Revival of ‘Roseanne’ proves its worth
Meet the new “Roseanne” (8 p.m. Tuesday, WTAE), largely the same as the old “Roseanne” except for a hard right political turn by its lead character.
From a storytelling perspective, that helps make the series as relevant today as it was when it first premiered in 1988 as a rare working-class family sitcom.
The show duplicates the real Roseanne’s conservative turn, playing into the notion of Roseanne (Roseanne Barr) as matriarch of a working-class, pro-Trump family pitted against liberal sister Jackie (Laurie Metcalf), who is appalled by the results of the 2016 election.
The Roseanne character’s Trump support doesn’t square with the character’s established beliefs — the original series featured a pro-union Roseanne ranting against racism and advocating for gay rights. Presumably the character’s lack of consistency follows after the show’s star, giving “Roseanne” bonus points for realism. Humans aren’t always politically consistent, why should a fictional character be any different?
Politics aside, the show’s rhythms are the same as they were in its original run.
Because it’s so true to its roots, the new “Roseanne” does feel somewhat dated at times with longer, talkier scenes than many of today’s comedies. But the writing is crisp, smart and, most importantly, funny.
Story-wise, the new “Roseanne” makes light of Dan’s death in the 1997 series finale, suggesting it was all part of a book Roseanne wrote and later discarded in the garage. The show introduces some new grandchildren, writes off son Jerry (born in season eight) as away on an Alaskan fishing boat and explains the absence of Becky’s husband, Mark (actor Glenn Quinn
died in 2002), and Darlene’s partner, David (Johnny Galecki, who’s busy on “The Big Bang Theory” but will appear in one “Roseanne” episode this season).
Lecy Goranson returns in the role of Becky, which she originated, while Sarah Chalke, who later played Becky, is back as a surrogate who hires Becky to have her baby, a twist that works for creating drama within the Conner household.
The comic timing of Ms. Barr, Ms. Metcalf and John Goodman as Dan doesn’t miss a beat, and the confrontation over politics between Roseanne and Jackie is handled with humor, wit, pathos and real chemistry between the actresses. (Jackie brings Russian salad dressing to dinner; Roseanne tells a granddaughter that Jackie wants a woman to be president even if she’s a “liar, liar, pantsuit on fire.”)
It’s easy to castigate reboots as evidence of creative bankruptcy in Hollywood, but this “Roseanne” redo has found a creative justification for its return.
More new comedy series
“Roseanne” isn’t the only new comedy debuting next week.
• “Alex Inc.” (8:30 p.m. Wednesday, ABC), starring Zach Braff (“Scrubs”) and loosely inspired by the real podcast “StartUp,” focuses on another Braff-patented man-child who quits his job to start his own company and lies to his wife (Tiya Sircar, “The Good Place”) about dipping into his 401(k). It’s more pathetic than funny.
• “Splitting Up Together” (9:30 p.m. Tuesday, ABC), a serviceable if predictable single-camera comedy, follows a husband (Oliver Hudson), who’s a self-centered child, and his control freak wife (Jenna Fischer, “The Office”) who decide to get divorced but continue living on the same property for the sake of their three kids.
Ms. Fischer is winning as ever, and even Mr. Oliver’s character is written as a charmer, but the show is so transparent about the continuing romance between their two characters to the point of questioning why they are getting divorced. Writer Emily Kapnek (“Suburgatory”) puts her thumb on the scale for the couple to get back together, but the law of TV’s slowdrip, will-they-or-won’t-they plot device suggests that wouldn’t happen until a theoretical season three or four. The show’s trajectory is so obvious it feels like a waste of time to watch.
• HBO’s “Barry” (10:30 p.m. Sunday) marks viewers’ best bet for a smart, darkly comedic new show. Bill Hader (“Saturday Night Live”) stars as the title character (he also co-created the series and co-wrote and directed the pilot), a depressed hitman from the Midwest who finds his life’s purpose in an acting class he stumbles into when he’s hired to kill one of the students in the class.
American treasure Henry Winkler (“Happy Days”) costars as the pompous but well-meaning acting teacher in this series that explores Barry’s midlife ennui, makes a mockery of stereotypical actors and occasionally offers bouts of Mel Brooks-like slapstick.
Channel surfing
This spring CNN’s Chris Cuomo moves to 9 p.m. with John Berman joining “New Day” as co-anchor. … British import drama series “Jamestown,” about Colonists in the New World, is now streaming on the PBS “Masterpiece” Amazon channel and on PBS Passport. … WQED-TV debuts two new specials Thursday: “Ink & Image: Tattoos That Heal” (8 p.m.) is about the use of tattoos to cover scars from self-harm, cancer treatment and wounds of war; “Broken: Women, Families, Opioids” (9 p.m.) explores the impacts of the state’s opioid and heroin epidemic on women and families.