Fire Country
WIVB-4 WSEE-35 9 p.m.
No matter the situation, trouble always seems to find them. As Gabriela (Stephanie Arcila) and Diego (Rafael de la Fuente) exchange vows, a helicopter crashes, igniting a wildfire. Bode (Max Thieriot) and the team spring into action to fight the fire.
Saturday
Ghost Adventures
TRAV 9 p.m.
Let the good times roll — even from the spirit world. Zak and the gang head to Ogden, Utah, to look at two adjacent buildings that positively vibrate with dark energy. One was a brothel, and residents believe its deceased madam is still handling tricks.
Austin City Limits
WPSU-3 11 p.m.
WXXI-21 12 a.m.
Six-time Grammy
Award-winner Jacob Collier and one-time Grammy
42. Raphael, Leonardo, Donatello and Michelangelo, initially
43. Architect Saarinen
44. Science guy Bill’s family
Award-winning bluegrass band
stage at the Moody Theater. Collier plays a selection from his “Djesse” series of albums, while Nickel Creek showcase their latest album.
Nickel Creek take the
Shahar Isaac stars in “The Chosen” Sunday on The CW
Jacob Collier performs in “Austin City Limits” Saturday on PBS
Across 1. Airport in Queens
4. Nudges
8. Needle
11. H+, e.g.
12. McGregor of “Trainspotting” (1996)
13. Incense
14. DiGiorno or Ellio’s offerings
17. Tear
18. Corn site
19. Number near an APR
21. AOL and NetZero
24. “Wait a minute ...”
25. Guitarist Diddley
26. Depart
27. Meg, Beth, and Amy’s sister
28. Origin
30. Sunrise direction
32. Buzzer
34. Tea server
35. 1987 Madonna film and song
41. Follower of Christ?
42. It gets a licking
43. “Told ya!” 44. Lord’s Prayer pronoun
45. Egg producers
46. Genre related to goth Down 1. Peter Pan rival 2. Part of FWIW 3. Big name in bouillon 4. Wrangler wrangler 5. On one’s ___ 6. Mountain pass
7. Huffy state 8. Store selection 9. Great time
10. N.B.A.’s Unseld
15. Bulk mail requirement 16. “Futurama” doctor
19. Kissers
trivia quiz
Questions:
Devon Kloss Agent 53 Main St. Bradford, PA 16701-6520 Bus: 814-817-2086 devon@devonklossinsurance.com www.statefarm.com/agent/us/pa/bradford/devon-kloss
1) Who was the first host of “Saturday Night Live” when it premiered on October. 11, 1975?
2) “I got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell.” What is the name of Will Ferrell’s cowbell player in the iconic “SNL” skit?
3) He’s 35 years old, thrice divorced, and living in a van down by the river — what is the name of the motivational speaker played by Chris Farley?
4) Who played two Olympic hopefuls in the 1984 “SNL” short “Synchronized Swimming”?
5) What is the name of the frequently “verklempt” host of “Coffee Talk,” as played by Mike Myers?
6) Who currently holds the record for hosting the most “SNL” episodes?
7) Which “Celebrity Jeopardy!” category appeared in every sketch but was only selected in the 40th anniversary special?
8) Which “SNL” alum played Ms. Rafferty, known for her uncomfortable stories of alien abduction? 9) “Save the liver!” Who performed a blood-soaked imitation of chef Julia Child? 10) Drew Barrymore, Buck Henry or Martin Short — who is NOT a member of the Five-Timers Club of frequent celebrity guest hosts?
