NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� finds herself behind the bar in her latest return to network TV, making a series that's a nicely calibrated cocktail of drama and comedy.
鈥淭he things that are most important in my life is love, hope, faith, happiness, energy, light. And that鈥檚 all of the things that are happening with this show,鈥� the country music legend says.
鈥� premiering Friday 鈥� finds McEntire鈥檚 character, Bobbie, inheriting a Tennessee tavern from her recently-deceased father and finding out in the first episode that he had a second family.
Even more alarming is the fact that her dad left ownership of the bar to both Bobbie and her newly-discovered sister, Isabella. Add to the tension is that the two women are divided by ethnicity and a generation or two.
鈥淚鈥檓 shocked. I mean, I didn鈥檛 think Daddy could ever do anything like this, 鈥檆ause he always said family was the most important thing,鈥� Bobbie says. To which, Isabella replies: 鈥淢aybe that鈥檚 why he started two of them.鈥�
Belissa Escobedo, who plays Isabella, says the new series can be seen as both sweet and sour, as these two women learn to make peace and move forward.
鈥淚 think Bobbie reacts to this news very differently than Isabella does, and the audience is able to see it and understand both sides. I love that Isabella kind of just inches her way into Bobbie鈥檚 heart,鈥� says Escobedo.
In the series, Bobbie finally looks at Isabella and realizes what she's done: 鈥淚鈥檝e been looking at you like a person that has been forced upon me. Instead, I should be looking at you like a sister that鈥檚 been given to me.鈥�
Escobedo, whose film credits include 鈥淗ocus Pocus 2鈥� and who has been a series regular in TV shows like 鈥淭he Baker and the Beauty,鈥� says working with McEntire is a joy.
鈥淪he is an angel. She is so sweet, so down to earth. She does everything with a smile and comes in ready to work, but also ready to have fun.鈥�
The new series comes from TV veteran Kevin Abbott with a lengthy list of credits, including producing 鈥淩eba,鈥� 鈥淟ast Man Standing,鈥� 鈥淩oseanne鈥� and 鈥淕olden Girls.鈥�
The show has a welcome 鈥淐heers鈥� vibe, another NBC stalwart set in a bar, which allows easy reasons for new stories through guest stars and room for some oddball regulars to flourish, including a reunion with McEntire and who shined together in 鈥淩eba" and Rex Lin, a frequent collaborator.
One of the early production ideas was to cast McEntire as a schoolteacher and have Peterman as the principal. But came out on ABC so that idea went out the window. The next proposal was exploring the idea of a secret family, inspired by the ancestry-tracing company.
鈥淎 lot of people can relate to this 鈥� finding that you鈥檝e got a third cousin you didn鈥檛 know. I think that鈥檚 what helps shows be successful is when they鈥檙e relatable. That happens with books, songs, movies: If you can relate to it, it鈥檚 going to be more successful,鈥� says McEntire.
Alongside Reba, Escobedo and Peterman, the cast also includes Pablo Castelblanco (鈥淎laska Daily鈥�), Tokala Black Elk (鈥淎merican Primeval,鈥� 鈥�1883鈥�) and Rex Linn (鈥淵oung Sheldon,鈥� 鈥淏etter Call Saul鈥�). It's a multicultural set 鈥� Castelblanco is from Colombia, Linn is of Sioux descent and Escobedo has Mexican roots.
鈥淭o have that diverse cast has been interesting on screen and off screen for us because when we鈥檙e not doing something 鈥� when they鈥檙e rewriting or we鈥檙e waiting on something or we鈥檙e at rehearsals 鈥� we sit and visit and talk about each other and learn from each other. It鈥檚 been an education for all of us,鈥� McEntire says.
McEntire will be hoping fans of 鈥淩eba鈥� will check it out. Over six seasons, 鈥淩eba鈥� performed more than decently for The WB 鈥� and later The CW 鈥� but faced competition at the awards shows from the likes of 鈥淓verybody Loves Raymond,鈥� 鈥淔riends,鈥� 鈥淲ill & Grace,鈥� 鈥淪ex and the City,鈥� 鈥淒esperate Housewives,鈥� 鈥淢alcolm in the Middle,鈥� 鈥淯gly Betty鈥� and 鈥�30 Rock.鈥�
The indefatigable McEntire, who is also shooting 鈥淭he Voice鈥� for NBC and presides over clothing and footwear lines, teamed up with iconic songwriter Carole King to write the new show鈥檚 theme song.
In one powerful scene from the new show, a framed children's drawing at the tavern falls and reveals that it was drawn by Isabella, proof their father cared about his secret child.
鈥淚 think the theme that we really explore, while also bringing comedy into it, is grief and what comes out of grief?" says Escobedo. "When one door closes, another opens 鈥� that鈥檚 one of the things that I think is not touched upon enough.鈥�
Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press
