Happy’s Place will be Reba McEntire’s return to network TV comedy, and even before its premiere, it’s already better than a Reba revival because of one character. The Queen of Country Music re-teams with producer Kevin Abbott for her next sitcom, this time on NBC. Happy’s Place will be a departure from McEntire’s usual roles in comedies, as this time, her story will be focused on running a bar with her newfound sister, Isabella. In the age of reboots and revivals, however, there’s curiosity about why McEntire and Abbott just didn’t bring back Reba.

While it has been a while since McEntire spearheaded her own sitcom, she has occasionally dabbled in the sandbox in the last several years. The last time she was in a comedy was when she made an unexpected return as June, Dale’s ex-wife, in the Young Sheldon finale. As she leads her own series in Happy’s Place, there’s excitement over this unique premise for the singer/actor’s character, especially as McEntire reunites with fellow Reba alum, Melissa Peterman, who plays Gabby in the project. This, however, further highlights the missed opportunity to do a revival of their old show.

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That said, Peterman being part of Happy’s Place‘s cast is the exact reason why it is a much better comedy comeback for McEntire. In Reba, Peterman played Barbra Jean, Reba’s ex-husband’s mistress-turned-second wife. While she was mostly played for comedic purposes, the character’s origins are actually dark — something that the sitcom never fully explored. While the role she played in breaking up the Hart family was addressed, it was always through humor, which undercut the seriousness of what she and Brock did.

At some points, Reba herself played quasi-marriage counselor to his ex-husband and his former mistress, which was effective comedy then, but it may no longer work now.

What makes this worse is that Peterman and McEntire have great chemistry. So, bar their unsavory connection in Reba, it was fairly easy to enjoy their scenes together. Perhaps, this is also the reason why the sitcom was able to get away with not fully exploring the severity of Brock’s affair and the role that Barbra Jean played in it. Towards the end of Reba, this was not even addressed anymore. At some points, Reba herself played quasi-marriage counselor to his ex-husband and his former mistress, which was effective comedy then, but it may no longer work now.

Happy’s Place Takes Advantage Of Reba McEntire & Melissa Peterman’s Chemistry Without Reba’s Burden

Bobbie & Gabbie Are Almost Equals In Happy’s Place

The good news is that in Happy’s Place, McEntire and Peterman are playing different characters. This means that it can fully capitalize on the pair’s chemistry without the burden of their past as Reba and Barbra Jean in Reba. Specific character details are still scant at this point, but it seems like Gabbie will be Bobbie’s right-hand person in her tavern. They seem to have a sister-like dynamic even though they aren’t related by blood.

In Happy’s Place, Peterman can also play someone who isn’t intentionally portrayed as dumb, which was the case for Barbra Jean, especially during the earliest seasons of Reba. While McEntire’s Bobbie is still her boss, they are portrayed as equals in the show, at least when it comes to their personal relationship. Considering this, it may actually be the backbone dynamic of Happy’s Place.