Ahead of the Season 3 premiere of NBC sitcom Happy’s Place, I spoke to Melissa Peterman, Belissa Escobedo, Rex Linn, Pablo Castelblanco, and Tokala Black Elk for an exclusive junket conversation.

The show stars Reba McEntire as Bobbie, the owner of a tavern in Knoxville, Tennessee that she inherited from her late father, only to find out she has to share ownership with Isabella (Escobedo), the half-sister she never knew about. With a colorful crew of colleagues and friends, the sisters learn to work together and grow the business into a truly even happier place.

Reflecting on the transformation Isabella has gone through since arriving at Happy’s Place, Escobedo says, “She’s finally accepting of Bobbie’s love for her. We’ve seen her searching for everyone’s validation and acceptance at the tavern, and she didn’t have to try so hard, because the family was already there. It was kismet. So now we see her really confident, getting to chill out a bit, get excited about other things, and figure out her new path in life with this family.”

Bartender Gabby, played by McEntire’s longtime friend and collaborator Peterman, steals the show constantly with her effortless comedic ad-libs and wacky brand of charm. We talked about what it’s like for the duo now after working together for so many years. “As actors and as people, you’re always surprising each other,” said Peterman. “She still makes me laugh. She still makes choices that I didn’t see coming. But there’s a comfort where I know whatever I throw, she’s going to hit it right back.”

Tavern cook Emmett, played by McEntire’s real-life fiancé, Linn, can’t speak highly enough about the cast as a whole and the vibes on set. “There’s a lot of kindness on this set,” said Linn. “It starts at the top with Reba, and it truly is a happy place. That makes us all smile, and we don’t take it for granted.” He also teases some upcoming shenanigans with guest star James Denton, which I personally can’t wait to see.

Also setting the show apart is the fact that they film in front of a live studio audience, extremely rare for today’s sitcoms. “I call the audience the other cast member, or the ultimate producer,” said Castelblanco. “They’re a living part of it. Some scenes will come alive just because they now have an audience, and it’s magical.”

Happy’s Place Season 3 premieres on Friday, October 23rd on NBC, and will also be streaming on Peacock.