Knoxville is a great backdrop for those who live, work, and visit. So, we aren’t surprised to hear that Knoxville is the setting for two recent TV shows that are making their mark among viewers.

 

Happy’s Place — A Bar and Small-Town Spirit

Set in the heart of Knoxville, Happy’s Place centers on Bobbie (Reba McEntire) inheriting a tavern, “Happy’s Place” from her late father in Knoxville, Tennessee. Though the sitcom was filmed on soundstages in Universal City, California, the creators infused it with local charm. Viewers can spot the University of Tennessee’s Volunteers "Power T" logos subtly placed throughout the set.

TheCinemaholic noted, “While the controlled environment may have created a distance from the show’s narrative setting of Knoxville, Tennessee, Reba McEntire viewed it as a point of reference, having been to Knoxville several times, either in a performative capacity or while vacationing. She described it as a “beautiful part of the country” and one she gets to inhabit in the show.”

In the narrative, the bar acts as a character itself—a cozy, familiar spot where Bobbie, her newfound half-sister Isabella, and the quirky staff (the germophobic accountant Steve, played by Pablo Castelblanco; wise cook Emmett, played by Rex Linn; avoidant yet handy waiter Takoda, played by Tokala Black Elk; and ever-social bartender Gabby, played by Melissa Peterman) navigate the ups and downs of running a family business in a charming Southern town.

Some local viewers have noted a lack of overt references to Knoxville beyond the setting, saying the show simply mentions Tennessee or uses general East Tennessee flavor, rather than calling out specific streets or landmarks. Some have spotted Yee-Haw handles (one of Knoxville’s breweries on the Ale Trail). An eagle eye who has been around a long time might even recognize a Rule High t-shirt on the bartender— a local high school that was closed in 1991.

Maybe more detailed Easter eggs and nods to the region might emerge as the series continues!

 

Leanne — A Heartfelt Homage to Knoxville Life

Netflix’s sitcom Leanne, starring Knoxville’s own Leanne Morgan, likewise places the story in her beloved hometown. The series explores the life-upending moment when Leanne's husband leaves after 33 years— sending her and her younger sister Carol (recently returned from Chicago) back into the familiar rhythms of Knoxville life.

The sitcom was created by Susan McMartin, Chuck Lorre, and Leanne Morgan. It was filmed at the Warner Bros. Studios in Los Angeles, but fans have spotted subtle local shout-outs. In a hospital scene there’s a sign that says, “Knoxville” behind them, Turkey Creek was mentioned, and nods to Gatlinburg and other area locales appear in background scenes or props to emit a hometown feel.

From an article on Variety: Chuck Lorre first encountered stand-up comedian Leanne Morgan via her 2023 Netflix special “I’m Every Woman,” which became a smash for the platform. Morgan was a 50-something mother— and now grandmother— from Tennessee, and her routine resonated with the “Two and a Half Men” and “The Big Bang Theory” comedy titan.

“It’s really simple: I saw her stand-up and I went, ‘Oh my God. This is an original voice,’” says Lorre— who famously got his start writing sitcoms for the likes of Roseanne Barr and Brett Butler. “It’s authentically who she is. Her manager said, ‘Would you like to meet her? She could come visit you.’ I went, ‘You know what? I think I should go to Knoxville.’ So I went to Tennessee to spend time with her family, and they’re just wonderful people.”

 

It's no wonder Knoxville is the setting, then. Hometown or vacation visit, Knoxville’s vibes stay with you.

While neither sitcom highlights real-world landmarks, their tone invites fans to explore the spirit of Knoxville.

 

Pick up a free Visitors Guide and you might just find yourself in a “Happy Place!”

 

Reba and Melissa Peterman, reunited again at Happy’s Place  Casey Durkin/NBC