Roseanne

For other uses, seeRoseanne (disambiguation).

Roseanne
Genre	Sitcom
Created by	Matt Williams
Based on	A character created byRoseanne Barr
Directed by	John Pasquin(seasons 1–2 & 10) Various (seasons 1 & 3–10)
Starring	Roseanne Barr John Goodman Laurie Metcalf Sara Gilbert Lecy Goranson Michael Fishman Natalie West Sarah Chalke Emma Kenney Ames McNamara Jayden Rey
Theme music composer	Dan Foliart & Howard Pearl W. G. Snuffy Walden
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No.of seasons	10
No.of episodes	231(list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Roseanne Barr Chuck Lorre Marcy Carsey Tom Werner Bruce Helford Whitney Cummings Sara Gilbert Tony Hernandez
Producers	Matt Williams (season 1) Al Lowenstein (seasons 2–9) Sid Youngers (season 10)
Running time	21–22 minutes
Production companies	The Carsey-Werner Company Wind Dancer Productions(season 1) Full Moon and High Tide Productions(seasons 7–9) Mohawk Productions(season 10) Jax Media(season 10)
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	October 18, 1988(1988-10-18)– May 20, 1997(1997-05-20)
Release	March 27(2018-03-27)– May 22, 2018(2018-05-22)
Related
The Conners

Roseanneis an American televisionsitcomcreated byMatt Williamsthat originally aired onABCfrom October 18, 1988, to May 20, 1997, and briefly revived from March 27, 2018, to May 22, 2018. The show starsRoseanne Barras Roseanne Conner and revolves around her family in the fictional town of Lanford,Illinois.Receiving generally positive reviews for its realistic portrayal of a working-class American family, the series reached No. 1 in theNielsen ratingsfrom 1989 to 1990 in its second season.

During the initial run, the series remained in the top four for six of the nine seasons, and in the top 20 for eight. During the short-lived revival, the series reached No. 3, with an average of 18 million viewers per episode within the span of its nine episodes. In 1993, the episode "A Stash from the Past"was ranked No. 21 onTV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time.In 2002,Roseannewas ranked No. 35 onTV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.In 2013, it was ranked No. 32 onTV Guide's 60 Best Series of All Time.

On May 16, 2017, ABC announced it hadgreenlitarevived, 10th seasonofRoseanneas a mid-season replacement in 2018, with the original cast returning. In November 2017, ABC requested an additional episode, bringing the total to nine.It premiered on March 27, 2018, to an initial audience of 18.44 million, which grew to 27.26 million total viewers following7 days of delayed viewing.On March 30, 2018, following the success of its premiere,Roseannewas renewed for an 11th season of 13 episodes.

ABC, however, reversed its renewal decision and canceledRoseanneon May 29, 2018, after Barr likened formerObama administrationofficialValerie JarretttoPlanet of the Apes,ina series of commentsonTwitterthat were described by the network's president as "abhorrent, repugnant, and inconsistent with our values."On June 21, 2018, ABC announced plans to re-tool the show as aspin-off continuationinvolving the Conner family without Roseanne, titledThe Conners,which premiered in October 2018. A ratings success for the network, the series aired its sixth season on February 7, 2024, after strike-related delays.

Production history

In coming up with ideas for new shows,Marcy CarseyandTom WernerofCarsey-Werner Productionsdecided to look into the concept of the working mother as a central voice.Up until that point, there had been countless shows with working mothers, but few treated them as anything other than an adjunct to the father in the family. Werner had suggested that they take a chance on Barr whom they had seen onThe Tonight Show.This was because he saw the unique "in your face" voice that they were looking for and he contacted her agent and offered her the role. Barr's act at the time was the persona of the "domestic goddess", but as Carsey and Werner explains, she had the distinctive voice and attitude for the character and she was able to transform herself into the working-class heroine they envisioned.Many early scripts were written by women:Grace McKeaney,Lauren Eve Anderson,and Laurie Gelman (the first female writer-producer to work on Roseanne),and directed byEllen Gittelsohn.

Barr maintained that the characters of "Roseanne" and her family were based heavily on Roseanne herself and her own children and lived experience. Matt Williams, the original showrunner hired by Carsey and Werner, maintained that the show had been created before Barr's involvement, based on his own family experiences. UnderWriters Guild of Americaregulations, only someone who wrote a series' pilot episode can receive creator credit on that series; consequently, Williams (who was the sole writer of the pilot) received on-screen credit as the show's sole creator. A subsidiary credit noted that the work was based on Barr's stand-up comedy.

In 1993, it was made public that Barr would refer to each of her 19 writers by a number rather than their name. The writers would wear shirts with their assigned number.

Premise

The series is centered on the Conners, an Americanworking-classfamily struggling to get by on a limited household income. Dan, Roseanne, and their three young children, Becky, Darlene, and D.J. live at 714 Delaware Street in the drab fictional mid-stateexurbof Lanford, inKane County, Illinois.Although initially nominally located inFulton County,more than three hours away from Chicago, later on-air references over the years suggested the town is in the vicinity ofAuroraandElgin,which are less than one hour away fromChicago,andDeKalb,just over one hour away.In a 2018 interview, Barr stated that the series setting was based on Elgin.The family consisted of outspoken Roseanne, married to husband Dan, and their three children: Becky, Darlene, and DJ. Later in the series, Roseanne and Dan have their fourth child, Jerry Garcia Conner.

Many critics considered the show notable as one of the first sitcoms to realistically portray ablue-collarAmerican family with two parents working outside the home, as well as lead characters who were noticeably overweight without their weight being the target of jokes.

Establishing shotswere photographed inEvansville, Indiana,the hometown of first-season producerMatt Williams.Exterior shots of the Conner household were based on a real home located in Evansville, located at 619 S. Runnymeade Avenue, a few blocks from Williams' alma mater, theUniversity of Evansville.Interior shots primarily feature anoctagonalkitchentable, used in the introductory title sequenceand aliving roomsofadraped with acrochetedgranny squareafghan blanket.

