It feels like there’s not an interview in which Reba McEntire isn’t asked about her and her former Reba castmates reuniting in some capacity. Fans have been clamoring for a revival of the WB/The CW sitcom, which ended 15 years. Of course, McEntire has been doing her best to make things happen but, as can be the case with some reboots, she's facing an uphill battle. The country superstar explained why a revamp of her beloved sitcom hasn’t happened yet.
The TV and film actress discussed the proposed revival series while speaking with Deadline about her Lifetime movie, The Hammer -- which also stars Reba alum Melissa Peterman. Given that connection, it was only natural that the star would be asked for an update on her classic sitcom. While Reba McEntire is all in for a reboot, she says that the evolution of the TV business is making it somewhat tricky for the project to get off the ground:
So many obstacles. The TV business changes so much that sometimes reboots are hot and then they’re not. Plus getting everyone scheduled together is also hard. Steve Howey is very busy, and so is Joanna Garcia. Melissa [Peterman] is doing wonderful and here we are making a movie together. I guess timing and schedule will dictate that in the future.
The singer does make some interesting points, though I don't think the reboot or revival trend is dying down just yet. Of course, just this week it was reported that an Ally McBeal sequel series is in the works. However, the Reba cast has been consistently busy since the show ended. Reba McEntire has been going full force in the entertainment world, from returning to series TV with ABC's Big Sky to consistently touring and recording music to headlining a podcast series. Meanwhile, Steve Howey and Joanna Garcia are starring in productions for Netflix via Day Shift and Sweet Magnolia, respectively. Maybe fans of their former sitcom will get the reboot they’ve been craving once everyone has a moment to connect and iron everything out.
This isn’t the first time Reba McEntire has spoken about the cast reuniting. The “Turn on the Radio” singer has talked about reunion plans for the beloved sitcom. At the time, she admitted everyone involved was interested in the reboot as working on the show was fun for her and the cast.
But for now, the Reba mini-reunion in Lifetime’s The Hammer should suffice. In the movie, Reba McEntire and Melissa Peterman won’t play reluctant friends like in the show, but will be sisters Kim and Kris Wheeler, respectively. McEntire plays tough-as-nails Texas judge Kim, who must work to clear her sister Kris’ name after she is accused of killing a former judge. Despite the narrative circumstances, many will surely be happy to see the two on screen again and, hopefully, they'll reunite once more for that long-hoped-for revival at some point in the future.
While fans wait for updates on the revival’s status, they can check out all six seasons of Reba by subscribing to Hulu or securing a subscription to Amazon Prime. And as Reba McEntire continues pushing for a reboot, there are TV premieres happening during the 2022-2023 TV season that you can check out in the meantime.
