‘Happy’s Place’ Originally ‘Reba’ Reboot?
Was Happy’s Place originally supposed to be a Reba reboot and what happened to the initial plan? Fans have long wanted the OG cast completely back together but that has only happened via social media. So, how did the reboot spin into another series? Keep reading for all of the details.
Happy’s Place Originally Reba Reboot?
The Reba cast is still very close and they are not shy about how they created a family in the six seasons they were on air. In 2023, the cast got together to cheer on Reba McEntire when she performed at the Hollywood Bowl. Those who celebrated the “single mom who worked two jobs” were Steve Howey, Melissa Peterman, JoAnna Garcia Swisher, and Christopher Rich.
This was essentially Reba’s whole television family minus Mitch Holleman (Jake) and Scarlett Pomers (Kyra). While watching the fiery redhead belt out her hits, they were asked about a revival.
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Steve Howey, who played Van Montgomery, was unsure if fans would want to see his character all of these years later. More so, he knew it would take impeccable writing to recreate the magic they once had. However, Steve adores his TV mother-in-law so much, he added this:
“I would do anything. Reba says, ‘Jump,’ and I’ll say, ‘How high?'”
Now, Reba and Melissa Peterman have reunited for a new sitcom, the highly successful Happy’s Place. Reba plays Bobbie who inherited her late father’s bar but funds out she must share it with the half-sister she never knew she had. It’s very different from Reba but, as it turns out, it came from the idea of a reboot. According to The Wrap, a revival was on the table.
Kevin Abbott, who created Reba, was ready to explore bringing the six-season sitcom back in some capacity:
“I had actually come up with where the characters were at, where their lives were at [and] what was going to be the dynamic was some new characters.”
Sadly, too much time went by and it ended up getting thrown by the wayside so they had to come up with another option. He and Reba McEntire were not about to give up after the work they had put in. Enter Happy’s Place.
A New, Bright Idea
Kevin Abbott and Reba McEntire had put time and effort into the reboot so they did not want to give up. Yet, they were unsure of a clear idea until Kevin’s wife entered the picture after his venting session:
“I’d spent six months doing this thing and been working on it and Reba [McEntire] was like, ‘well, let’s just do another one … we’ll do something else. I was like, ‘I don’t have another one in my back pocket.’ So I called my wife [Julie Abbott] to complain because I’m a real whiner, and she gave me some comforting and she hung up, and she called me back like in five minutes, like ‘I have an idea’ it wound up being this idea.”
Two networks wanted the show but they went with NBC and Happy’s Place has been a smash just two episodes in. Reba already has an NBC presence as a coach on The Voice. Then, she threw in Melissa Peterman and Rex Linn, both very close people to her and fantastic actors, and the new series has won fans over. Is it Reba? Not exactly but is it fun and full of laughs? Yes.
Are you happy with the way the Reba reboot went? Let us know and watch Happy’s Place Fridays on NBC and streaming Peacock.
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