‘Happy’s Place’ Season 3 adds ‘Desperate Housewives’ star as Bobbie’s love life gets complicated
‘Happy’s Place’ is bringing a reunion moment for longtime fans as country singer and actress Reba McEntire gets a new love interest in NBC’s workplace comedy. James Denton (Mike Delfino in ‘Desperate Housewives’) joins Season 3 as JB. He is a handsome customer who walks into Bobbie’s tavern and quickly catches her attention. His arrival could complicate her unresolved relationship with Emmett, the tavern’s chef. The storyline begins unfolding in the November 13 episode.
JB makes his debut in the ‘Happy’s Place’ episode titled ‘Love Birds.’ Gabby, the tavern’s bartender, hits on him when he stops in for a drink, but JB’s attention is drawn to Bobbie. Speaking with TV Insider, Denton admitted, “Gabby hits on him a little bit. He just comes in to grab a drink and doesn’t want to talk to anybody — until he sees Bobbie. And of course, he’s immediately smitten, so he decides to hang around.” But Gabby and Isabella, Bobbie’s half-sister, aren’t going to let the new guy sweep Bobbie off her feet without asking a few questions first. They want to make sure he is genuinely interested in her.
The timing of JB’s arrival also plays a role in the storyline. Bobbie and Emmett still have unresolved feelings following their breakup in ‘Happy’s Place’ Season 2. Bobbie ended things after learning that Emmett knew about her late father’s secret daughter, Isabella, before she did. Although she eventually wanted to work things out, Emmett had already decided he was done with dating after experiencing a second heartbreak. His short-lived romance with health inspector Monica further complicated their relationship.
McEntire told Entertainment Weekly that Bobbie’s new love interest is somewhat “tit-for-tat” because Emmett had his shot with another woman last season. Bobbie is now getting her chance with JB, though Bobbie doesn’t completely get over Emmett. The actress revealed that the writers are keeping Emmett’s jealousy under wraps until he meets JB. That means viewers will have to wait until the two men share a scene before they see how Emmett reacts to Bobbie’s new boyfriend.
There is also a sweet behind-the-scenes reason Denton landed the role in ‘Happy’s Place’. Showrunner Kevin Abbott told TVLine he didn’t initially see Denton as another love interest, but his history with McEntire piqued his interest, and he knew he’d be a convincing foe to Emmett. “It really was the fact of Jamie’s history — my history with Jamie, and his history with Reba,” Abbott told the outlet. For those unfamiliar with their earlier collaboration, the reunion dates back to McEntire’s sitcom, ‘Reba,’ in which Denton appeared as Dr. Jack Morgan in two episodes. Jack was a marriage counselor who fell for Reba and then returned to the show wanting to reconnect despite being married. Denton’s new role in ‘Happy’s Place’ also allows ‘Desperate Housewives’ fans to see him in another comedy.
