I won't lie: I was pretty skeptical about Reba McEntire making her big return to sitcom television. Sometimes, you shouldn't mess with the memories. Everyone loves her first show, comfort TV for anyone clicking around the channel guide. By coming back with Happy's Place, she really risked the stainless reputation she has on our screens. It's not like the sitcom is that far removed in spirit from the original Reba. If the show didn't at least vaguely feel worth watching, it becomes another show buried on streaming that doesn't last very long.
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Apparently, McEntire had similar concerns when she pondered coming back. Recently, she spoke with PEOPLE about the spiritual successor to her original sitcom. There, she candidly admits that reading the script with the rest of the cast felt very nostalgic for her and the crew. However, Reba also knew ahead of time that it's very rare for lightning to strike in the same place twice. Now, she's just grateful for the miracle that they captured the right 'magic' with Happy's Place.
Reba Recalls The Special Feeling She Had Reading Script for Happy's Place
"The first time we went into a table read, it was very nostalgic," McEntire says. "It was very emotional. I mean, see, I'm getting choked up right now. That's the way it was for all of us to be so blessed. If you get one really good sitcom that lasts for six seasons, you think, 'Man, I've got the golden ring. That'll be it. Probably never do it again, because that's magic in a bottle.' We got it again and we realize it."
Initially, Reba explains that it took time getting used to the sitcom format again. However, being around people she was familiar with made the transition pretty seamless. "It's a lot of fun and we already know each other's bad habits and good habits, what we like, what we don't," McEntire details. "So it's real easy to step in back into that with the crew. You love people you get to work together with that you've worked with before. It's just so much easier than starting over."
