Reba - General Discussion

[andromeda331]

On 8/25/2019 at 9:20 AM, readster said:

Shows get really bad at this when they "force" characters to stay in a specific spot due to feeling it will ruin the feel of the show or they won't know how to write it. Shows that were notorious for that were: Full House, Rosanne, Two and a Half Men, Last Man Standing and 7th Heaven. Because God forbid they spend money to build new sets or keep the characters interacting in a realistic way with it being more natural. I do know that they said if Reba would have continued they would have had them in both houses more regularly since the set was already built for Cheyenne and Van's new house. Which would have made sense with babysitting and being so close. 

They really do and it really stinks a lot of the times. It stifles characters and the show. After four seasons Van and Cheyenne should be more responsible or at least really trying. Having them both complaining in season 5 Reba and the One about doing the laundry and other stuff around the house. By that point they've both had jobs at different times but still zero money to move out. And they never show them giving any money to Reba or helping out in other ways. Their so afraid it'll ruin the show that they don't see it ends up ruining the show by not moving a little further. There's still a lot they could have done with Van and Cheyenne getting their own place.  

On 8/25/2019 at 12:32 PM, Bastet said:

Reba is incredibly unlikable in her entitlement at times, and the blended family logistics indeed do not make sense sometimes, but I guess give them points for consistent characterization?  Because she's regularly awful about such things.  And it's realistic, in that she's the one who was left (and the one whom they'd agreed would be the primary parent while they were married, with her staying home with the kids), so she has a Why should I have to give this up, when you're the one who split the family into two homes? attitude, but at some point you have to adapt to changed circumstances for everyone's sake and, yeah, she's pretty damn slow at that.

She really could be. I guess it is good for consistency? Even though it undermines the other episodes when its not there or they really seem past all of that stuff. I guess it could show that some days that's easier then others? I don't know. I can see Reba being that upset in second season like Cookies for Santa it seems like it was the first holiday she had to deal with not having all her kids home and Jake spending the night at his dad's and not getting to see him get the bike. Plus they were still in the early stages of dealing with all of that. It seems like she should be further along.  

[readster]

4 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

They really do and it really stinks a lot of the times. It stifles characters and the show. After four seasons Van and Cheyenne should be more responsible or at least really trying. Having them both complaining in season 5 Reba and the One about doing the laundry and other stuff around the house. By that point they've both had jobs at different times but still zero money to move out. And they never show them giving any money to Reba or helping out in other ways. Their so afraid it'll ruin the show that they don't see it ends up ruining the show by not moving a little further. There's still a lot they could have done with Van and Cheyenne getting their own place.  

Right and at that point, they would be doing that. By season 5, all of a sudden the two of them magically got responsible, saved for a house and so forth? Why, they were having another baby at 23 and Van is done with education and Cheyenne is done with gen eds and ready for graduate work to be a dentist in 2 years? Then again the creators saw that they might not be going forward another season and with the timeslot/date change and the CW at the time cancelling "good shows" and bringing back shows that said they were "done" until they flashed money in front of them. Season 4 is just an odd year, I really do think they didn't know what to do with the characters at that point and then dropped stories like Brock's depression or Reba pretty much getting herself in a good situation again. When season 5 started, seemed more like they were trying to move forward with Kira back, but at the same time realizing, maybe they needed to move the characters forward.

[ForReal]

I honestly thought, for a moment in the final season, that when Barbara Jean got all excited about her career and was thinking of moving away, that maybe Reba and Brock would get back together. Sort of a full circle kind of thing. I guess I wanted to see Reba end up with someone, even if it was an older, wiser, more sensitive Brock. I was okay with Brock and Barbara Jean staying together, but there was no payoff for Reba being a good person all those seasons.

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, ForReal said:

there was no payoff for Reba being a good person all those seasons.

As she told Cheyenne, when Cheyenne fretted about Reba not being partnered up, she was happy with her life.  Happiness for a woman is not dependent on having a man.  She'd found a career she enjoyed, seen two of her kids grow into decent, increasingly-independent adults and still had one to actively parent, made peace with her ex-husband, and developed a close friendship out of an incredibly ugly beginning.  She found out she could not only survive one of her worst nightmares, but wind up thriving.  Sounds like a payoff to me.

[ForReal]

19 hours ago, Bastet said:

She found out she could not only survive one of her worst nightmares, but wind up thriving.  Sounds like a payoff to me.

