Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Will Roseanne’s biting wit still refresh?
Nostalgia has a strong kick for hit-hungry broadcast networks. “Will & Grace” strutted back to NBC in the fall. ABC rolls out a “Roseanne” reboot March 27. CBS brings back “Murphy Brown” next season.
That each sitcom lasted too long the first time around matters little. Viewers remember old favorites at their best, and “Roseanne” was groundbreaking when it debuted in 1988. The cast discusses the revival at 10 p.m. Thursday on ABC’s “20/20.”
“Roseanne” offered a frank depiction of a family struggling economically. Roseanne (Roseanne Barr) and Dan Conner (John Goodman) had three children, sundry money troubles and biting wit.
The blue-collar humor was refreshing, and so were the star’s observations, modeled on her “domestic goddess” stand-up act. The show made headlines for backstage turmoil, and the star often overshadowed her series.
Yet “Roseanne” pushed for realistic portrayals of family, explored topics from PMS to flatulence, introduced gay characters matter-of-factly and staged clever Halloween episodes.
Its influence can be seen in everything from “The Simpsons” to “The Middle.” Barr won an Emmy for acting, and Laurie Metcalf, who plays sister Jackie, collected three.
In 1995, Metcalf told me: “It’s Roseanne’s show. It always has been. She pitches the story lines, she punches up the writing, and she’s got a strong finger on what people would like to see.”
Metcalf also revealed she couldn’t get a handle on Jackie: “It’s too close to me, which is the reason I’m kind of self-conscious doing that character.” The Oscar nominee for “Lady Bird” is a major reason to tune in.
Though “Roseanne” ran nine seasons, it collapsed in the final one. Barr recently revealed that she had “several” nervous breakdowns during the series. Sara Gilbert, who plays daughter Darlene, praised Barr for opening up and coming back.
“I’m so happy that she got the opportunity to do it again, feeling like she’s in a better space,” Gilbert said on “The Talk.” “No one should be suffering through their successes, so how great to get to do it from a positive [space].”
Here’s hoping it’s positive for viewers, too.