{"id":137005,"date":"2024-12-07T02:44:10","date_gmt":"2024-12-07T02:44:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/07\/steve-howey-breaks-down-every-reba-nod-from-his-happys-place-debut\/"},"modified":"2024-12-07T02:44:10","modified_gmt":"2024-12-07T02:44:10","slug":"steve-howey-breaks-down-every-reba-nod-from-his-happys-place-debut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/07\/steve-howey-breaks-down-every-reba-nod-from-his-happys-place-debut\/","title":{"rendered":"Steve Howey Breaks Down Every Reba Nod From His Happy’s Place Debut"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\n Steve Howey as Danny, Reba McEntire as Bobbie, Melissa Peterman as Gabby in \u2018Happy\u2019s Place.\u2019<\/span> Casey Durkin\/NBC<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Steve Howey<\/strong>\u2018s guest spot on Happy\u2019s Place<\/em> featured some nods to his days playing Van on Reba<\/em> \u2014 but did you catch every Easter egg?<\/p>\n

During the Friday, December 6, episode of Happy\u2019s Place<\/em>, Howey, 47, finally shared the screen with Reba McEntire<\/strong> and Melissa Peterman<\/strong> two decades after they starred on Reba. The trio played entirely different characters<\/a> on NBC\u2019s current series, but the show still found a way to acknowledge Howey\u2019s past<\/a> by having his character Danny deliver a line about a group of people he knew in Houston 20 years ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was already in the script, which I really liked. It was a little wink and nod to the old TV show audience,\u201d Howey exclusively told Us Weekly<\/em> about the tongue-in-cheek reference. \u201cThis is why it was so cool.\u201d<\/p>\n

The actor praised Happy\u2019s Place<\/em> for finding a way to tease the highly-anticipated Reba<\/em> reunion.<\/a><\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>\u2018Reba\u2019 Cast: Where Are They Now?<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tReba McEntire proved she is more than just a country superstar when she led her own TV show \u2014 appropriately called Reba. The sitcom ran for six seasons from October 2001 to February 2007. McEntire starred as a single mother raising her three children \u2014 played by JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Scarlett Pomers and Mitch Holleman [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cI grew up with classic sitcoms and so I always wanted to do a sitcom [as an actor]. I was lucky enough to be on one that is a classic. Fans have been telling me over the years that the show was the one thing that they could bond over with their family because it was appropriate for all ages,\u201d Howey noted. \u201cAnd it still plays and people still are finding it now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Howey called the subtle nods a \u201cclassic sitcom move,\u201d<\/a> adding, \u201cThose little wink and nods are really cool for the audience. It was cool for us to do it and it was already written by one of the writers.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Steve Howey as Danny in \u2018Happy\u2019s Place.\u2019<\/span> Steve Howey as Danny<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Happy\u2019s Place<\/em> follows Bobbie (McEntire) as she inherits her father\u2019s restaurant and discovers a new business partner in the long-lost half-sister (Belissa Escobedo<\/strong>) she didn\u2019t know she had. Peterman, 53, plays a bartender at the restaurant while McEntire\u2019s boyfriend, Rex Linn<\/strong><\/a>, also appears as tavern cook Emmett.<\/p>\n

The sitcom brought McEntire, 69, and Peterman back together more than 17 years after their hit series Reba<\/em> ended its six-year run<\/a> on The WB. In addition to McEntire, Peterman and Howey, the beloved show also starred Christopher Rich<\/strong> and JoAnna Garcia Swisher<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

While filming his scenes as Danny, Howey found ways to honor his Reba character.<\/a><\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Costars Reunited Through the Years<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tNothing like a little reunion! Stars from both TV and film are constantly reuniting in Hollywood, whether it be on a red carpet or for a new project. Check out stars — from shows and movies like That ’70s Show, Saved by the Bell and Full House — that have come together years after they took their last bows together\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cThe line that I did give was the first time I walked in when Reba was drawing on Melissa\u2019s picture and she made a mustache. I say, \u2018Hey, nice mustache.\u2019 She turns around and says, \u2018Wish I could say the same about yours,’\u201d he said about how Danny\u2019s appearance differs from Van. \u201cBut that was my line to Reba \u2014 and that\u2019s how cool Reba is. I can pitch something and she\u2019s like, \u2018I\u2019ll try it,\u2019 Also speaking of being really proud of the mustache, it makes its television debut on Happy\u2019s Place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Happy\u2019s Place<\/em> doesn\u2019t just have Reba<\/em> alums<\/a> in front of the camera. Showrunner Kevin Abbott<\/strong>, who was an executive producer on Reba<\/em> when it aired on The WB between 2001 and 2007, was instrumental in using McEntire and Peterman\u2019s new NBC sitcom as a way to work with their former costars.<\/a><\/p>\n

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\n Reba McEntire and Steve Howey in \u2018Reba.\u2019<\/span> YouTube<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cKevin had this idea for this character ahead of time. And then he was like, \u2018What if Howey would do it? That would be really great to get a reunion going.\u2019 I fit the character description so he gave me a call,\u201d Howey recalled to Us<\/em>. \u201cThe planets just aligned on this one.\u201d<\/p>\n

As viewers have already realized, Happy\u2019s Place<\/em> might include some similarities<\/a> to Reba<\/em> but, ultimately, it is its own show. Howey\u2019s character Danny is a perfect example of Happy\u2019s Place<\/em> utilizing nostalgia without mirroring every detail from Reba<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cVan is obviously different because I was so different. I was a lot younger, a lot more naive and a lot more fresh. It was my first series regular job so it was very new. Now after 20 some years, I can bring different experiences to the characters that I play,\u201d Howey explained. \u201cAlso the character relationships \u2014 because Happy\u2019s Place<\/em> is a new thing \u2014 are different. Yes, it\u2019s Reba Melissa, but the characters are different. Bobbie is a lot different than Reba. Gabby is a lot different than Barbara Jean and Danny\u2019s obviously different.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>Celebrities Who Became BFFs With Their Costars<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tEveryone loves an on-set couple \u2014 and these duos are no exception! Mindy Kaling, B.J. Novak, Hilarie Burton and Sophia Bush are just a few of the stars who went from costars to best friends in real life. Michelle Williams and Busy Philipps, for instance, met while filming\u00a0Dawson\u2019s Creek. The Oscar nominee starred as Jen [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

He continued: \u201cThis guy owns his own business. He has money and he\u2019s playing this game. Like you said, Danny was onto them the whole time. \u2026 They have something special [with Happy\u2019s Place<\/em>] that just makes sense and Reba has another lightning in the bottle show.\u201d<\/p>\n

Howey is expected to appear in additional episodes, but that doesn\u2019t mean he will interact with any other former Reba<\/em> costars on the show. After Abbott previously confirmed their attempts to get Howey\u2019s former onscreen love interest JoAnna Garcia Swisher<\/strong> to make a guest appearance, Howey told Us<\/em> he would prefer they not share<\/a> the screen.<\/p>\n

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