OnaLimbPat

Despite my queasiness about the current Roseanne, one thing that did make me sad a little was that Roseanne acknowledges that she was getting up there, and to paraphrase, "I don't have many years left, and this is how I want to spend them.", when cleaning up after her grandkids. I think it does show a certain kind of sadness that comes with still having to work when most people of your age are retired.

Also, here are some things they need to address in Seasons 10 or 11, When did the Lunch Box go out of business? Depending on the timing, if it was after 2008, it could explain why Roseanne almost "lost the house" and supported Trump. Where are Leon and Scott? Especially after gay marriage became legal nationwide, this stone should be turned. Did Mark die of drug-related causes? Putting aside the real-life drug overdose of Glenn Quinn, it would be a shame that Roseanne the series didn't explore that kind of death. It seems like to me television deaths are always car accidents or heart attacks.

Here's what I'm thinking, on the whole, old vs. new Roseanne. I'm starting to believe the only reason Roseanne has shifted from progressive philosophy to conservative orthodoxy is just her being the contrarian. Think about when Roseanne first aired, 1988-1997, this was the waning Reagan months, George H.W. Bush years, and Newt Gingrich's speakership. Only for two years, 1993-1995, did conservative Republicans not control a major branch of government or have a strong central figure dictating to the country about policy and morals. This era when Roseanne first aired was dominated by political conservatives and the religious right, so to have a progressive feminist woman like Roseanne was breathtaking. Now, even though Republicans control Congress and the White House, the Trump presidency is being seen as a brief respite from progressive and liberal domination in culture and politics. In the last ten years, Democrats controlled the White House for 8 years, Senate for 6 years, and House for 4 years. Before all these revivals, the biggest craze in television is more diverse casts, especially along sexual orientation and racial lines. Progressivism seems to be the dominating thought, with conservatives unable to find a leader (Paul Ryan, John Boehner, Sarah Palin) that could match Obama's power over the progressive movement until Trump came along. So, for Roseanne to be a Trump supporter these days makes perfect sense, she seems to align herself against mainstream culture. This explains why Roseanne and family prays to a presumably Christian god at the dinner table, supports Donald Trump, and excessive physical punishment, which is what Harris received, all these behaviors are counter to what is perceived to be mainstream in today's society. Roseanne was never truly a progressive. If she was, she would have probably supported Jill Stein or Gary Johnson over Trump if she was so dissatisfied with Hillary. Also, she wouldn't have created such a hostile work environment she had on the original show. Roseanne will never truly be a conservative. If she is, she should have made more of a big deal over taxes, regulations, and free markets. Long story's moral, Roseanne is a social and political weathervane pointing opposite whichever way the wind is blowing.