Let's immediately address the elephant in the room: Reba McEntire was majorly cheated. Reba, starring the charismatic, iconic country singer, was a television show that aired on The WB. We're talking about the olden times of the early 2000s here!
From October 5, 2001, to February 18, 2007, Reba captivated anyone with a love of quality sitcoms. We're not talking about some "small-time" show with struggling viewership numbers — quite the contrary. Reba was setting all-time viewership numbers left and right, and some episodes even recorded around five million viewers. During the years the show was actively airing, it found itself with many nominations during the quintessential awards season. It almost snagged a Golden Globe, for goodness' sake!
Yet, for all that momentum, the show met its sudden end in 2007 — for reasons only the WB executives at the time could possibly know. But what's particularly telling about all of this is that in the same year Reba was canceled, Variety spoke to the TV president of 20th Century Fox, Gary Newman. Newman had this to say about how The WB handled Reba:
"The WB didn't really know how to communicate with advertisers or expand their audience to make it work," Newman says. "I'm convinced that it could have been a big hit on CBS or ABC."
Enter 'Happy's Place,' Reba McEntire's Comeback Story
Here we are, nearly two decades from Reba's ill-fated cancellation. Deadline reported that NBC had officially greenlit a comedy series, starring whom? Reba. McEntire.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, McEntire touched upon her excitement for the upcoming series. "We had such a good time doing the pilot, we can't wait to go back."
Happy's Place will see McEntire playing the character of Bobby, who inherits her father's restaurant. But, in the true spirit of the sitcom, Bobby will be sharing ownership of the restaurant with a long-lost sister.
And, you know, hijinks are sure to ensue!
Coincidentally, Happy's Place will not only bring back McEntire, but also some familiar faces from Reba. McEntire's already riding the waves from a recent stellar performance on The Voice. Perhaps she'd only been a princess back then, but rest assured: the Queen is here.
If NBC knew what was good for it, the network would simply bend the knee and allow the Queen of Country her television throne at last.
MY QUEEN IS COMING BACK TO TV!!!!!!!!!
— Suzy Conrad (@heyitssuzy) May 8, 2024
