In Its Second Year, ‘Reba’ Gets Real

After 20 years of marital bliss, a woman awakens to the reality that her dentist husband is leaving her to take up with the office hygienist--who is pregnant with his baby.

But the spurned wife won’t have to face life alone. Her 17-year-old daughter will be there to share the family home--along with the teen’s new baby and her high-schooler hubby. Another daughter, a snarky 13-year-old, and an 8-year-old boy fill out the household.

Well, if the 1960s series “Hogan’s Heroes” could set a sitcom in a WWII German prison camp, who’s to say that the second season of “Reba” won’t be able to wring laughs from its domestic battlefield? Tonight at 9 on the WB, the premiere episode, “House Rules,” suggests that singing star Reba McEntire and crew just might be able to pull it off.

The show received decent ratings last season, but its creators felt that for the series to achieve long-term success, it had to veer away from a tendency toward silliness and saddle the lead character of Reba Hart with real-life situations that would lend heft to the comedy. Producer Kevin Abbott (“Roseanne,” “Grace Under Fire”), who wrote tonight’s episode, was brought on board to help steer it in the new direction, with assistance from McEntire, who is now co-executive producer.

Conflicts between Reba and ex-husband Brock (Christopher Rich) and his new love, Barbara Jean (Melissa Peterman), over shared custody of the kids create some laughs tonight. And a touching yet funny scene that has Reba learning from Brock why he strayed hits the bull’s-eye for the series’ new sensibilities.

But if the teen couple keep up their whining and their baby keeps up the crying, I’m going to find someplace else to spend Friday nights.