Yeah, I didn't mean to make it sound like she had to end up with a man in order for her life to be fulfilling. I didn't intend to imply that at all. It's just that she never seemed to connect with anyone outside of her immediate family (perhaps because it's a TV show) on a permanent basis, and I would have liked to see her with someone/something more. Maybe someone who appreciated her and didn't take her for granted, like her family seemed to do. Some sense of a whole new possibility for her, so she's more than a "survivor." 

[andromeda331]

I would have liked to see her in one nice relationship that lasted awhile even if it didn't work out. We never got to see that.

As much as I love the marriage counselor Dr. Morgan I hate him when he comes back and its shocked that Reba would be so upset at finding out he wasn't really divorced. Between talking to her and being Barbra Jean's marriage counselor, how could he not know?

[readster]

14 hours ago, ForReal said:

Yeah, I didn't mean to make it sound like she had to end up with a man in order for her life to be fulfilling. I didn't intend to imply that at all. It's just that she never seemed to connect with anyone outside of her immediate family (perhaps because it's a TV show) on a permanent basis, and I would have liked to see her with someone/something more. Maybe someone who appreciated her and didn't take her for granted, like her family seemed to do. Some sense of a whole new possibility for her, so she's more than a "survivor." 

Yeah, Reba didn't really have any "friends" it seems it just revolved around "guest of the week" or Reba ended up at odds with something or when she did try dating, they had more baggage than her. I get the point was to show how Reba thrived after having her world really fall apart and even BJ and her truly becoming actual friends. However, they writers really put it in that Reba was on an island all by herself. Then again, everyone seem to have "no friends" or anyone really. I get it would get expensive, but you can't put in how Cheyenne was with a study group or Van still got together with a few old friends just to "relax" like most guys who are young fathers? Came a point where you wanted to go: "Umm... they should have lives outside of the house."

[andromeda331]

On 8/29/2019 at 7:12 AM, readster said:

Yeah, Reba didn't really have any "friends" it seems it just revolved around "guest of the week" or Reba ended up at odds with something or when she did try dating, they had more baggage than her. I get the point was to show how Reba thrived after having her world really fall apart and even BJ and her truly becoming actual friends. However, they writers really put it in that Reba was on an island all by herself. Then again, everyone seem to have "no friends" or anyone really. I get it would get expensive, but you can't put in how Cheyenne was with a study group or Van still got together with a few old friends just to "relax" like most guys who are young fathers? Came a point where you wanted to go: "Umm... they should have lives outside of the house."

Yeah that was a weird part of the show. No one had any friends. At least you never really saw any friends there was Jake's friend in the early season one episode who's mom didn't want him to stay over but we never saw him again. Cheyenne was popular but we rarely saw her with any of her friends same with Van. Did we ever see any friends of Kyra's? Reba's only friend seemed to be Lori Ann who just moved back in season one and the disappears after the speed dating episode. I know it was so Barbra Jean could end up being coming Reba's best friend and it cost money but it was really weird. 

Edited August 31, 2019 by andromeda331

[Snow Apple]

Kyra mentioned staying over at a friend's house sometimes (The Christmas episode comes to mind) but we never see them. She was also in a band but I don't remember seeing any members. I think they've shown a few boyfriends though.

Edited August 31, 2019 by Snow Apple

[readster]

2 hours ago, Snow Apple said:

Kyra mentioned staying over at a friend's house sometimes (The Christmas episode comes to mind) but we never see them. She was also in a band but I don't remember seeing any members. I think they've shown a few boyfriends though.

Which really was a problem when Kyra was being bullied by high school students because of Cheyanne's pregnancy. I get they were trying to pull off the school's "don't show, don't tell" clause that was very popular in the late 90s. HOWEVER... to the point that Kyra wanted to get kicked out of school so she didn't have to deal with it? Where were her supposed friends or teachers who cared about her? Apparently it was: "Oh that younger sister, screw her she'll end up like her older sister some day."

[FormerMod-a1]

While they were hardly mentioned or one-offs, at least the others theoretically had friend(s) outside the family.  All except for Brock. Was another current friend ever mentioned?  They mention the college friend (when going to Terry?s funeral), but no one current.  Presumably he knows folks at those dental conventions he goes to.  (Although apparently he just get vasectomies or reversals at the Vegas convention. 😛 )

[readster]

2 hours ago, aquarian1 said:

While they were hardly mentioned or one-offs, at least the others theoretically had friend(s) outside the family.  All except for Brock. Was another current friend ever mentioned?  They mention the college friend (when going to Terry?s funeral), but no one current.  Presumably he knows folks at those dental conventions he goes to.  (Although apparently he just get vasectomies or reversals at the Vegas convention.  )