Barr's real-life brother and sister aregay,which inspired her to push for introducing gay characters and issues into the show. "My show seeks to portray various slices of life, and homosexuals are a reality," said Barr.Provocative storylines have been an integral part of the series throughout its existence; Barr has stated that they were issues that working-class Americans experience in their everyday lives and that very few scripted programs ever address them.

Cast and characters

Main article:List of Roseanne and The Conners characters

Overview of the cast ofRoseanne

Actor	Character	Seasons
		1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Roseanne Barr	Roseanne Conner	Main
John Goodman	Dan Conner	Main
Laurie Metcalf	Jackie Harris	Main
Sal Barone	D.J. Conner	Main (pilot only)	Does not appear
Michael Fishman		Main
Sara Gilbert	Darlene Conner	Main
Lecy Goranson	Becky Conner	Main					Does not appear		Main	Does not appear	Main
Sarah Chalke	Becky Conner-Healy	Does not appear					Main		Recurring	Main	Does not appear
	Andrea	Does not appear									Recurring
Natalie West	Crystal Anderson-Conner	Recurring		Main		Recurring	Guest	Does not appear	Guest	Does not appear	Guest
Emma Kenney	Harris Conner-Healy	Does not appear									Main
Ames McNamara	Mark Conner-Healy	Does not appear									Main
Jayden Rey	Mary Conner										Main
George Clooney	Booker Brooks	Recurring	Does not appear		Guest	Does not appear
Estelle Parsons	Beverly "Bev" Harris	Guest				Recurring
Glenn Quinn	Mark Healy	Does not appear		Guest	Recurring						Does not appear
Martin Mull	Leon Carp	Does not appear		Recurring		Guest	Recurring				Does not appear
Johnny Galecki	David Healy	Does not appear			Recurring						Guest
Sandra Bernhard	Nancy Bartlett	Does not appear			Recurring			Guest	Recurring		Guest
Danielle Harris	Molly Tilden	Does not appear				Recurring	Does not appear
Mara Hobel	Charlotte Tilden	Does not appear				Recurring	Does not appear
Michael O'Keefe	Fred	Does not appear					Recurring			Does not appear
Fred Willard	Scott	Does not appear							Recurring		Does not appear

Episodes

Main article:List of Roseanne episodes

Seasons ofRoseanne

Season	Episodes		Originally aired		Rank	Rating	Viewers (millions)
			First aired	Last aired
1	23		October 18, 1988(1988-10-18)	May 2, 1989(1989-05-02)	2	23.8	37.3
2	24		September 12, 1989(1989-09-12)	May 8, 1990(1990-05-08)	1	23.4	36.9
3	25		September 18, 1990(1990-09-18)	May 14, 1991(1991-05-14)	3	18.1	28.0
4	25		September 17, 1991(1991-09-17)	May 12, 1992(1992-05-12)	2	19.9	33.0
5	25		September 15, 1992(1992-09-15)	May 18, 1993(1993-05-18)	2	20.7	32.5
6	25		September 14, 1993(1993-09-14)	May 24, 1994(1994-05-24)	4	19.1	29.9
7	26		September 21, 1994(1994-09-21)	May 24, 1995(1995-05-24)	9	15.5	23.4
8	25		September 19, 1995(1995-09-19)	May 21, 1996(1996-05-21)	16	12.5	18.8
9	24		September 17, 1996(1996-09-17)	May 20, 1997(1997-05-20)	35	10.1	16.2
10	9		March 27, 2018(2018-03-27)	May 22, 2018(2018-05-22)	3	10.2	19.95

Original series

Season 1

Roseanne (Roseanne Barr) is a line worker at Wellman Plastics, along with her sister Jackie (Laurie Metcalf) and friend Crystal (Natalie West). Jackie has a brief relationship with Booker (George Clooney), the foreman at Wellman. Roseanne's husband Dan (John Goodman) finds sporadic work as a construction contractor. Dan has a strained relationship with his divorced father, Ed (Ned Beatty), a traveling salesman who was often absent during Dan's childhood. Roseanne and Jackie's meddlesome parents Beverly (Estelle Parsons) and Al (John Randolph), consider moving to Lanford, panicking both sisters, although this is quickly dismissed as just an "idea."

Middle Conner child Darlene (Sara Gilbert), a tomboy, often struggles with her femininity as she enters puberty and gets her first period. Eldest child Becky (Lecy Goranson) faces dating problems with her first boyfriend Chip (Jared Rushton), who is introduced in the "Lover's Lane" episode. Youngest child David Jacob, known as "D.J.", has to work hard to be noticed amid all the family's activities. Season one also finds the Conners experiencing, and surviving, a tornado. In the "Death and Stuff" episode a door-to-door salesman dies in the Conners' kitchen, and in the season finale Roseanne stands up to the new abusive foreman (Fred Thompson) when she leads Jackie, Crystal, and other coworkers as they quit Wellman Plastics. D.J. is played by Sal Barone in the pilot episode, then byMichael Fishmanfor the remainder of the series. This season includes a running gag where the word "corn" is used in every episode.

Notable Season 1 guest stars includeBill Sadleras Dan's friend Dwight,Robert Harperas Chip's father, Andrea Walters as Chip's mother, andTony Craneas Becky's love interest "The Tongue Bandit." Bill Pentland, Roseanne Barr's first husband, made a cameo as one of Dan's friends in the "Saturday" episode.

