ABC buys Reba McEntire comedy

ABC has purchased a put-pilot script with Reba McEntire mounted on star. "Malibu Country" is going to be compiled by Kevin Abbott, who had been executive producer on McEntire's previous TV effort, the WB sitcom "Reba," which went for four seasons from 2002. Abbott will executive produce with McEntire her manager, Narvel Blackstock Mindy Schultheis and Michael Hanel of Acme Prods., Pam Williams of Laura Ziskin Prods., and veteran music performer Dork Stewart. "Malibu" is really a multi-camera comedy by which McEntire's character divorces her "good ol boy" rock-star husband after he cheats on her behalf and burns through the majority of their cash. She moves her family from Nashville towards the only resource she's left-- just a little house in Malibu. There she'll attempt to boost her very own singing career and herself and her three kids from being corrupted through the materialistic and rarified Malibu world she now calls home. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com