Yeah, that' where you want to go: "Oh come on!" I also would have liked to see Brock's circle of business get out with a: "You left your wife for a woman a few years prior would get by a car?" Or a: "If she was that bad, why didn't you just fire her?" One thing the writers had a problem was having it both ways. That Barabra Jean was this great person, but she was so "stupid" at things you wonder how anyone would want to be with her or how she got that far in life without an aide or had gotten herself killed by now.  Reminds me in the classic Cheers episode where the guys run their car in the desert and Cliff tells all them this wasn't how he pictured them dying and then goes on explaining how he did see it and everyone actually went: "You know what, that makes sense." At times, even with Van you wanted to go: "How are you not in a specialty home?" 

[ForReal]

On 8/26/2019 at 10:21 AM, ForReal said:

On 8/25/2019 at 4:48 PM, aquarian1 said:

I'm watching "And God Created Van" right now (S05.E04) and I am reminded what a bad hair season this was for Reba and Van.  I don't remember if their hair was bad all season or just some, but I really didn't like Reba's long flippy do.  The flips are too high or something, and then too full.  Something is just off about it.  And Van has flat hair with a bad wave by his eye.  ETA: Van's hair was better the next episode. 

I'll have to pay attention to that. I remember liking her hair longer much better; thought she looked too boyish when it was really short.

I was watching season four when Cheyenne was addressing her drinking problem, and yes, her hair did look odd. It looks better later, but it was too something for awhile there.

[debbie311]

I watched this program when it was originally aired, and I recently started watching it again on UP.  I watch a LOT of news (CNN and MSNBC) and when everything just starts to get to be too much for me, I switch over to Reba.  It generally makes me laugh out loud.  I also enjoy looking at the set decoration.  The kitchen especially is WAY too cluttered for me, but I like looking at it, it looks like real people live there.

The other day I saw the episode where Kyra can't go to England for summer study because Cheyenne flaked and Reba has to bail her out once again.  I know it's supposed to be a comedy show, but I felt so sad for her, especially when Reba told Kyra that she had in fact gotten the money together, but that she had to give it to Cheyenne and Van due to their irresponsibility.  I get that Reba was in a rough spot, but I feel that as long as she continues to enable them, they will fail.  Kyra deserved that trip.  No wonder she wanted to move out.

Also - Brock is a dentist.  I get that he and Barbara Jean had just bought a new house, but come on.  He couldn't spare $2K to send his daughter on a well-earned trip?  Or couldn't give Cheyenne the money for classes?  I don't know about Texas, but in California dentists make very good money.  At this point in the series Reba seems flat-broke.  Why didn't she get a job, a real job?

I'm over-thinking this.

[readster]

9 minutes ago, debbie311 said:

 

Also - Brock is a dentist.  I get that he and Barbara Jean had just bought a new house, but come on.  He couldn't spare $2K to send his daughter on a well-earned trip?  Or couldn't give Cheyenne the money for classes?  I don't know about Texas, but in California dentists make very good money.  At this point in the series Reba seems flat-broke.  Why didn't she get a job, a real job?

I'm over-thinking this.

I agree, plus Brock had the practice going for a long time to the fact that Reba could BE a stay at home mom and why Barbara Jean was hired in the first place. During season 3, we get that Brock was going through depression, but it wasn't UNTIL THAT season that Reba was getting on Brock more for alimony and child support money. Especially after he won a few professional golf tournaments and walked away with a few grand. Up until then, there was NO MENTION of being short on money or how the baby and the other house were eating up his finances. I could have seen it if Reba wanted to take Brock for all he had, but that wasn't the case. In fact, especially after Chey and Van graduate in season 1, that would have taken child support off there as they were legally married and living under Reba's room and were then 18. But once again, we are over thinking any logic to a show like this. 

[BigBingerBro]

I forget the actual timing, but remember too that Barbara Jean was found to be squirelling money away during her marriage to Brock.  She was doing it secretly, but she could have somehow figured out a way to get the money to fund Kyra's trip.

[Bastet]

Yeah, Brock crying poor was always bullshit (if he was ever actually short on money, it was his own doing), and quite aggravating since it fostered the ridiculous notion men are financially harmed by divorce; in reality, most men, especially fathers, are significantly better off financially, while most women are significantly harmed financially.  (This is because most men opt not to be the primary custodial parent, and the child support [and possibly alimony] they pay does not begin to cover their half of what the custodial mom winds up shelling out.