Season 2

After quitting Wellman Plastics, Roseanne and Jackie must find new jobs. Jackie becomes a police officer. Roseanne cycles through numerous menial jobs including telemarketer, secretary for Dan's Boss, bartender, a fast-food restaurant cashier, and, finally, sweeping floors at a beauty parlor. At home, Dan's poker buddy Arnie (Tom Arnold) makes a startling debut when he plants a kiss on Roseanne. The Conners celebrate an outrageous Halloween that becomes an annual series feature. Roseanne wants ten rela xing minutes to herself in the bathtub; this turns into a bizarre dream sequence that has the entire cast singing parodies of songs from musical comedies. Later, atThanksgivingdinner, Roseanne unexpectedly discovers a budding romance between Dan's father, Ed, and Crystal. Jackie gets serious with her new boyfriend, Gary (Brian Kerwin). Becky grows rebellious against Roseanne and Dan's parental authority, staying out late and breaking into the liquor cabinet and getting drunk with her friend, Dana. When old biker buddy, Ziggy (Jay O. Sanders) reappears, it reminds Roseanne and Dan of their own rebellious past. Darlene shows writing talent after receiving recognition for her poem. Roseanne's own writing aspirations are given a boost after Dan builds her an office in the basement. This is the first season Roseanne is heard thinking out loud.

Other notable guest stars during the season includeStephen Dorffas Becky's boyfriend Jimmy,Jenny Lewisas Becky's friend Diane,Stephen Rootas Roseanne's lawyer Peter, andBert Parksas a judge.Ann Wedgeworthplayed Dan Conner's mother in the Thanksgiving episode.

Season 3

The season opens with the Conner family confronting Roseanne's possible pregnancy. The pregnancy turns up negative. Roseanne takes a waitress job in the luncheonette at Rodbell's Department Store, working with her Boss, Leon (Martin Mull), and co-worker, Bonnie (Bonnie Sheridan). Jackie is injured on the job, resulting in her leaving the police force and breaking up with Gary. Becky begins dating Mark Healy (Glenn Quinn); when her parents forbid her to see him, she temporarily moves in with Jackie. Dan is floored to learn his father, Ed and Crystal plan to marry; Crystal is pregnant with Ed's baby.

Roseanne locks horns with snooty new neighbor Kathy Bowman (Meagen Fay). Bev's mother, Nana Mary (Shelley Winters) makes her first appearance at a family barbecue. In the season finale, Ziggy reappears, proposing to open a motorcycle repair shop with Dan. While they attempt to procure a loan for business, Ziggy backs out and leaves town, not wanting Dan and Roseanne to risk their house if the business fails. However, he leaves enough money behind for Dan to open it by himself. He is never heard about again.

Other notable guest stars during the season include Dann Florek as Principal Hiller,Leonardo DiCaprioas Darlene's classmate,Brad Garrettas Doug,Judy Goldas Amy,Alyson Hanniganas Becky's friend Jan, andTobey Maguireas Jeff.

Season 4

The opening credits of Season 4 change from Season 3 and now shows "Roseanne Arnold" instead of "Roseanne Barr".

Becky stuns Roseanne by asking for birth-control pills. Dan and Roseanne open their new motorcycle repair shop business, Lanford Custom Cycle, while Roseanne continues working at Rodbell's luncheonette. Darlene meets David Healy (Johnny Galecki), Mark's younger brother (in his first appearance, the character was named Kevin). After a brief stint working at Rodbell's perfume counter, Jackie enrolls in truck driver school. Nancy (Sandra Bernhard) is introduced as Arnie's fiancée. After a night of heavy drinking, Jackie wakes up in her bed with the newly engaged Arnie. Darlene's personality shifts into a sullengothteen. Jackie's former boyfriend, Booker, makes a surprise appearance at a Halloween party. Roseanne's neighbors, Kathy and Jerry Bowman, move back to Chicago. Roseanne getsbreast reductionsurgery. Crystal gives birth to Dan's new half-brother, "Little Ed". Roseanne and Dan accompany Arnie and Nancy to their wedding inLas Vegas.At the end of the season, Lanford Custom Cycle fails, and Rodbell's Luncheonette closes. Nancy is single again after Arnie leaves her and claims he was "abducted by aliens".

Notable guest stars during the season includeBob Hope,Jena Maloneas a little girl on Santa's lap,Wayne Newtonas himself,David Crosbyas Duke,Bonnie Sheridanas Roseanne's coworker Bonnie,Neil Patrick HarrisasDr. Doogie Howser,andRick Deesas Ken.

Season 5

After Dan's bike shop closes, Mark accepts a job inMinnesota.Becky secretly decides to go with him, and they elope. Jackie and Roseanne each receive $10,000 from their mother, Bev, after she divorces their father. They, along with Nancy, decide to open a diner but can only get the additional money they need from Bev, who becomes a partner. Nancy comes out as a lesbian. The Tildens, a single father, and his two teen daughters (Wings Hauser,Mara Hobel,Danielle Harris), move in next door. Jackie dates Fisher (Matt Roth), a much younger man she quickly moves in with. When Roseanne discovers Fisher physically abused Jackie, Dan beats him up (never shown onscreen) and is arrested. Roseanne and Jackie's father dies, and Roseanne confronts his longtime secret mistress only to discover her father blamed his daughters for his abusive behavior. Roseanne's rich, estranged cousin Ronnie (Joan Collins) visits and encourages Darlene to get herGEDand apply to arts colleges. David applies as well. Darlene wants David to move in when his mother is moving to a new town. Roseanne and Dan initially refuse, but Roseanne relents after witnessing Mrs. Healey's abusive behavior, a decision partially based on her own father's abusiveness. Roger (Tim Curry) recruits Dan to renovate and sell a smallfixer-upperhouse, then skips town, leaving Dan with a looming debt; Jackie buys the house, saving the Conners from financial ruin. David is rejected from theChicagoarts college that he and Darlene applied to, while Darlene is accepted. Roseanne refuses to let Darlene attend before finishing high school. She fears Darlene might run away to Chicago, but Darlene decides to decline because David was rejected. Roseanne wants Darlene to go after learning David threatened to break up, though Darlene's real reason is fear she will fail.During this season, there is a running gag in which each of the Conners (save Becky) appears in a different scene in the same long-sleeved, egg-printed shirt with a large chicken on the front.

