Reba McEntire's TV sitcom Reba, which ran from 2001 to 2007, has yet to lose steam when it comes to popularity. In fact, fans are still asking for a reboot of the classic series more than 15 years after its departure from the air. These pleas for another dose of Reba comedy from the beloved cast members grew louder when the McEntire and other cast met up in Los Angeles last weekend.
McEntire was in L.A. performing a show on her Reba: Live in Concert tour at the Hollywood Bowl, and her fellow cast members Melissa Peterman (Barbara Jean), Steve Howey (Van) and JoAnna Garcia Swisher (Cheyenne) came out to support her. Peterman shared a photo of their sweet reunion on social media, adding a simple heart emoji to express her feelings on the event.
Understandably, the sight of some of Reba's key cast members together once again prompted fans in the comments to petition for a reboot. One fan simply wrote, "We NEED the reboot." Many other commenters echoed this idea, and another fan threw out another idea: "If we can't get a reboot, then at least a movie."
These ideas for a reboot aren't coming out of nowhere. McEntire herself has shared her desire to get the gang back together onscreen, and rumors of a Reba reunion have been making the rounds for a few years. In August 2022, however, she shared that any plans for another season of Reba had unfortunately stalled.
"The TV business changes so much that sometimes reboots are hot and then they're not," she told Deadline. "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."
She clarified on GMA, confirming that the answer is "no" for now.
The other cast members seem up for the challenge of recreating Reba, as well. Garcia Swisher opened up to People on the subject in 2021, saying the reboot is "something that I think we would all really love to be a part of." And Howey is fully on board with the idea, and he shared his enthusiasm about the idea with ET in early March.
"To see where Van is now and where the family is, I mean I would do anything," Howey said. "Reba says, 'Jump,' and I'll say, 'How high?'"
Wide Open Country also caught up with Howey in an exclusive interview on the red carpet at the CMT Music Awards on Sunday, April 2. The actor, who is currently starring in True Lies, said the night at the Hollywood Bowl was like a "family reunion." He also credited his time on the sitcom with helping build his comedic timing.
"Reba, the TV show, really helped because Reba is so amazing," he shared. "She's so encouraging about trying things and just working on the craft. Melissa Peterman is one of the funniest people ever."
Although a full Reba reunion has yet to happen, McEntire and Peterman have starred alongside one another in various projects, with the most recent being McEntire's 2023 TV movie, The Hammer.
