Reba Gets a Green Light to Shoot Her New Pilot for ABC

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ABC/Image Group LA Just days ago, Reba McEntire let ABC Radio in on the process that will hopefully bring her new hour-long drama to TV, and Tuesday, we learned it’s cleared the first hurdle.

ABC has now officially ordered the pilot for the as-yet-untitled show, which will be executive produced by both Reba and Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry.

“I am thrilled to be coming back home to ABC,” he tells Variety. “What makes it all the sweeter is Reba McEntire is coming with me. And we can’t wait to share with our fans this wonderful Southern Gothic soap opera we’ve been cooking up for them.”

Reba’s character will be named Ruby Adair, who’s the sheriff of the fictional small town of Oxblood, Kentucky. The series follows Ruby as she overcomes her pre-conceived notions to unite with an FBI agent of Middle Eastern descent, who arrives to help in the wake of a terrible crime. Along the way, she uncovers plenty of secrets about the people around her.

Last week, Reba told ABC Radio she hopes to shoot the show in the south, with an eye on Tennessee, Georgia or Kentucky. Once the pilot is done, Reba says she and Cherry will take it to the gathering of TV executives, advertisers and media known as “upfronts” in May, and she hopes to be filming the series by August.

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