Notable guest stars during the season includeWings Hauseras Ty Tilden,Danielle Harrisas Molly Tilden,Mara Hobelas Charlotte Tilden,Loretta Lynnas herself,Morgan Fairchildas Nancy's girlfriend Marla,Bill Maheras Bob,Ed Begley, Jr.as Principal Alexander,Blake Clarkas Vic,Red Buttonsas Bev's lover Jake,Sally Kirklandas Mark and David's mother Barbara,Tim Curryas Nancy's lover Roger,Joseph Gordon-Levittas DJ's annoying wannabe friend George,Joan Collinsas Roseanne and Jackie's cousin Ronnie,Matt Rothas Jackie's boyfriend Fisher,Steve Jonesas a threatening diner patron, and in a very brief cameo,Chris Farleyas a customer trying on a too-small leather jacket.

Season 6

After Roseanne and Jackie force Bev into being a silent partner in the diner, Bev retaliates by selling her share to Roseanne's annoying former Boss, Leon. David proposes marriage to Darlene, but she refuses. Roseanne discovers a marijuana stash in the basement, believing it is David's. After realizing it is her and Dan's old pot, they and Jackie get high. Roseanne's past as a child abuse victim arises when she reacts violently after DJjoyridesand wrecks her car. She is left concerned she may be continuing the cycle. Becky (now played bySarah Chalke) and Mark return to Lanford and move into the Conners' house. Dan and Roseanne surprise Becky with tuition money to start college but are furious when Becky instead uses it for Mark to attend trade school, though he soon flunks out. Jackie becomes pregnant after a one-night stand with Fred (Michael O'Keefe), Dan's co-worker at the city garage. Though Jackie is initially resistant, she and Fred gradually develop a relationship. Roseanne discovers David secretly living with Darlene in Chicago. She brings him back to Lanford, but when Dan finds out the truth, he throws David out, but soon allows him to return. Roseanne visits a gay bar with Nancy, where she receives an unwanted kiss from Nancy's girlfriend. Jackie gives birth to a son, Andy. Dan, who always blamed his father, Ed, for his mother's problems, is forced to confront her mental illness. The season concludes with Fred and Jackie's wedding.

Notable guest stars during the season includeMichael O'Keefeas Fred, the father of Jackie's baby;Sandra Bernhardas Nancy, Roseanne and Jackie's co-worker;Mariel Hemingwayas Sharon, Nancy's girlfriend;Vicki Lawrenceas Phyllis, Dan's old high school flame;Florence Hendersonas Flo, a woman with whom Roseanne networks at a women's business club meeting;Genie FrancisandAnthony GearyasGeneral Hospital'sLukeandLaura Spencer;Ahmet Zappaas Roy, Mark's handsome laconic roommate; andFabioas himself.

Season 7

The opening credits of Season 7 change from previous seasons in that the show now stars "Roseanne" instead of "Roseanne Arnold". On the September 21, 1994, Season 7 premiere, in acknowledging Roseanne's divorce and dropping her last name, all credits (opening and closing) included the cast and crew's first names only (except for creator Matt Williams, whose complete name was shown). This was the only time this occurred in an episode during its run.

Season seven begins with Roseanne's pregnancy and goes on to tackle such issues asabortion,alcoholism,drug abuse, sexual dysfunction, and racial prejudice. Darlene and David break up after briefly maintaining an open relationship when Darlene begins dating Jimmy. This leads to some awkwardness for Roseanne and Dan as they deal with their daughter's ex-boyfriend living with them. David also dates other girls, but eventually, he and Darlene reunite. Mark and Becky move into a shabby trailer. D.J. plays a bigger role this season, most notably in an episode wherein he refuses to kiss a black girl in his school play.Episode 19 is a special hour-long broadcast that recounts all the previous seasons with Roseanne being "welcomed" by other sitcom moms.

Notable guest stars during the season includeSharon Stoneas a trailer-park resident,Ellen DeGeneresas Jackie and Fred's marriage counselor,Danny Mastersonas Darlene's boyfriend Jimmy,Joseph Gordon-Levittas DJ's friend George, andTraci Lordsas Lanford Lunch Box busperson Stacy. In the season finale, a tribute is made to TV producerSherwood Schwartz.Uncredited appearances at the end of theGilligan's Islandepisode features former cast members playing Roseanne characters. These includeDawn Wells,Bob Denver,Tina Louise,andRussell Johnson,as well as Sherwood Schwartz. Also,Isabel Sanford,Alley Mills,Barbara Billingsley,June Lockhart,andPat Crowleyappear as themselves in another episode.

Season 8

Season eight addresses Roseanne's pregnancy and subsequent arrival of her and Dan's son,Jerry GarciaConner. (In acontinuitychange, the baby had been revealed to be a girl in season seven. Roseanne, in an after-credits out of character scene, explains that "the amnio was wrong" ). The season starts with Dan deciding to leave his secure city job and rejoin his old construction crew to drywall the new prison being built outside of Lanford. With the pension money and final check Dan receives when leaving his job, he and Roseanne decide to take the entire family on vacation toWalt Disney World.

It is later revealed that while the clan was at Disney World, Darlene got pregnant. Darlene intends to have the baby and she and David become engaged. The season climaxes with the couple's rushed wedding. During the reception, Dan suffers a heart attack. In the next episode, it is revealed that he survived, with D.J. having saved his life by administering CPR. The season concludes with Dan and Roseanne having a bitter fight after Dan abandons his diet and exercise plan, rehashing many buried personality clashes and resentments of the entire series. They end up wrecking their living room in the process. The credits fade as Roseanne walks out on Dan.

Lecy Goransonreturns in the role of Becky.Sarah Chalkefilled in as Becky for several episodes when Goranson had a scheduling conflict due to her academic studies. Notable guest stars during the season includeFred Willardas Leon's husband, Scott,Ed McMahonas himself,John Popper(withBlues Traveler) as an old friend of Dan's,Pat Harrington Jr.as himself,Jenna Elfmanas hitchhiker Garland,Shecky Greeneas Bar Mitzvah guest Uncle Saul,Norm Crosbyas Reverend Crosley,June Lockhartas Leon's mother,Milton Berleas a transvestite, the cast ofStompas Lanford Lunch Box patrons,Eric Daneas a Disney World bellhop, andTony Curtisas ballroom-dance instructor Hal.