Reba not getting a "real" job, though, that was realistic.  She tried, and she had a couple of jobs, but she was a prime example of what happens when a couple agrees the woman will be a SAHM and then years later there is a divorce - she's been so long out of the workforce, very few companies are willing to hire her.  Those that will pay her entry level, due to her lack of experience, recent salary history, and updated skills.  So, again, child support or child support and alimony aren't cutting it, but if she still has young kids in the home, she has to factor in the cost of daycare/babysitting when evaluating her low-wage employment options.

[Snow Apple]

I'm not a fan of Kyra but that always made me mad. I'm not surprised she grew into a sarcastic teenager. She keep getting screwed over because of her sister's actions. People act mean to protect themselves from getting hurt and disappointed once again.

[andromeda331]

3 hours ago, debbie311 said:

I watched this program when it was originally aired, and I recently started watching it again on UP.  I watch a LOT of news (CNN and MSNBC) and when everything just starts to get to be too much for me, I switch over to Reba.  It generally makes me laugh out loud.  I also enjoy looking at the set decoration.  The kitchen especially is WAY too cluttered for me, but I like looking at it, it looks like real people live there.

The other day I saw the episode where Kyra can't go to England for summer study because Cheyenne flaked and Reba has to bail her out once again.  I know it's supposed to be a comedy show, but I felt so sad for her, especially when Reba told Kyra that she had in fact gotten the money together, but that she had to give it to Cheyenne and Van due to their irresponsibility.  I get that Reba was in a rough spot, but I feel that as long as she continues to enable them, they will fail.  Kyra deserved that trip.  No wonder she wanted to move out.

I feel for both Reba and Kyra. Kyra's getting screwed and Reba knows it. She knows Kyra deserves to go. She's worked hard for it and Reba was able to save up the money for it. Reba is in a tough spot she admits that Cheyenne and Van are irresponsible and she shouldn't be bailing them out. If it wasn't for Elizabeth she wouldn't. But because of Elizabeth Reba feels she has no choice. Which I really get. If they didn't have Elizabeth Reba wouldn't bail them out. She'd let them have to deal with the consequences of their actions. But they do. She can't do that to Elizabeth. Both have every reason to be pissed at Cheyenne and Van. It stinks that this doesn't cause either one to grow up.

Quote

 

Also - Brock is a dentist.  I get that he and Barbara Jean had just bought a new house, but come on.  He couldn't spare $2K to send his daughter on a well-earned trip?  Or couldn't give Cheyenne the money for classes?  I don't know about Texas, but in California dentists make very good money.  At this point in the series Reba seems flat-broke.  Why didn't she get a job, a real job?

I'm over-thinking this.

 

Not really. I can't figure out the finances. Reba doesn't work much in the first two seasons. So Brock's child support and alimony pays all Reba's bills? Also, his condo, their wedding, and I assume the hospital bill for both births. But he never really seems strapped. He and Barbara seem to go on vacation a lot. He buys Van and Cheyenne a car. But Reba always ends up broke. No money to get the rat out of the car so does she only have enough money for the bills and no extras? Why can't he pay for Kyra to go England? She's his kid too and 2K doesn't seem like it would be a lot of money for him.

[Bastet]

43 minutes ago, andromeda331 said:

Reba is in a tough spot she admits that Cheyenne and Van are irresponsible and she shouldn't be bailing them out. If it wasn't for Elizabeth she wouldn't. But because of Elizabeth Reba feels she has no choice.

That may be Reba McEntire's best acting in the whole series (I generally don't think she's very good).  It's a great scene - Reba is so disgusted and disappointed with Cheyenne, and with herself a bit, realizing there's an extent to which she has been harming rather than helping her and Van by protecting them from their own foolish choices, but she's also stuck, because letting them fall on their asses affects Elizabeth, too, and she can't bring herself to do that.

But in this instance it means choosing to hurt Kyra, who is also innocent in the whole mess, instead.  She knows what she's doing and feels awful about it, but feels she's making the best of her two shitty choices.  It's very real.

As is Kyra deciding to move in with Brock and Barbra Jean after this final straw, because there she can be the kid she's entitled to be, instead of being treated like another adult - of whom more maturity is expected than the other two actual adults - at Reba's.  Kyra understands Reba's decision, knows it was the one she essentially had to make and that she'll have to keep on making.  She doesn't blame her, but she doesn't want to live that way, she shouldn't have to live that way, so she's availing herself of her better option.  (And Reba's reaction - to Kyra, and to Brock - is when she is at her absolute worst; I understand she's upset, but Kyra is moving to her dad's house, which is right around the damn corner, for very clear, very good reasons, so she has no right to act like it's a betrayal.)

