ABC orders spinoff sans Roseanne
About three weeks after ABC abruptly cancelled the revival of “Roseanne” following Roseanne Barr’s racist tweet, the network has ordered a spinoff — without Barr attached.
The working title is “The Conners,” and centres on the family as they grapple with “parenthood, dating, an unexpected pregnancy, financial pressures, aging and in-laws in workingclass America,” the network said in a news release. “Through it all, the fights, the coupon cutting, the hand-me-downs, the breakdowns — with love, humour and perseverance, the family prevails.”
“Roseanne Barr will have no financial or creative involvement in the new series,” the release added. The network also included a statement from Barr: “I regret the circumstances that have caused me to be removed from ‘Roseanne,’” she said. “I agreed to the settlement in order that 200 jobs of beloved cast and crew could be saved, and I wish the best for everyone involved.”
In late May, ABC shut down the series after Barr’s tweet, which likened Valerie Jarrett, adviser to former President Barack Obama, to an ape. Barr later deleted the tweet and apologized, saying it was a joke. Still, hours after it was sent, ABC entertainment president Channing Dungey announced, “Roseanne’s Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show.”
Now, the spinoff, which has a 10-episode order, will star John Goodman as Roseanne’s husband, Dan; Laurie Metcalf as her sister, Jackie; Sara Gilbert as her daughter, Darlene; Lecy Goranson as her other daughter, Becky; and Michael Fishman as her grandson, D.J.
“We have received a tremendous amount of support from fans of our show, and it’s clear that these characters not only have a place in our hearts, but in the hearts and homes of our audience,” the cast said in a joint statement.
Gilbert will return as an executive producer alongside Tom Werner, who executive produced the show’s original run in the 1990s. Additional cast members will be announced later.
The show will air Tuesday nights this fall.