On Screen

The Greeneville Sun, Greeneville, TN December 31, 2022 - January 6, 2023 — 23 can read each other's minds, as far as what we want from a scene and what we want to accomplish. All of us were staying at the same place, and we'd run lines at night with Rex; he was a very good coach, an amazing coach, actually. I probably owe him money be - cause he's so good at it, and it was fun. When you've got chemistry with somebody, you just have it, and (McEntire is) a great acting partner as well as a great friend." Juggling her singing and act- ing careers has come down to something of a science for McEntire. "Whatever we've By Jay Bobbin Once again this season, Reba McEntire has made television a major part of her career menu. After her runs in the sitcoms "Reba" and "Malibu Country," the country-music icon has got- ten back into the series game with a regular role on ABC's "Big Sky" (now subtitled "Deadly Trails"). While also doing concert dates that resume in March, she has a new cable movie, too: Lifetime presents the fact-inspired story "Reba McEntire's The Hammer" Saturday, Jan. 7, casting McEntire as Nevada judge Kim Wheeler (based on the real-life Kim Wank- er) who metes out her own brand of justice while traveling between multiple courtrooms. "She is quite the character," McEntire says of Wanker, with whom she communicated largely by text and phone since the judge was about to start "a pretty seri - ous trial" while "The Hammer" was being filmed. "She's amazing. She's strong. She's a little, bitty gal, but what she does and how she stands up to people who have done other people wrong ... she makes it all fair. And it's a learn - ing experience." As an executive producer of "The Hammer" as well, McEntire has given herself a couple of fa- miliar co-stars. Rex Linn, her sig- nificant other off-screen and also her "husband" on "Big Sky," plays something of a mystery man; and McEntire's former "Reba" colleague Melissa Peterman now plays her sister, a brothel operator who becomes a murder suspect. Kay Shioma Metchie also has a significant role as Judge Wheeler's bailiff. "It's very easy, and I trust her," Peterman reflects of working with McEntire. "I almost feel like we CroSSWord Solution Puzzle on Page 17 Sudoku Solution Puzzle on Page 25 filled by client been working on, when it's time for it to develop and be pro- duced, then we do it," she ex- plains. "It's all about scheduling and timing, and thank the good Lord that so many opportuni- ties have come my way." Whether those include more "Hammer" chapters remains to be seen. "It could be a limited series, it could be a series, it could be movies continuing on," notes McEntire. "Kim does have so many great stories to tell, and Melissa said several times, 'Oh, my gosh, we could do this again.' " Editor's Pick Reba McEntire lays down the law in Lifetime's 'The Hammer' Melissa Peterman (left) and Reba McEntire star in Saturday's new Lifetime movie "Reba McEntire's The Hammer." E S V H A Z N Y W F M G M Y Z P D A K C T F O U W K V A H I M Z L O S B A N G I E S T C U F G S G L N E O Q U O B M H C L E A R A N C E Z H I G U R L A L B I U Z V D N A E S Y I E U L A J G Y I D M O Z E A S H G D N A H N Q Z R A H R G T R G Q D A T E U G C L U O Z E A U M O U E G I L A G E N T N A X G N Z R A L N V H U L E S I I H E N C W I T K I X T R E G T W D P R I C H A R D S O N R I Z I A F W U G O E S I S G L E F V L N X R E G C W J U L B Bingo Solution Puzzle on Page 29 SearCh Solution Puzzle on Page 9

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