It’s been two decades since Reba McEntire and Melissa Peterman shared the television screen as Reba Hart and Barbra Jean Hart in the beloved sitcom ‘Reba.’ Now, the dynamic duo is back together, starring alongside each other once again in the new sitcom ‘Happy’s Place.’
In ‘Happy’s Place,’ the storyline follows McEntire’s character, Bobbie, who inherits her father’s restaurant after his passing. The plot thickens when she discovers that her business partner is actually her long-lost half-sister, Isabella, played by Belissa Escobedo.
Melissa Peterman will portray Gabby, a bartender at Bobbie’s newly inherited restaurant.
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During a panel at the Television Critics Association, McEntire and Peterman discussed what it’s like to share the screen once again.
“It’s just easy, it’s like riding a bike,” Peterman said. She continued, “We’ve never really left each other. I mean, the show ended, and we’ve been friends ever since.”
Although it’s exciting to see the duo together again, it’s crucial for them to differentiate themselves from their previous characters and embrace their new roles. During the panel, McEntire and Peterman talked about how they plan to approach this fresh opportunity, highlighting the need to lean on the writers to develop an original storyline.
“We rely totally on the writing,” McEntire said, with Peterman adding, “Pressure’s all on Kevin.”
Peterman is referring to Kevin Abbott, the executive producer of ‘Reba,’ who is also returning for this new sitcom.
Fans have a bit of a wait until the ‘Happy’s Place’ premiere on October 18, but they were treated to the release of the very first trailer, offering a sneak peek into the characters and what’s in store for the show.
In the trailer, we witness Bobbie and Isabella discovering that their father left his restaurant to both of them. While Isabella is excited by the big news, Bobbie understandably seems panicked, especially after learning about a half-sister she never knew existed.
The trailer also features glimpses of interactions between McEntire and Peterman’s characters, Bobbie and Gabby, as well as a conversation between Bobbie and the cook, played by Reba McEntire’s real-life boyfriend, Rex Linn.