Roll out the welcome mat: Conner family returns to the airwaves in ‘Roseanne’ reboot
Television’s earliest moms were impeccably coiffed happy homemakers. In the late 1980s, however, a new TV mom broke the mold and took over prime time. Roseanne Conner (Roseanne Barr, “The Roseanne Show”) was no June Cleaver. She wasn’t even Wilma Flintstone — and that seemed to be the reason people identified with her. Far from a perfect housewife, Roseanne was a much more realistic representation of the blue-collar mother, wife, sister and friend.
Now, she’s returning to prime time to deliver another slice of honest American life as Barr reunites with her TV family in the premiere of the nine-episode reboot of “Roseanne,” airing Tuesday, March 27, on ABC. The working class Conner family once again faces economic challenges as they live paycheck to paycheck in the small town of Lanford, Ill.
The original “Roseanne” was a huge hit, thanks to its gritty yet witty portrayal of average America, and it ran for nine successful seasons between 1988 and 1997. In the original series finale, it was revealed that the whole show had been a story written by Roseanne Conner about her life. It was a controversial ending, and one that will be addressed throughout the new run of the series, as Barr had always hoped.
“In the original series, I always wanted to have the 10th year so I could do exactly what I did in these nine [episodes], which was to finish and complete the story of this family,” Barr explained at the 2018 Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour.
The entire main cast is back for the reboot. John Goodman (“The Big Lebowski,” 1998) co-stars as Roseanne’s husband, Dan Conner. Sara Gilbert (“The Talk”), who also serves as an executive producer on the series alongside Barr, plays daughter Darlene, and Alicia Goranson (“Boys Don’t Cry,” 1999) returns as eldest daughter Becky. Sarah Chalke (“Scrubs”), who portrayed Becky in later seasons of the original series, also appears in the new show as a different character, Andrea. Michael Fishman (“Undrafted,” 2016) reprises his role as Roseanne and Dan’s son, D.J., and Emmy winner Laurie Metcalf (“Lady Bird,” 2017) steps back into the role of Roseanne’s sister, Jackie Harris.
Fans of the original series might have been surprised to see Goodman’s name on the roster, as his death was revealed at the end of the original series run. Goodman seemed satisfied with how Dan’s death is addressed when we spoke at the TCA Press Tour: “I thought it was a clever way to do it, handle it and get it out of the way,” the actor said.
In addition to the main cast, other favorites from the show’s first run are also slated to return. American Theatre Hall of Famer Estelle Parsons (“Bonnie and Clyde,” 1967) stars as Roseanne’s mother, Beverly Harris. Comedian Sandra Bernhard (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”) reprises her role as Roseanne’s friend, Nancy Bartlett. Natalie West (“Nate and Margaret,” 2012) once again appears as Roseanne’s friend and Dan’s stepmother, Crystal Anderson. “Grey’s Anatomy’s” James Pickens Jr. stars as Chuck Mitchell, and Adilah Barnes (“Tracy Takes On...”) returns as his wife, Anne-Marie. Johnny Galecki (“The Big Bang Theory”) returns for one episode to reprise his role as David.
Also of note is Christopher Lloyd’s (“Back to the Future,” 1985) gueststarring role as Bev’s boyfriend, Lou. He won’t be the only new face in Lanford. The revival welcomes new cast members Emma Kenney (“Shameless”) as Harris Conner, Ames McNamara (“At Home With Amy Sedaris”) as Mark, and Jayden Rey (“Unforgettable”) as Mary.
Beyond the familiar and new faces, “Roseanne” fans can also look forward to the intricately recreated set. From the plaid sofa to the crocheted afghan, things haven’t changed much in the Conner house — even the dated wallpaper was recreated from photos from the original series. Goodman recalled that walking onto the set for the first time felt like coming home, and that’s exactly how viewers are sure to feel when the show returns.
The original series was immensely popular in its heyday and has graced many prestigious “best of” lists over the years as a result. The show and its stars won Emmys, Golden Globes, People’s Choice Awards and even a Peabody Award for Excellence in Television Broadcasting. Not only that, it reached the No. 1 spot in the Nielsen ratings in its second season, and often ranked in the top 20 throughout its run.
It remains to be seen whether ABC’s new version will live up to the original, but millions of TV viewers are eager to find out. If there’s one thing fans can be sure of, it’s that, much like the original, the new “Roseanne” won’t shy away from controversial topics. The show is expected to address topics such as health care, the opioid crisis, gender and illegal immigration. Many TV comedies tend to avoid such hot-button issues, but Barr will tackle them head on in an effort to represent the many different opinions held by Americans, just as she did in the ‘80s and ‘90s.
Check out the special one-hour premiere of “Roseanne,” airing Tuesday, March 27, on ABC.