SERIES PREMIERE: Bringing back
Roseanne in the Trump era, with all the original cast members, is a safe move for ABC. And it is fun, no question, to see some of the old actors and characters, and even the old Conner home and furniture, again. This sitcom began in 1988 and shot immediately to the number two spot in television, right behind
The Cosby Show, its emotional and financial opposite. This new version pits Roseanne in the Archie Bunker role from
All in the Family, the conservative ruler of a household who battles constantly with more liberal relatives (in this case, Laurie Metcalf as sister Jackie) – but the difference, and it’s crucial and potentially deadly, is that in this iteration, the Archie character gets to win most of the arguments. John Goodman and Metcalf are especially good, but this
Roseanne feels out of tune, though not out of place or time.
For my full review on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross, visit the Fresh Air website. And
for another full review, see Ed Bark's Uncle Barky's Bytes.