Season 9

The opening titles of Season 9 still list the star as "Roseanne", but the first episode credits her as "Roseanne Barr Pentland Arnold Thomas".

The ninth (and originally final) season features many changes. In previous seasons, the original theme song was played onsaxophone,accompanied by drums and other instruments. For this final season, the theme was re-recorded and performed byBlues Travelerwith a distorted harmonica—one of the band's staples—playing in place of the saxophone. Lyrics were also added and sung into the theme by the band's lead vocalist,John Popper.Episodes in this season exhibit a much more surreal style. Additionally, the 'daily struggle' theme of previous episodes is abandoned, and the season focuses primarily on bringing the characters full circle emotionally.Sarah Chalkereturns in the role of Becky soLecy Goransoncould resume her college studies.

The Conners win the Illinois statelotteryjackpot of $108 million; Dan ponders the meaning of life, Jackie meets her (real-life) prince, DJ finds love, and Darlene, after pre-natal medical issues, gives birth to a daughter. John Goodman is absent for most of the season, as he was busy filmingThe Big Lebowski;in later episodes, Goodman resembles his "Lebowski" character Walter Sobchak.

In the season's final episode, Roseanne reveals the entire series itself is actually a fictional story written by Roseanne Conner, inspired by her real life. To cope, Roseanne twisted major elements of her life for the story, which the audience does not discover until the final moments of the season. In reality, Dan's heart attack near the end of Season 8 was fatal and the Conner family did not win the lottery. A story arc running through the final season that Dan betrayed Roseanne by having an affair is revealed to be false; Dan's betrayal was not having an affair, but dying.

Roseanne could always take the worst life could throw at her with a laugh, but she was unable to cope with Dan's death. Also, Jackie is a lesbian and Beverly is straight. Scott is a probate lawyer whom Roseanne befriended, and set up with Leon—whom she claims is not as hip as the way she had written him; this seems a tad tongue in cheek.Becky is dating David and Darlene is with Mark.

Guest stars during the season includeEdward AsnerasLou Grant,Heather Matarazzoas D.J.'s girlfriend, Dann Florek as Doctor Rudmen,Jim Varneyas Jackie's boyfriend Prince Carlos,Tammy Faye Bakkeras Roseanne's makeup consultant,Dina Merrillas Doris,Joanna LumleyasPatsy StoneandJennifer SaundersasEdina Monsoon(reprising their roles fromAbsolutely Fabulous),Arianna Huffingtonas Estree,Marlo Thomasas Tina,James Brolinas Roseanne's business partner/love interest Edgar Wellman, Jr., andAnn WedgeworthandDebbie Reynoldsas Dan's mother Audrey, as well asHugh Hefner,Milton Berle,Robin Leach,Todd Oldham,Moon UnitandAhmet Zappa,Tony Robbins,Kathleen Sullivan,Steven Seagal,andJerry Springeras themselves.

Revival

During the show's final season, Barr was in negotiations withCarsey-Werner Productionsand ABC executives to continue playing Roseanne Conner in a spin-off.However, ABC withdrew from negotiations with Carsey-Werner and Barr after failed discussions with CBS andFox.Barr and Carsey-Werner agreed to discontinue the negotiations.

In the fall of 2008, Barr commented on what the current whereabouts of the Conners would be. "I've always said now that if they were on TV, DJ would have been killed inIraqand the Conners would have lost their house ". When asked for more details on where the rest of the Conners would be, Barr responded:" Your question isintellectual propertythat may be developed later, so I don't want to get into that ". She added," No preview, absolutely not ".

On December 20, 2009, Barr posted an entry on her website regarding what a possibleRoseannereunion would be like, which includes: Mark being published, DJ dying inIraq;David leaving Darlene for a woman half his age, Darlenecoming out of the closetand meeting a woman and having atest tube babywith her, Becky working atWalmart,Roseanne and Jackie opening the first medicalmarijuana dispensaryin Lanford, Arnie becoming the best friend of theGovernor of Illinoisand remarrying Nancy, Bev selling a painting for $10,000, Jerry and the grandsons forming a music group similar to theJonas Brothers,Dan reappearing alive after faking his death, and Bonnie being arrested for sellingcrack.

Season 10

Main article:Roseanne (season 10)

On April 28, 2017, television trade publications reported an 8-episode revival of the series, being shopped to multiple networks includingABCandNetflix.Barr, Goodman, and Gilbert were attached to reprise their roles, while Metcalf was considered likely to return.Barr, Tom Werner,Bruce Helfordwould produce the series, alongside Gilbert, who would serve as an executive producer while Helford andWhitney Cummingswould be handling day-to-day oversight of the show.Original writerNorm Macdonaldstated he had written for eight of the episodes.

In May 2017, it was announced the series was greenlit and would air on ABC mid–season in 2018.Laurie Metcalf, Michael Fishman, Lecy Goranson, and Sarah Chalke were all announced to return. Chalke, who played the character Becky in later seasons, was cast as Andrea, a married woman who hires Becky to be her surrogate.Glenn Quinn,who played Becky's husband, Mark, died in December 2002 of a heroin overdose at the age of 32.On December 1, 2017, it was announced thatJohnny Galeckiwould be reprising his role of David Healy for one episode.

Production of nine new episodes began in the fall of 2017 and wrapped in mid-December. The revival features the original cast from the previous nine seasons. New characters include David and Darlene's two children as well as D.J.'s daughter.Sarah Chalkealso appears as a new character, Andrea. The sets of the Conner house were replicated at the same studio where the show was filmed for its original run. Season 10 was scheduled as a mid-season replacement to premiere on March 27, 2018. On September 21, 2017, it was revealed thatEmma Kenneywould be portraying Harris Conner Healy, Darlene's eldest child who was born in Season 9.On December 7, 2017, it was confirmed thatEstelle ParsonsandSandra Bernhardwould return to the series. Parsons would appear in two episodes while Bernhard would appear in one.