[ForReal]

4 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

Both have every reason to be pissed at Cheyenne and Van. It stinks that this doesn't cause either one to grow up.

That was a sour note for me, that Cheyenne and Van don't seem to realize that they screwed Kyra out of her trip.

Brock and Reba's finances are a bit of a mystery. Wasn't there a point where he sold the practice to play golf and Reba got a good chunk of it? And was able to buy Brock and Barbara Jean's place and rent it back to them? And then there was the tax bill that messed with both households' finances.

I thought the early years when Reba struggled (remember the food stamps episode) were realistic but kind of downbeat, but I had to laugh when she suddenly became a successful real estate agent. Now there's a career that while it can be financially rewarding, tends to wreak havoc on family life. So, yeah, I over-think this show, too.

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, ForReal said:

(remember the food stamps episode)

I wish I could forget it; that was a repugnant take on public assistance.  That episode, the "spanking is good" episode, and the one where Van is harassed for not wanting to attend church anymore are unwatchable.

[ForReal]

11 hours ago, Bastet said:

I wish I could forget it; that was a repugnant take on public assistance.  That episode, the "spanking is good" episode, and the one where Van is harassed for not wanting to attend church anymore are unwatchable.

Ugh, or the one where the therapist with whom Reba gets the hots finally admits that he's still married. What a huge violation of his professional responsibilities, particularly considering he counseled Brock, Barbara Jean, and Reba over the same sort of situation.

[readster]

6 hours ago, ForReal said:

Ugh, or the one where the therapist with whom Reba gets the hots finally admits that he's still married. What a huge violation of his professional responsibilities, particularly considering he counseled Brock, Barbara Jean, and Reba over the same sort of situation.

Yeah, episodes like that are either way way too heavy handed or to where you want to go: "You didn't think much on this episode's writing did you?"

[ForReal]

On 8/31/2020 at 2:40 PM, readster said:

Yeah, episodes like that are either way way too heavy handed or to where you want to go: "You didn't think much on this episode's writing did you?"

Even though I thought the therapist was being unprofessional (since his soon-to-be ex didn't seem like she wanted to be an ex), I didn't think Reba should have felt so guilty, since she didn't know he was married. But I figured that was some sort of southern Bible-belt reaction or something. 

[readster]

2 hours ago, ForReal said:

Even though I thought the therapist was being unprofessional (since his soon-to-be ex didn't seem like she wanted to be an ex), I didn't think Reba should have felt so guilty, since she didn't know he was married. But I figured that was some sort of southern Bible-belt reaction or something. 

Kind of like how Reba was entrapped by the high school principal after the whole situation with Cheyanne and Van's friends wanted to have sex. She didn't encourage it, she was just basically saying that wasn't the reason to get married for it. However, as many schools at that time thought: "sex doesn't exist". Funny post 9/11 teens and adults were: "tomorrow may never come, so have fun." Leading to the odd 06-2010 of: "sex is bad, you will go to hell for it." 

[JAYJAY1979]

Kyra being absent (unavoidable due to behind the scenes) in season 5 threw the balance of the show off.

She was the Greek chorus and the voice of the audience.  And it made sense she would want to move in with her dad and Barbara Jean.  She and Barbara Jean bonded during the family reunion opposite..which is why she wanted to stay with Barbara Jean after Brock was kicked out.

[Keywestclubkid]

Rewatching the episode when kyra’s trip gets taken away from her because of her sister dropping classes … this episode always pisses me off so much .. the huge crap they took on kyra ugh 

[andromeda331]

4 hours ago, Keywestclubkid said:

Rewatching the episode when kyra’s trip gets taken away from her because of her sister dropping classes … this episode always pisses me off so much .. the huge crap they took on kyra ugh 

So do I. That was crap. I really wish it Cheyenne got called on her crap more. Or forced her to get a job or something. Van too. They lived rent free with Reba who still did all of their laundry. They didn't cook or clean or do anything. They were completely useless. Kyra loses out on the trip she deserved while Van and Cheyenne got off scot free for their behavoir. They never apologized or tried to make it up to Kyra and Reba or even tried do better. They just end up getting excited about given Elizabeth, Kyra's room when she wants to move in with Brock. While Cheyenne is upset that Kyra is moving out not once does she ever acknowledge that she was the reason for it. 

