Justina Machado Faces the 'Heat' from Reba McEntire and Melissa Peterman in HilariousHappy's PlaceCameo: Watch (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

In PEOPLE’s exclusive look at the Feb. 7 episode ofHappy’s Place,One Day at a TimealumJustina Machadomakes a special guest appearance as Maritza, the woman who had a secret affair with Bobbie’s (McEntire) father.

Justina Machado as Maritza, Melissa Peterman as Gabby, Reba McEntire as Bobbie in Happy’s Place

Casey Durkin/NBC

After Isabella and Maritza enter the bar, the foursome are quickly introduced. “Mom, this is Bobbie. Bobbie, this is my mom, Maritza,” Isabella says.

Maritza warmly greets Bobbie, telling her: “It’s so nice to meet you. I hear wonderful things about you.”

Reba McEntire as Bobbie (left) and Justina Machado as Maritza in ‘Happy’s Place’.Casey Durkin/NBC

Reba McEntire as Bobbie, Justina Machado as Maritza in Happy’s Place

“If you’re trying to butter me up, you can stop,” she adds. “My mother told me never to believe anyone who thought I was smart.”

Justina Machado as Maritza in ‘Happy’s Place’.Casey Durkin/NBC

Justina Machado as Maritza in Happy’s Place

Speaking with PEOPLE in October 2024, Kevin Abbott —the creator of bothRebaandHappy’s Place— revealed that he and McEntire wanted to create a show that captured the energy and heartfelt comedy of the country star’s original sitcom, which aired from 2001 to 2007.

“Just in general, Reba and I gelled and clicked on the oldRebashow I think because we both like to tell the same kind of stories, and we have a very similar sense of humor, and thematically, we like positivity,” he told PEOPLE. “When people get done watching our shows, we want them to feel good. We want them to walk away having really enjoyed themselves and maybe gotten half an hour out of the tension of life.”

Pablo Castelblanco, Tokala Black Elk, Belissa Escobedo, Melissa Peterman, Reba McEntire and Rex Linn in ‘Happy’s Place.'.Trae Patton/NBC

Pablo Castelblanco as Steve, Tokala Black Elk as Takoda, Belissa Escobedo as Isabella, Melissa Peterman as Gabby, Reba McEntire as Bobbie, Rex Linn as Emmett for Happy’s Place

Trae Patton/NBC

According to Abbott, themes of family, forgiveness and “responsibility to other people” were incredibly important in the story ofHappy’s Place.

“Just the times we’re in, and when you’re seeing different viewpoints on life, to be able to capture some of those and see how they kind of bounce off each other, and see where we can find commonalities that you wouldn’t necessarily think are there,” Abbott said. “I mean, we tend to want to bring people together and find the things that people share rather than the things that people apart. And that’s why we brought in Belissa [Escobedo] and Pablo [Castelblanco] and Tokala [Black Elk].”

“We wanted to get some different perspectives on life so that we could honor those and show how, yeah, we might be different, but we’re also more similar than you think,” he finished.

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Happy’s Placeairs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

source: people.com