'Malibu Country' review: California, here Reba comes

This is the star's new ABC show, "Reba Redux" -- otherwise actually titled "Malibu Country" -- in which she's again forced to forge a new life. (Hey, it worked last time.) But the country legend isn't in the country anymore (as if the "Reba" setting of Houston was; but Texas is Texas). In this show, Reba leaves her Nashville-singer spouse for Califor-nye-ay and swank Malibu, landing in ex-hubby's cool beach house ("Your daddy had a lotta pretty things we didn't know about").

That's where quick-drawlin' Reba and her two teens and Lily Tomlin as her dope-smoking mom will teach those crazy Califor-nye-ay-uns a thing or two about being down-to-earth and unpretentious and . . . and . . . whatever Lily was about to say, but forgot.

Well, sorta. "Malibu Country" is nothing great. But its studio-shot sitcom style sure suits Reba. She's got clockwork timing and throws off double (and triple) takes like a modern Lucy, with self-possessed guts and gumption. Emotion doesn't elude her, either. She's got sincerity, and soul.

Unfortunately, the script has lines like "My husband likes to wear my panties!" Reba sure can sing and act. Think she can write, too?