[Bastet]

That's one of my favorite episodes since it's so real and ugly.  Kyra was always the child most affected by the divorce - Cheyenne was older and focusing on her other huge life change, Jake was young enough to more readily accept his family is now spread out across two homes and didn't truly understand infidelity, but Kyra was old enough to fully grasp what her dad did and at a particularly vulnerable age to be hit by those two seismic shifts in her home - Brock out, Van and a baby in.

She's mature and independent beyond her years, while Cheyenne and Van - despite being parents themselves - are stunted, so she gets treated like another adult in that house.  Now that Brock lives around the corner in a house, not across town in a condo, and she's used to Barbra Jean, she can easily go live there and be the kid she is.  So when she gets screwed again, it all comes together.

And Reba knows Kyra is getting screwed again, but using the money on Cheyenne's tuition instead of Kyra's trip is something she feels she has to do (if Cheyenne lost her status as a full-time student, Elizabeth would lose her eligibility for the school's daycare, and if that happened Cheyenne couldn't afford to keep going to school - while self-induced, the repercussions of that would just be way too big and long-lasting compared to Kyra not getting this opportunity).  She's disgusted with Cheyenne and herself, wondering if she's made things too easy for Cheyenne, but she's backed into a decision.

Which Kyra understands.  She's not even particularly angry, which is my favorite part; she's resigned.  She makes her decision not out of resentment or spite, but out of acceptance and opportunity.

Reba is at her ugliest in her treatment of both Kyra and Brock in response to that decision (acting like they both betrayed her, when all that happened is her teen daughter for very obvious reasons chose to move around the corner with her dad).  Shameful, and she's never held accountable for it (a recurring problem in this series; everyone else's flaws are readily acknowledged, while Reba's are generally waved off).  Those episodes piss me off.  But the one where Kyra tells Reba she understands, and then tells Brock she wants to live with him, that one I love.

[Keywestclubkid]

The fact they they did all this and Cheyenne still blew off school just makes it even worse 

[Keywestclubkid]

8 hours ago, Bastet said:

That's one of my favorite episodes since it's so real and ugly.  Kyra was always the child most affected by the divorce - Cheyenne was older and focusing on her other huge life change, Jake was young enough to more readily accept his family is now spread out across two homes and didn't truly understand infidelity, but Kyra was old enough to fully grasp what her dad did and at a particularly vulnerable age to be hit by those two seismic shifts in her home - Brock out, Van and a baby in.

She's mature and independent beyond her years, while Cheyenne and Van - despite being parents themselves - are stunted, so she gets treated like another adult in that house.  Now that Brock lives around the corner in a house, not across town in a condo, and she's used to Barbra Jean, she can easily go live there and be the kid she is.  So when she gets screwed again, it all comes together.

And Reba knows Kyra is getting screwed again, but using the money on Cheyenne's tuition instead of Kyra's trip is something she feels she has to do (if Cheyenne lost her status as a full-time student, Elizabeth would lose her eligibility for the school's daycare, and if that happened Cheyenne couldn't afford to keep going to school - while self-induced, the repercussions of that would just be way too big and long-lasting compared to Kyra not getting this opportunity).  She's disgusted with Cheyenne and herself, wondering if she's made things too easy for Cheyenne, but she's backed into a decision.

Which Kyra understands.  She's not even particularly angry, which is my favorite part; she's resigned.  She makes her decision not out of resentment or spite, but out of acceptance and opportunity.

Reba is at her ugliest in her treatment of both Kyra and Brock in response to that decision (acting like they both betrayed her, when all that happened is her teen daughter for very obvious reasons chose to move around the corner with her dad).  Shameful, and she's never held accountable for it (a recurring problem in this series; everyone else's flaws are readily acknowledged, while Reba's are generally waved off).  Those episodes piss me off.  But the one where Kyra tells Reba she understands, and then tells Brock she wants to live with him, that one I love.

Oh Oh Oh and Cheyenne the very next episode bitching that Kyra is the one who is selfish for moving out and not thinking about anyone but herself ... LOL it annoyed me so much that Cheyenne  never got smacked down the way Kyra did ..

[Virtual]

Since I saw some people commenting on Reba not having friends, apparently it is something that the writers didn't want for her, at least to last longer than one episode. Reba DID have Lori-Ann (I think that was her name) in the early seasons, but she was written out of the show. I wish she'd stayed, especially later on when Barbra Jean started getting snotty and acting like Reba owed her for offering a "hand of friendship." Barbra Jean is lucky Reba doesn't do all she can to disrupt her and Brock's life* given how close they live. 

