“You know there’s obviously a real time bomb waiting out there in that Emmett had a secret and he knew about Isabella prior to everybody else. He had Happy’s secret and that’s waiting out there to explode. We’ve got some great guest cast coming in to do some roles. Specifically, we are gonna meet Gabby’s mom and she’s in a couple episodes, Jane Lynch, and she was just brilliant, just absolutely brilliant.”
Latasha M. Ford with Awards Buzz had great pleasure of entering a happy space with Kevin Abbott and Pamela Fryman talking all the things “Happy’s Place” Season 2 and more!
During the high-spirited and quite energetic conversation, Kevin Abbott (Executive Producer/Show Co-Creator and Showrunner) and Pamela Fryman (Executive Producer/Director) discussed the second season of the series. They highlighted the exceptionally positive and collaborative on-set atmosphere, attributing it largely to the professionalism of star Reba McEntire and the supportive cast. They explained their creative philosophy, which prioritizes compelling, relationship-driven stories over being premise-driven, which they believe is the key to avoiding a second-season slump. The behind-the-scenes experts shared anecdotes from the casting process, detailed upcoming storylines and guest stars for season two, and expressed their strong desire for the show to continue for many more seasons. Kevin Abbott on “Casting is always a delight because you start off with the pilot and you’ve just got it in your head. We found some amazing actors and one quick illustration of that — Pablo, who is just brilliant.”
Fryman and Abbott delves into much more throughout the candid chat on the set of “Happy’s Place” being described as the “happiest set” they had ever worked on, with Reba McEntire setting a professional and hardworking tone. The show being intentionally “relationship-driven” rather than “premise-driven,” which they felt allowed the stories and characters to grow stronger in the second season. Kevin and Pamela discussed how they both believed that compelling stories were more important and more difficult to achieve than just writing jokes. There were slight tidbits mentioned about the casting process which was described as intuitive, with the chosen actors perfectly embodying their roles from their first auditions. Ultimately, both executive producers expressed a strong hope that the show would continue for as long as possible, citing the strength and relatability of the characters.
Check out the full interview below:
Kevin Abbott on building a lasting show with relationships “I think that when you look at most shows that fall off in the second season, it’s because they’re premise driven and they usually start with that big concept up front, that grabber, and then they play that out. And now you’ve already played the big grabber, now you gotta move on to the next thing, and that’s a lot harder. We’re a lot less premise driven.”
About “Happy’s Place“
“Happy’s Place” premiered on NBC in October 2024, with its second season debuting in November 2025. The hilarious comedic series follows a woman who inherits her father’s Tennessee bar and discovers that her business partner is her long-lost, younger half-sister. Reba McEntire and Belissa Escobedo star as the sisters alongside Rex Linn, Tokala Black Elk, Melissa Peterman, and Pablo Castelblanco. The show was created by Julie Abbott and Kevin Abbott. Kevin Abbott also executive produces alongside McEntire, Michael Hanel, Mindy Schultheis, Matt Berry and Pamela Fryman.
If you think your day is off to a good start, buckle-up for your week to be even better! In an exclusive interview with Awards Buzz’s Latasha M. Ford, Kevin Abbott and Pamela Fryman shared exciting casting news. Golden Globes, Emmy, SAG award-winning actors Jane Lynch and Eric Stonestreet have officially signed on to guest star in upcoming episodes when the show’s second season resumes on January 16, 2026. This marks a notable addition to the series, bringing together talent from “Glee” and “Modern Family” for the new season. Eric Stonestreet will portray Dr. Russell Peabody III, an unconventional therapist who attempts to help Bobbie also known as Reba McEntire and Isabella played by Belissa Escobedo resolve their conflicts. And Jane Lynch will play Valerie, the mother of Melissa Peterman’s character, Gabby, who visits her daughter for the first time and reveals an unexpected secret. Episodes airing Fridays at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock. You can view the official trailer for Season 2 below.
Official Trailer:
