‘Reba’ stars to join forces once again in Lifetime movie

Gather around Reba fans; news broke today that co-stars Melissa Peterman and Reba McEntire are gearing up to make magic again in an upcoming Lifetime movie inspired by the story of one of the few traveling judges in America, Kim Wheeler.

If you’ve got the theme song to Reba stuck in your head now, you’re not alone. With gentle hands and the heart of a fighter (yes, we went there) — McEntire will brave a circuit that leads her to work tragic cases, ones tougher than she’s ever seen before. One of those cases, the death of the former judge, brings her family into question, and Wheeler’s job intensifies significantly.

Deadline shared the news alongside the following synopsis for The Hammer.

“The Hammer follows Kim Wheeler (played by McEntire, who also executive produces), an outspoken, firecracker lawyer who is appointed Judge of the 5th District of Nevada and is one of the few traveling judges left in America. After the reigning judge dies under suspicious circumstances, Kim finds herself covering a circuit that stretches between Las Vegas and Reno — a rugged, often desolate area where anything and everything can happen.

“With gavel in hand, she lays down the law with a no-nonsense brand of justice, that quickly earns her the nickname “The Hammer.” As the investigation of the former judge’s death heats up, Kim’s sister Kris (Peterman), who runs the local brothel, suddenly becomes the prime suspect, and Kim must work even harder to make certain the appropriate justice is served.”

The Hammer will obviously follow a more serious tone than Reba, meaning we’ll see a different side of Peterman and McEntire. Still, their decades-long friendship will undeniably be on display. After all, if they can play enemies turned family on a fan favorite sitcom, the pair can play sisters with everything on the line.

Reba aired for six seasons and followed McEntire as the titular character living through a separation and subsequent divorce. If that wasn’t hard enough, her husband’s new partner had a deep desire to become her best friend, and that partner — named Barbara-Jean, was played by Peterman.

Their antics, friendship, and bond in the series carried over into their personal lives, and they have remained friends for years. If you’re suddenly missing Reba, you can read more about what the cast is up to now. 

The Hammer currently has no release date yet, but we’ll keep you updated as we find out more.