I really couldn't stand Cheyenne a lot of the time. Especially when she was failing at things because she was more focused on "things that glitter" and the daily gossip caused Reba to have to bail her out with money that she was going to use to pay for Kyra's trip. And then Cheyenne had the audacity to say Kyra was selfish for moving out because of it. Uh, NO. Cheyenne was the one who was selfish, and was able to hide it by having a reputation as "someone good." Reba pointed it out to Cheyenne in the 5th birthday episode, but I don't think it was enough.

*Obviously it would be wrong of Reba to do that, but Barbra Jean got away with having a bad attitude too often in the later episodes.

 

Edited November 30, 2021 by Virtual

[Keywestclubkid]

On 11/30/2021 at 2:00 PM, Virtual said:

Since I saw some people commenting on Reba not having friends, apparently it is something that the writers didn't want for her, at least to last longer than one episode. Reba DID have Lori-Ann (I think that was her name) in the early seasons, but she was written out of the show. I wish she'd stayed, especially later on when Barbra Jean started getting snotty and acting like Reba owed her for offering a "hand of friendship." Barbra Jean is lucky Reba doesn't do all she can to disrupt her and Brock's life* given how close they live. 

I really couldn't stand Cheyenne a lot of the time. Especially when she was failing at things because she was more focused on "things that glitter" and the daily gossip caused Reba to have to bail her out with money that she was going to use to pay for Kyra's trip. And then Cheyenne had the audacity to say Kyra was selfish for moving out because of it. Uh, NO. Cheyenne was the one who was selfish, and was able to hide it by having a reputation as "someone good." Reba pointed it out to Cheyenne in the 5th birthday episode, but I don't think it was enough.

*Obviously it would be wrong of Reba to do that, but Barbra Jean got away with having a bad attitude too often in the later episodes.

 

I always wondered why the just completely dropped her friend Lori-Ann … I get to focus more on just the family but it was weird.  

[ForReal]

On 12/3/2021 at 3:33 PM, Keywestclubkid said:

I always wondered why the just completely dropped her friend Lori-Ann … I get to focus more on just the family but it was weird.  

I figured it was because she was drawn to have a snippy, unforgiving attitude toward Brock, and the show wanted to move toward the one big happy family concept. It was too bad, because Brock deserved those snips.

[TheGreenKnight]

I happened to see an interview of JoAnna Garcia this morning, and the idea of Reba getting a revival struck me. I would love that myself. I know Reba herself doesn't have much going on right now, since country radio refuses to play most women, and she already tried making a different show (Malibu Country). I'd love for her show to come back for a few seasons. Even if they couldn't get all the actors back, her and Melissa Peterson alone would be enough to make it worth it regardless.

[ShortyMac]

A Reba reboot would be awesome.

[FormerMod-a1]

Elizabeth and Henry would be adults now.  21 or 22   Brock could be retired.  Barbara Jean still on the air?  or maybe has her own home business/mlm.  Maybe Van became a real estate tycoon.  Cheyenne could be managing a recovery clinic. Reba could be with Dr Hunky or Reverend Yummy Pants, heh.  Or someone else, just would rather have her not be alone still.  Kyra?  a music teacher, maybe?  Not sure about Jake - he could be anything.  

[Bastet]

Cheyenne and Van would likely be divorced, and one or both with second spouses and possibly additional children, so that would provide the blended family dynamic that was fundamental to the original, but this doesn't really strike me as a show that lends itself well to a revival all these years later.  I guess they could age Elizabeth and Henry down a bit. 

There would have to be a whole new arc, obviously, since the show was about Reba adjusting to and ultimately thriving in her new life.  Having long since made peace with Brock and becoming BFFs with Barbra Jean, she'd need a new storyline.  Something professional, maybe, like, now that she doesn't have so many mouths to feed, she'd like to get out of real estate and get back into teaching, but she has trouble getting hired because of her age.

And they'd have to get a different actor playing Jake, since he was awful as a teenager and, unsurprisingly, hasn't done much acting since.  Or just use him quite sparingly, like Michael Fishman on The Conners.

[TheGreenKnight]

On 2/4/2022 at 1:55 PM, Bastet said:

Cheyenne and Van would likely be divorced, and one or both with second spouses and possibly additional children

Yep. I don't know how many here have seen it, but check out the video for Reba's song "Every Other Weekend" with Kenny Chesney. It came out years ago, after the show had ended. Cheyenne's and Van's actors played the divorced parents in the video.

