BlossomCulp

I don't think that really stuck though. By the next episode it's never mentioned again which makes me think Amy got her research back. Was anything said that makes the "Amy loses her research" any different from the dining room table episode? In other words something done for one episode that is totally forgotten by the writers after the show airs.

The only episode I can think of offhand where this doesn't happen is the checkbook episode from early in the series where Ray takes over paying the bills and majorly screws up. Most of the time though Debra says or does something mean and somehow that ends up being the equivalent of the really bad thing that Ray did. Like the time he didn't vote for her for school president but that ended up paling into insignificance because she was embarrassed that he stuffed his pants with meat so didn't tell people she knew him. That wasn't a nice thing to do maybe but him not voting for her and being mad because she wanted to have some time for herself outside the house was a much bigger transgression and it got swept under the carpet, Lol. I think about this too much!

Aside from all other considerations one big reason that Roseanne Barr may have been a little less central than some would have expected is that she can't act. She got pretty good during the original run of Roseanne I totally grant but frankly I've often wondered if one of the reasons she so spectacularly flamed out was because deep down she knew she couldn't handle the role.

I saw this episode recently and the father is not dead. Josh, the brother finds out about Howard because a lawyer for the estate contacts his father about the title to the house Howard inherits. It's the first time Josh finds out he has an older half brother. So it looks like Sam (the father) went off and started a second family and never told them about the first family and of course we know that he never contacted Howard again (well except for that letter that time from another episode). Sounds like Howard's dad was a real jerk and I hope they don't bring him on the show -- well except to see Bernadette tear him apart - that would be nice.

When Dr Sturgis started the car and first started driving the look on his face is exactly what I think I looked like everytime I drove a car! Which is one reason why I no longer drive a car! I loved Sheldon's pranks and especially when he jumped when those snakes came out of the can. Bazinga - lol.

Exactly. And I think Sara Gilbert is smart enough to want to have a successful show not a show that is all about her! Darlene and her family are a natural centre for the show but that doesn't mean Sara Gilbert ever intended it to be a show that revolved around her. Maybe she should have foreseen that Roseanne Barr would self destruct but obviously she didn't and the original show was an ensemble show with Roseanne at the centre as she should have been. The Conners had to move on and inevitably IMO Darlene became the centre. But not because Sara Gilbert is the executive producer!

Yep as are John Goodman and Laurie Metcalf. The actor who plays DJ, let's face it, is just not a good enough actor to really carry a significant story line and I can't blame the powers that be for making him a bit of a background player. And personally I hope they keep the younger cast members as background players too. I want the stories to focus on Darlene, Becky, Dan and Jackie -- and I felt that way even back in Roseanne days!

This and also she grew to be a pretty good actress after a shaky start. From everything I've heard and seen about the reboot she wasn't very good. I think her health and mental health issues caught up with her big time and while we'll never know I can't help wondering how that would have affected things in a second season if they hadn't had to change direction the way they did.

Green, pink and blue? I still have that set! I got them around the same age and that started my lifelong love of LM Montgomery's fiction. Anne is and will always be best of course! but I like most of her other books as well. I agree with some others posting here that I wasn't that interested in Anne's children though. Rainbow Valley and Anne of Ingleside (which you could really tell was written long after the other books in the series) were books I read just because Anne was in them not because I liked them. Haven't re-read either of them in years! Rilla on the other hand, wow, that one I really liked. I'd love to see a movie made based on this book with the utter nonsense that was that movie where Anne and Gilbert end up in France during WWI completely forgotten.

I meant no one listening to a 35 yr old man auditioning cares if he has siblings or likes grilled cheese. If he was going to give them some info about himself you'd expect him to tell them he was a former astronaut (he certainly brings it up enough!) or that he has "two beautiful children and a lovely wife" .

I got the impression that Howard was using the same lines he used back when he originally wanted to try out for Magic Castle. He's in his 30s no one cares if he has brothers and sisters or what his favourite food is!!

I saw a flip show the other day and the "gut job" was because the kitchen cabinets were maple. They were gorgeous but they weren't white or gray so "gut job".

Social security mother?

I've been happy with this show overall but IMO anyway this episode they really hit their groove.

I was very reluctant to watch YS, not because I dislike Sheldon, I can't imagine BBT without him to be honest. But I just couldn't see where the humour was going to come from based on what we'd been told about Sheldon's childhood and adolescence. Well colour me shocked but I love YS and my only concern for the show is wondering how they will eventually address the issues raised throughout the years on BBT. I do take your point though about wondering if the show would be a big hit if it didn't follow BBT. Not because it's not a great little show in its own right but because I do wonder how many viewers watch it as a standalone show who aren't already watching BBT. But on the other hand lots of shows have had spin offs and some of those spin offs ended up being even more successful than the original show so who knows! I'm looking forward to the crossover myself. Maybe a few who have had reservations about YS will be converted :).

Now now that tofu turkey did have an "authentic turkey flavour" and they had broccoli too. Now that's a thanksgiving!

It certainly has the potential to be a mess. Time will tell whether the writers are making Becky's life harder or if the baby is going to be the "best thing that ever happened...". In real life we can all see the downsides. The many, many downsides. On a scripted sitcom though? Who knows! I would like to go on record though as saying I can't see them having Becky give the baby up for adoption. I can see them having a few stories dealing with that as a potential outcome for sure but I really don't see them going through with it.

Only if it's a nice striped bass!! Which makes me wonder - what did Debra have against turkey? She talked about it in at least two episodes as if it was not a healthy choice. I beg to differ!

I think she won and rejoiced in her victory while Penny could not have cared less. Which does lead to the idea of how sweet is your victory if your opponent doesn't care? I'd like to see some growth for Bernadette in this final season and have her finally realize that she doesn't need to win every encounter.

The ratings thread in The Conners made me wonder about those new opportunities Roseanne was supposed to be getting to appear on TV. Has there been anything posted about this? She seems to have gotten quiet lately - or maybe I just haven't clicked on the right links!

If this leads to renewal a few hearts will break. Thinking about those who have been hate watching - or at least watching the ratings and hoping that the show will tank - makes me wonder whatever happened to all those other opportunities Roseanne was supposed to be getting on TV.

If they have never addressed this as a possibility I think we are safe to accept that Mary is DJs daughter.

This Is Us and The Conners both hit their lowest adults 18-49 ratings ever on Tuesday, Nov. 13 — but were also the two top scripted shows of the night. The Conners fell 0.3 from its last outing to a season-low 1.5 in the 18-49 demo. (snip) NCIS tied its season high of 1.4 for CBS, and FBI ticked up to 1.1 after four straight weeks at 1.0. NCIS: New Orleans was steady with a 0.9. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/conners-is-us-tv-ratings-tuesday-nov-13-2018-1161114 So The Conners season low was still better than NCIS's season high. I know the naysayers are eager to see this show cancelled but it's not doing as badly as they'd like it to be. Indeed, let's see what happens.

Do you mean a change in direction for The Conners? There's no coming back for Barr that wouldn't be profoundly stupid (it was all a dream....). I guess the only direction they could go that would satisfy Roseanne Barr fans would be to can the show - If it's doing well in the ratings though I can't see that happening.

I'd be surprised if they mess too much with the George we know from BBT. If they are having a flashback that includes young Georgie and young Sheldon then they're flashing back or having a dream sequence that would be happening around the same time as the YS that viewers are currently watching.