Who Will Be the New ‘Reba’? McEntire’s Upcoming Show Casts a Fresh Face for an Iconic Role

After 17 years, Reba McEntire’s upcoming TV show is finally the perfect replacement for Reba. Reba premiered in 2001 and starred McEntire as the titular character.

Her life was turned upside down after her husband had an affair and forced her into a single mother life.

Reba’s resilience and ability to take an incredibly difficult situation in stride has made her a role model to many to this day.

And someone that continues to be referenced on social media as a beacon of strength.

Though the show ended nearly two decades ago, Reba remains a pop culture phenomenon.

Reba’s comedic cast of characters remains memorable, as their on-screen chemistry was undeniable.

There have been rumors of a Reba reboot for years, none of which have come to fruition.

However, McEntire’s upcoming TV show might just serve as the reunion viewers have been eagerly waiting for for years.

Happy’s Place is set to star Reba McEntire as a woman named Bobbie who finds herself inheriting her father’s restaurant. She also learns that the half-sister she never knew she had will be her new business partner. One of the defining elements of Reba was the titular character having to put up with a new, unwanted family member, so from that point alone, Happy’s Place already feels like a natural follow-up.

Additionally, Happy’s Place is being executive produced by Michael Hanel and Mindy Schultheis — who served in the same roles during Reba’s entire run. Kevin Abbott is also writing the series and was a writer on Reba after season 1. Having so much of the Reba team involved indicates that Happy’s Place will be able to encapsulate a similar tone and sense of humor as Reba.

Melissa Peterman’s Reba character, Barbra Jean, was one of the most memorable parts of the show. Her goofy antics and desire to have Reba like her made for some of the most comedic moments of the entire series. McEntire and Peterman’s on-screen chemistry proved to be a recipe for success and, luckily, the two will be reuniting in Happy’s Place.

It has been confirmed that Melissa Peterman is going to be a part of the cast of Happy’s Place. This is incredibly exciting news on its own, but also sets up the potential for even more. Now that Peterman is confirmed to be a part of the cast, it opens up the door for more Reba cast members to join in. It would be fun if JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Christopher Rich, and Steve Howey all made appearances at some point.