On February 25, 2018, it was revealed on the show's officialTwitteraccount that the trailer for the revival season would premiere during the90th Academy Awardson March 4, 2018.To promote the show, ABC sponsored theNASCAR Xfinity Seriesrace atAuto Club Speedwayby naming it theRoseanne 300.In March 2018, ABC opened a pop-up restaurant duringSouth by SouthwestinAustin, Texas,that recreated the "Lanford Lunch Box" alongside a replica of the series' living room to promote the show.On March 26, 2018,Sara Gilbertrevealed onGood Morning Americathat her sketch withJohn GoodmanonThe Talk(which Gilbert created and co-hosts) as theirRoseannecharacters, and Goodman's willingness to do a reboot, inspired Gilbert to reach out to her cast mates to revive the show.On March 28, 2018,Roseanne Barrechoed Gilbert's statements onThe Wendy Williams Showand also confirmed that Gilbert's sketch onThe Talkwent viral on the internet citing a demand for a reboot.

Roseanne's tenth and final season premiered on March 27, 2018, with two back-to-back episodes on ABC. The premiere begins 20 years after the previous episode, with Season 9 and the final episode being almost completely retconned out of existence as both a dream of and a story by Roseanne – namely Dan's death, when he is actually alive. A now separated and unemployed Darlene moves back into the Conner household with her two children, Harris (whose existence is the only surviving element from Season 9, although the character is several years younger) and Mark (whose gender presentation is cause for conflict).

Roseanne and Dan have lost weight but are now on medication. DJ has served a tour in the Army and now has a daughter named Mary (with DJ's wife still serving abroad) and Jerry works in Alaska on a fishing boat. When the first episode begins, Roseanne and Jackie have not spoken since the2016 presidential election(Roseanne having voted forDonald Trumpwhile Jackie voted forJill Steindespite her having no idea who Stein was, describing her as "some doctor" ). The two are reconciled after intervention by Darlene. Meanwhile, desperate for money, Becky, who has struggled financially after her husband Mark's death, agrees to act as a surrogate mother for a woman named Andrea (Sarah Chalke). Both Dan and Roseanne opposed this since Becky's eggs will be used for the pregnancy.

Critical response

Onreview aggregatorwebsiteRotten Tomatoes,season 10 holds an approval rating of 69% based on 80 reviews, with an average rating of 6.72/10. The website consensus reads: "Roseanne's return finds the show's classic format, original cast, and timely humor intact, even if the latest batch of episodes suffers from sporadically uneven execution. "Metacritic,which uses a weighted average, assigned the season a score of 69 out of 100 based on 31 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews."ActorTom Arnold,Roseanne's ex-husband, reviewed the revival positively, specifically praising Metcalf's performance.

U.S. presidentDonald Trump,whom Roseanne Barr has publicly supported, phoned to congratulate her on the success of the premiere. Barr described the call as being "pretty exciting", stating in an interview onGood Morning Americathat Trump "really knows ratings and how they measure things". She commented that the show would continue to address current U.S. issues, hoping that it would "[open] up civil conversation between people instead of just mudslinging."

Renewal, cancellation and firing of Barr

On March 30, 2018,Roseannewas renewed for an eleventh season of 13 episodes, following the success of the revival's premiere night.

On May 29, 2018, Barr was fired from the show after she posted a message onTwitterreading "muslim brotherhood & planet of the apes had a baby=vj." The tweet referred toValerie Jarrett,an African-American woman who served asSenior Advisorto former U.S. presidentBarack Obamafrom 2009 to 2017. The "ape" tweet was widely criticized asracially insensitive.Series executive producer/showrunnerBruce Helfordsaid he was "personally horrified and saddened" by Barr's remarks, and show co-star/executive producerSara Gilbertcalled them "abhorrent" and "not reflective of the beliefs of our cast and crew or anyone associated with our show".

Barr's behavior on Twitter had been considered a concern among ABC executives during the lead-up to the revival's premiere, as she had a history of posting support for ideas such asQAnonandPizzagate.The Jarrett posting was the culmination of several controversial tweets she had made that same morning, involving conspiracy theories aboutGeorge Soros,including the factually inaccurate claim thatChelsea Clinton's husband,Marc Mezvinsky,is a nephew of Soros, and that Soros wanted to "overthrow the U.S. constitutional republic" by backingdistrict attorneycandidates that would "ignore US law & favor 'feelings' instead-and call everyone who is alarmed by that 'racist'",and claiming Soros, a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust, had been aNaziin his youth.Barr's ex-husband and original series recurring cast memberTom Arnoldclaimed he had notified ABC of Barr's frequent controversial tweets similar to those she had made during the morning of May 29 that led to the network reversing its decision to renew the show.

In the wake of the posting, consulting producer/writerWanda Sykesannounced that she would no longer be involved with the program.Barr defended the tweet as being a "joke", and stated in a subsequent post, "ISLAM is not a RACE, lefties. Islam includes EVERY RACE of people". Barr later deleted the "ape" tweet and posted an apology, stating that she was "truly sorry for making a bad joke about her politics and her looks."In July 2018, Barr posted a video on her YouTube Channel attempting to explain the tweet by stating: "I'm trying to talk about—Valerie Jarrett wrote the Iran deal! That's what my tweet was about. I thought the bitch was white! Goddammit! I thought the bitch was white! Fuck!"

