There’s no slowing down for actress Patricia Heaton, who’s anything but ready to take it easy. After all, this powerhouse spent nine unforgettable years from 1996 to 2005 playing Debra Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond, a role that earned her two well-deserved Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. And just when you thought she might catch her breath, she dove into another nine-year run as Francis "Frankie" Heck on The Middle from 2009 to 2018. Now, Patricia is back with a vengeance, ready to star in the brand-new sitcom pilot, Carol’s Second Act, alongside none other than Kyle MacLachlan.

Like Raymond, this new show will be a three-camera series filmed in front of a live studio audience, which is a refreshing change from the single-camera style of The Middle. In Carol’s Second Act, Patricia, now 61, plays Carol Chambers, a woman who has spent much of her life as a dedicated teacher and devoted mother to two children. Now, Carol’s ready for a change—a big one. She decides to become a doctor, and the show will follow her journey as she embarks on this ambitious new path. Kyle MacLachlan will play Dr. Frost, the Senior Attending Physician and Department Chair, described by Deadline as “handsome, affable, and accomplished… though he thinks he’s funnier than he actually is.” Dr. Frost is more empathetic than his counterpart, Dr. Maya (played by Ito Aghayere), and he takes an immediate liking to Carol.

A Look Back: Patricia Heaton’s Journey in TV

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During the eighth season of The Middle, Patricia sat down with Christianity Today and opened up about what inspires her as an actress. “The Middle has been a real challenge for me because it’s single camera,” she explained. “With Raymond, it was like putting on a little play every week. Everything happened in order, there was an audience, and the energy was electric. On The Middle, things are shot out of order, and you’re only there for your scenes. There’s no audience to feed off of, and you don’t see what’s happening around you. I’m still learning after eight years, still figuring out how to approach it. The lack of stability is actually a great lesson because life isn’t stable. People often take things for granted and are shocked when things are taken away. I learned that early on when my mother passed away.”