She’s back with real bite
immortalised normality, a mildly dysfunctional family reflective of the millions who watched at home.
The set-up was a typical family sitcom. But instead of being located in the swish avenues of New York or LA, the Conner family lives in Lanford, Illinois. They are not wealthy and have no real prospects.
Barr’s comedy of cruelty played out on her own children and the ones she loved most.
Of course there were moments when love conquers all, but as a rule Roseanne was groundbreaking because the creators did not shy away from the ugly truth.
This is why the show ran for nine seasons (six of them good) and was the No. 1 rated TV show in America for 1989-90. A golden era for sitcoms shot in front of a live studio audience.
Wide shots and ensemble moments were comedy gold for Roseanne. This style of TV is the vinyl albums in our 20th century entertainment experience.
The best episodes were crafted on electric typewriters.
They all have strong plot lines and confronting themes — politics, drug addiction, gambling, unemployment, racism, working poor, abortion, depression and anxiety long before it was acceptable to speak about these things on network TV. Roseanne demanded attention. Her skill at stand-up gave her perfect timing and you can clearly see her enjoyment at the opportunity to smash the mould of the typical “TV mom”.
The cast is peppered with genius. John Goodman and Laurie Metcalf play her husband and her sister. Sarah Bernhardt and George Clooney both play recurring characters. This latest season has the same core cast and the first episode pulled in more than 18 million viewers, which was more than the final episode of the last show in 1997.
Who knows if it’s going to stand the test of time? But if we are living in a world where Donald Trump can be elected President, Roseanne Barr has to be on TV. I can’t wait to see what she does with the opportunity. It’s guaranteed to start some discussion. Ross Mueller is a freelance writer and playwright.