90’s Sitcom ‘Roseanne’ Is Coming Back!
As we mentioned back in April, a new series of 90’s sitcom ‘Roseanne‘ was being shopped around in the US. Now it’s official. Roseanne WILL return for a 10th series, after ABC ordered an 8 episode run to slot into its midseason schedule in early 2018.
For those of you too young to remember, Roseanne followed the Conners family, who lived hand-to-mouth, in the fictional small town of Lanford, Illinois. It centred around mother Roseanne, her husband Dan, and their 3 children in a comic (and sometimes quite dark) portrayal of an average working-class American family.
“The Conners’ joys and struggles are as relevant – and hilarious – today as they were then, and there’s really no one better to comment on our modern America than Roseanne,” commented ABC Entertainment chief Channing Dungey.
Original cast members Roseanne Barr (Roseanne), John Goodman (Dan), Sara Gilbert (Darlene), Laurie Metcalf (Jackie), Michael Fishman (D.J.) and Lecy Goranson (Becky) are all set to return. However, there were a couple of questions outstanding regarding the cast, given how the show ended…
Firstly, John Goodman’s character Dan was supposed to be dead… although Roseanne has suggested previously that the workaround for that maybe that he faked his own death!
Secondly, who would play Becky? Lecy Goranson originated the role, but had to leave in Season 5 to attend college, so the part was recast with Sarah Chalke (who went on to star in ‘Scrubs’) in Season 6. Goranson then returned to share the part with Chalke in Season 8 (cue various in-jokes about “have you changed your hair” etc…), with Chalke doing the role solo again in Season 9… Although Goranson is now back as Becky for this new season, they have also cast Sarah Chalke, but to appear in another ‘as yet undisclosed’ part!
At it’s peak, Roseanne was the number one show in the US, drawing in huge audience figures with the 9th season winning both a Peabody Award and a Golden Globe Award for best television series (comedy or musical). It launched the careers of people such as John Goodman, who went on to star in numerous movies including Argo, The Artist, and The Big Lebowski, Big Bang Theory’s Johnny Galecki’s, and off-screen, Buffy & Firefly creator, Joss Whedon.
It’s too early to say where Roseanne may end up in the UK, but I think there is a pretty good chance of someone buying it. We’ll let you know when we hear more on a UK TV premiere date.