It would be interesting if Cheyenne went through a similar situation to Reba of her and Van being broken up, there being another woman in Van's life (not necessarily an affair, just someone he met after they broke up), kind of wanting to be with Van again (and being assisted for comedy's sake by Barbra Jean and Reba), perhaps ending up back with him at the end of the revival unlike Reba and Brock. I say it would be interesting because I recall the episode where Cheyenne blamed Reba for Reba and Brock's divorce, saying she drove Brock away by always starting fights. It would offer a lot of character moments for Cheyenne to be standing in Reba's shoes.

Speaking of The Conners, I could see both Cheyenne (just divorced) and Kyra both ending up back in Reba's house the way Darlene and Becky live with Dan in that show.

[Bastet]

The Cheyenne is an alcoholic/no, she's not, she just likes the attention/wait, she really is? arc is on right now, and the episode where Van downs quite the collection of drinks to keep them away from Reba when she has unknowingly ingested one of Cheyenne's "Booze-Away" pills plays perfectly to Steve Howey's comedic strengths and cracks me up.

"I can't pound this whole bottle of vodka, I barely got down the Scotch."

"Keep your mom from drinking?  Have you seen her parties?  It's like she's sponsored by Smirnoff."

[Virtual]

I wouldn’t mind a reboot, but I would like to see them refrain from having Van and Cheyenne come back and live with Reba, or if they HAVE to do that, don’t make it most of the show’s run. It’s been done to death with Dan’s daughters on The Conners.

[BigBingerBro]

It would be nice for a reboot if they had Reba living alone for a change, dealing with the empty nest, yet Van & Cheyenne live nearby.  Kira lives in NYC, LA or similar and Jake off at college.  Barbara Jean and Brock still live nearby, etc.

[Bastet]

14 minutes ago, BigBingerBro said:

Jake off at college.

Jake is almost 30 years old.  Not that he couldn't be in college or grad school at that age, but Cheyenne and Van went right from high school to college despite having a kid, and Reba and Brock freaked when Kyra decided to skip college (at least for the time being) to focus on her music, so Jake was probably pointed toward the traditional path.

[ShortyMac]

15 minutes ago, BigBingerBro said:

It would be nice for a reboot if they had Reba living alone for a change, dealing with the empty nest, yet Van & Cheyenne live nearby.  Kira lives in NYC, LA or similar and Jake off at college.  Barbara Jean and Brock still live nearby, etc.

They would have to age Jake way down for that to make sense; the actor who played him will be 28 this year. If they stayed accurate with the timeline, the child Cheyenne was pregnant with at the end of the show would be about 15 now.

[BigBingerBro]

Sorry, I am older than I realize.  Scratch that Jake idea.  Let's say he failed to launch and is still living in Reba's basement.

[ForReal]

On 2/8/2022 at 4:34 PM, BigBingerBro said:

Sorry, I am older than I realize.  Scratch that Jake idea.  Let's say he failed to launch and is still living in Reba's basement.

Sadly, that sounds plausible.

I'd love to see a reboot of Reba! I liked Malibu Country, but it just wasn't as snappy or tightly knit as Reba, and even Lilly Tomlin couldn't save it. I think I could live without Brock and Barbara Jean, or at least without Brock. Maybe he's died and Reba and Barbara Jean could be neighbors and have the youngest kids going to college and living with them. Lots of generational comedy available with that. 

[FormerMod-a1]

I was thinking of another direction - have them deal with being empty nesters.  Van and Cheyenne - their 2 would be in college (or the youngest about to be), Henry would also be in college so Brock and Barbara Jean would also have no more kids in house, and Jake would out of house, too, leaving Reba all alone (kid wise, she could have a romantic partner).  The "kids" could still be in the show via visits or even have to move back for a bit, if needed, and that could cause chaos/"wacky hijinks".  

[luvthepros]

On 7/14/2017 at 11:19 AM, ButterQueen said:

I love Van too.  He has great comedic timing.

In episode one, when we find out Cheyenne is pregnant, Reba asks Van if he's told his parents.  He replies, "About what?"  Kills me!!!

I see Steve Howey as a younger version of Jim Carrey......same zany comedic talent and those facial expressions! Priceless.

Edited May 25, 2022 by luvthepros

[MollyMelrose]

Maybe someone who looks, acts, and sounds very much like Reba could befriend an equally fiesty lady bearing a remarkable resemblance to a Designing Woman. The two would have a Coach-able ex-husband, ex-boyfriend in common. They could spend many delightful hours together snarking about the Designing Woman's son-in-law, who reportedly has a wandering eye - that may be wandering in the direction of a neighbor lady the spitting image of Barbara Jean.