ABC announced later in the day that it had reversed the renewal decision and canceledRoseanne;network presidentChanning Dungeystated that Barr's remarks were "abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values."ABC pulled a rerun that was scheduled to air that night, replacing it with an episode ofThe Middle,and suspended its campaign for the series to be considered for nomination at the70th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Huluannounced it would remove all episodes of the original and revival series from its library;Viacom-owned cable channelsParamount Network,TV LandandCMTdropped the series from their lineups effective the following day, whiledigital multicastnetworkLaffpulled reruns from its schedule effective immediately.In a tweet, co-star Emma Kenney revealed she was contacting her agent asking to quit the revival when she heard about the show's cancellation, remarking that she felt "empowered by @iamwandasykes, Channing Dungey and those at ABC standing up against abuse of power and lack of values. Bullies do not win. Ever."

The remarks also sparked a divide among conservatives who made up a substantial segment of the revival's viewer base. Many deemed the cancellation an act ofpolitical correctnessand an infringement of Barr's rights tofreedom of speech,while others (includingRick Wilson,Bret Baier,Tomi LahrenandSean Hannity) condemned the remarks with some pointing out that none of herFirst Amendmentrights were violated.ABC had heavily emphasized the success ofRoseanneduring its upfront presentations for the 2018–19 television season, leading to questions over possible repercussions for the network due to the loss of potential advertising revenue, and its plans for what would have beenRoseanne's time slot on the fall schedule.

Shortly before the cancellation was announced by ABC, Barr – who attributed the tweet about Jarrett and others made earlier that day to side effects from the sleep aidAmbien,a claim derided by many critics as well as by the drug's manufacturer,Sanofi,in a public statement responding to Barr's reasoning– apologized for the remarks, saying, "I apologize to Valerie Jarrett and to all Americans. I am truly sorry for making a bad joke about her politics and her looks. I should have known better. Forgive me – my joke was in bad taste." Hours after the cancellation announcement,BuzzFeedlater released a longer apology to Jarrett, the network and her show's cast and crew: "I deeply regret my comments from late last night on Twitter. Above all, I want to apologize to Valerie Jarrett, as well as to ABC and the cast and crew of theRoseanneshow. I am sorry for making a thoughtless joke that does not reflect my values — I love all people and am very sorry. Today my words caused hundreds of hardworking people to lose their jobs. I also sincerely apologize to the audience that has embraced my work for decades. I apologize from the bottom of my heart and hope that you can find it in your hearts to forgive me. "However, she would later retweet posts defending her, as well as another concerning the conspiracy theory of Soros being a Nazi collaborator.

The Conners

Main article:The Conners

Some time after the cancellation was confirmed, some news sources announced that the show could possibly be re-tooled as a spin-off focusing on Sara Gilbert's character of Darlene.

Around June 15, 2018, ABC was close to making a deal to indeed continue production as a Darlene-centric show,though it was also possible that it would be titledThe Connersand star the whole family.The spin-off could only go forward assuming Barr signed a deal to give up rights to the show, meaning she wouldn't be involved creatively or financially. Barr would likely receive a one-time payment in return.It was stated that, if the show returned, Barr's racism scandal would be addressed on the show.

On June 21, 2018, ABC officially ordered a 10-episode spin-off titledThe Conners(at first tentatively titled that, then officially), and that it would involve every original cast member except Barr. On August 28, 2018, this extended to Emma Kenney, Ames McNamara, and Jayden Rey from the tenth season, as they were all confirmed to return for the spinoff.Returning characters such as Beverly Harris (Estelle Parsons), David Healy (Johnny Galecki), Chuck Mitchell (James Pickens Jr.), and Crystal Anderson (Natalie West) were later confirmed.The series premiered on October 16, 2018.

Ratings

Roseannewas successful from its beginning, ranking No. 1 in theNielsen ratingsduring its second season (1989–90), narrowly beating outThe Cosby Show.Each of the series' first six seasons landed in the Nielsen ratings' top five. Ratings slowly started slipping after season six, though the show stayed within the top 10 through season seven, falling to the top 20 during season eight.Roseannedropped to 35th place during the ninth and final season of its original run.

The premiere of the revival (season 10) set records for Nielsen's delayed viewing metrics; it was seen by 18.45 million live and same day viewers, but gained an additional 6.59 viewers via Live+3 metrics—the largest-ever increase in total viewership from three days of delayed viewing since the 2014 premiere of fellow ABC seriesHow to Get Away with Murder.2.2 million additional viewers were added over the following four days (totaling 27.26 million viewers overall), resulting in a net increase of 8.81 million viewers in the week since the premiere broadcast. This established a record for the largest ratings gain from Live+7 viewership, previously set by the premiere of fellow ABC seriesThe Good Doctorin September 2017. The tenth and final season ranked in the top 5 in the Nelson ratings.

Ratings forRoseanne

Season	Time slot (ET)	Episodes	Premiered		Ended		TV season	Season averages
			Date	Viewers (millions)	Date	Viewers (millions)		Rank	DVR Viewers (millions)
1	Tuesday 9:00 pm	23	October 18, 1988	36.2	May 2, 1989	35.8	1988–89	2	—
2		24	September 12, 1989	39.4	May 8, 1990	27.8	1989–90	1	—
3		25	September 18, 1990	29.8	May 14, 1991	21.9	1990–91	3	—
4		25	September 17, 1991	28.5	May 12, 1992	32.7	1991–92	2	—
5		25	September 15, 1992	36.7	May 18, 1993	28.8	1992–93	2	—
6		25	September 14, 1993	30.1	May 24, 1994	28.1	1993–94	4	—
7	Wednesday 9:00 pm	26	September 21, 1994	28.9	May 24, 1995	16.3	1994–95	9	—
8	Tuesday 8:00 pm	25	September 19, 1995	22.5	May 21, 1996	18.8	1995–96	16	—
9		24	September 17, 1996	18.9	May 20, 1997	16.57	1996–97	35	—
10		9	March 27, 2018	18.44	May 22, 2018	10.58	2017–18	3	17.85

Syndication

Roseannewas put into off-network syndication beginning in September 1992.

TBSairedrerunsofRoseannefrom 1998 through 2003. Cable channelNick at Niteaired reruns of the show from the fall of 2003 until 2009; it has since moved toTV Land's "TV Land Prime" schedule.Oxygenaired reruns between 2003 and 2012; Carsey-Werner held an ownership stake in the channel before its 2007 acquisition byNBCUniversal.The show returned to Nick at Nite's lineup on October 5, 2009, replacingFamily MattersandThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Airin its late-night timeslot.Roseanneleft Nick at Nite on January 1, 2010. In Australia, the show aired onNetwork Tenand was later reran on111 HitsandEleven.In the UK, it aired onChannel 4until 1999, and was also shown onThe Paramount Channel.

WE tvandCMTboth began airing the series in September 2012.The show also was carried by Nick at Nite/CMT sister networkLogo TV,and over-the-air onLaff.

Viacom pulled the series from its networks in May 2018, concurrently with ABC's cancellation, along with Laff.The series returned toCMT,Paramount NetworkandTV Landin October 2018 alongside the release ofThe ConnersonABC.It is available throughAmazon Prime Video,Hoopla,andPluto TV.Cozi TVpremiered the show in January 2020, less than two years after the controversy.

Awards and nominations

Main article:List of awards and nominations received by Roseanne

In 1993,Roseanne BarrandLaurie Metcalfboth wonEmmy Awardsfor their performances in the series, Barr forOutstanding Lead Actressand Metcalf forOutstanding Supporting Actress.Metcalf also won in 1992 and 1994. The series was nominated for 27 Emmys overall (including the revival), but, despite high critical praise and ratings throughout most of its run, it was never nominated for Best Comedy Series.

In 1993,Roseanne BarrandJohn Goodmanboth wonGolden Globe Awards,Barr forBest Actressand Goodman forBest Actor.The series won theGolden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy.

The series won aPeabody Awardin 1992 and aPeople's Choice Awardfor Favorite New Television Comedy Program in 1989. Barr won five additional People's Choice Awards for Favorite Female Performer in a New TV Program (1989), Favorite Female All Around Entertainer (1990), and Favorite Female TV Performer (1990, 1994, and 1995).

In 2008, the entire cast (except for Metcalf) reunited at theTV Land Awardsto receive the Innovator Award. In their acceptance speech, they honored late cast memberGlenn Quinn.

Home media

Anchor Bay Entertainment(later named Starz Home Entertainment, as shown on the DVD packaging for seasons 7–9) released all nine seasons on DVD in Region 1 (2005–2007) and Region 2. The first season was issued with shorter, syndicated versions of the episodes because Anchor Bay was unable to obtain permission to release the original broadcasts. This issue was rectified upon release of the first season DVD, and Anchor Bay went on to release seasons 2–7 in their original uncut form. However, for the eighth and ninth season DVDs, some scenes have been altered to avoid disputes over music rights, including substituting some closing credit scenes with a black screen, including the Patty Duke parody from Season 8, Episode 1.

On May 4, 2011, Mill Creek Entertainment announced that they had acquired the rights to re-release the series uncut on DVD in Region 1. They have subsequently re-released all nine seasons and a complete series set with the first seven seasons in their uncut form.Seasons 8 and 9 are still edited; while most of the music references were retained, some of the credit scenes are still missing.

In Germany, Universum Film has released the entire series on DVD, and released a complete series box set on July 3, 2009.Unlike the Anchor Bay releases, these were mostly unedited. Footage fromSome Like It Hotis excluded from an eighth-season episode, for unknown reasons.

In Australia and New Zealand,Magna Pacifichas released all nine seasons on DVD in Region 4. Unlike the Anchor Bay releases, Magna Pacific's first season DVDs include the full-length original broadcast episodes.

Season	Release date				Special features
	Region 1	Region 1 (re-release)	Region 2	Region 4
1	August 30, 2005	September 13, 2011	September 19, 2005	June 7, 2006	'Special features: Roseanne-on-Roseanne candid interview, bloopers, season one highlights, Interview: "John Goodman Takes a Look Back," "Wisdom from the Domestic Goddess."
2	December 6, 2005	September 13, 2011	February 6, 2006	October 4, 2006	John Goodman: "A Candid Interview," Best of Season Two, "Wacky Jackie," "Roseanne Untied: Season 1 Launch Party," John Goodman's audition.
3	March 21, 2006	April 3, 2012	May 15, 2006	February 7, 2007	Laurie Metcalf Interview: "The Sister that Never Leaves," Lecy Goranson Interview: "I Was a Teenage Becky," Best of Season Three.
4	June 27, 2006	April 3, 2012	March 17, 2008	June 6, 2007	Interview with Lecy Goranson and Michael Fishman, Roseanne Interview: "Life Imitating Art, Imitating Roseanne," audio commentary with Roseanne on select episodes.
5	September 12, 2006	September 4, 2012	September 9, 2009 (as one set)	November 7, 2007	Video commentaries with Roseanne, Roseanne answers eight fan questions, an exclusive interview with Roseanne.
6	December 5, 2006	September 4, 2012		March 5, 2008	None
7	April 3, 2007	March 19, 2013	October 12, 2009 (as one set)	July 9, 2008	None
8	August 7, 2007	March 19, 2013		January 13, 2010	Video commentaries with Roseanne, "Roseanne: Working-Class Actress" Interview
9	October 16, 2007	May 14, 2013	November 16, 2009	January 13, 2010	Two new exclusive interviews: "Legacy of Class" and "Breaking the Sitcom Mold." Video commentary with Roseanne & Michael Fishman
1–9	May 14, 2013	—	—	—	Interviews with cast and crew, blooper and highlight reels, video commentary, fans' top questions, a candid interview with Roseanne

External links

• Roseanne@ Carsey-Werner.net (en)
• Carsey-Werner –Roseanne
• RoseanneatIMDb
• Roseanne on DVD
• Roseanneatepguides
• Roseanne Conner Clan TodayatEW
• RoseanneatThe Interviews: An Oral History of Television