S02.E12: Live from Lanford

[ItCouldBeWorse]

7 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Darlene should have thought about that all those times when she slept over at Ben's and David's and Dan had to take care of her kids at night and of to school in the morning.  Harris even commented on how she was never home.  Maybe they could have discussed college hopes and dreams then.

Speaking of which, if someone had done the research, and if Harris had truly been a star pupil with impressive grades and scores, application essays, extracurriculars (including holding a part-time job) and recommendations, as an extremely low-income applicant from a depressed area, she would have had a decent shot at a free ride to a great school like the University of Chicago. There are many schools far better than the one Harris was admitted to which would offer full financial aid and/or a large merit scholarship to someone from Harris' background if she was an exceptional student, and she would have been offered work-study to cover small expenses.  Even if she had to take no-interest government loans and graduated with $20,000 in debt, it would have been worth it for a degree from a top school.

I just don't get the impression that she worked very hard in HS.  Even some very poor kids with no college educated family are self-motivated and manage to escape their circumstances.

Edited February 13, 2020 by ItCouldBeWorse

[TV Diva Queen]

3 hours ago, hoodooznoodooz said:

Michael Fishman shined in this episode. I am stunned.

And i thought he was just awful.   how strange that we can look at the same thing and see such opposing opinions (not being sarcastic or mean) 🙂

[rmontro]

For being a live show, the audience seemed pretty subdued.  This episode felt pretty much like any other one.  There were a few minor flubs but that aside, if you hadn't told me it was live I doubt if I would have known.  I probably just would have thought it was sloppily directed lol.

Dan seems to be getting grumpier.  I suppose that's understandable given his situation, but it comes across as odd.

I agree with Pradakitty's "meh" assessment back on page one.  I'm losing enthusiasm for this  show, for whatever reason.

[StaceyNotStacie]

52 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Speaking of which, if someone had done the research, and if Harris had truly been a star pupil with impressive grades and scores, application essays, extracurriculars (including holding a part-time job) and recommendations, as an extremely low-income applicant from a depressed area, she would have had a decent shot at a free ride to a great school like the University of Chicago. There are many schools far better than the one Harris was admitted to which would offer full financial aid and/or a large merit scholarship to someone from Harris' background if she was an exceptional student, and she would have been offered work-study to cover small expenses.  Even if she had to take no-interest government loans and graduated with $20,000 in debt, it would have been worth it for a degree from a top school.

I just don't get the impression that she worked very hard in HS.  Even some very poor kids with no college educated family are self-motivated and manage to escape their circumstances.

She might be one of those kids who does well with minimal effort. I wonder if Becky was her “role model”. Once she ended up back in Lanford, she probably heard a million times about how well Becky did in school but couldn’t afford college and how she ended up afterwards and decided it wasn’t worth the effort. 

[hoodooznoodooz]

14 minutes ago, TV Diva Queen said:

And i thought he was just awful.   how strange that we can look at the same thing and see such opposing opinions (not being sarcastic or mean) 🙂

Wow! What is your opinion of his acting generally? Because this is the first time, since he’s acted as an adult, that I have NOT thought that his acting was pitiful. On the other hand, I am one of the few who believes Lecy often bites.

Love your gentle post! Thank you! I am overly sensitive, so I really appreciate your efforts!

[Scout Finch]

I really ship Dan and Louise!

[TV Diva Queen]

11 minutes ago, hoodooznoodooz said:

Wow! What is your opinion of his acting generally? Because this is the first time, since he’s acted as an adult, that I have NOT thought that his acting was pitiful. On the other hand, I am one of the few who believes Lecy often bites.

Love your gentle post! Thank you! I am overly sensitive, so I really appreciate your efforts!

when him, Becky and Darlene were plotting at the Mexican joint - either the girls are that good, or he's that bad.  The girls actually looked and acted like they were having a conversations, and when it was DJ's time to talk, he sounded like he was reading lines "by heart" 

I told the DH how much better I felt the acting was in the Connors vs The Will & Grace live shows.  Even moreso considering that W&G actors probably have more "stage/broadway" experience than the Connors.  

[ESS]

38 minutes ago, Scout Finch said:

I really ship Dan and Louise!

Me too for sure..hoping she'll be back for the season 2 finale seeing as this was only her 8th (well 9th if you count the season 1 episode she was in) episode, she's supposed to be in 10 episodes. 

Still so heartbroken over Dan & Louise, but I'm trying to stay positive. 

[UYI]

2 hours ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Darlene should have thought about that all those times when she slept over at Ben's and David's and Dan had to take care of her kids at night and of to school in the morning.  Harris even commented on how she was never home.  Maybe they could have discussed college hopes and dreams then.

And given that Darlene was 17 herself when she left home for writing school (I think, was she still underage when she left for Chicago?), you think she would relate on some level there, too. 

Of course, Darlene's on the other side of the situation now, which could certainly change her perspective. 

Edited February 13, 2020 by UYI

[Bastet]

7 hours ago, Pandorap said:

Did anyone else notice Dan taking two pills out of a big bottle, chewing them and then swigging some liquid?   

Antacids?

1 hour ago, UYI said:

And given that Darlene was 17 herself when she left home for writing school (I think, was she still underage when she left for Chicago?)

 

Yes, she was underage (it's why she needed Dan and Roseanne's permission), and she might have only been sixteen. 

[Annber03]

6 hours ago, TattleTeeny said:

I don't think "comedy" and "the news" are mutually exclusive--and this type of shit is what this particular fictional family talks about. I don't get the whole throat-shoving thing when we're all free to watch any number of things at any given moment.

This. Even during the "Roseanne" days, both in the original run and during the initial reboot, they still discussed topical issues. 

[peacheslatour]

45 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

This. Even during the "Roseanne" days, both in the original run and during the initial reboot, they still discussed topical issues. 

Yep. They never really mentioned any particular politician but they certainly discussed current events and issues.

[iMonrey]

Quote

Did not like this episode. Borrrrring. I watch comedies to escape from the news. Stop trying to shove your agenda down my throat.

What exactly was the "agenda" here? To get people to vote? That seems fairly nonpartisan to me. I get aversions to political angles but this . . . wasn't. Nobody was saying "vote for this person" or "vote for this issue." At most Jackie was enumerating the differences in some of the candidates and strongly trying to get Harris to vote. 

I still think everyone is pushing Dan way too hard. If he's not ready he's not ready. I get that people like Louise/Katey Sagal and think she and Dan would make a nice couple, but a man who has just lost his wife of 40+ in the last year or so shouldn't be shoved into a relationship he's not ready for just to make other people happy. 

[seacliffsal]

I was underwhelmed by this episode, but I think it was because ABC hyped this episode and the "live" aspect of it so much that I expected much, much more.  So, that's pretty much on me.  I agree with others that there were some good lines, but, it just felt like there should have been more connection with the current events as that was how they hyped it.

[rmontro]

Did anyone think it was odd the way they had the TV sitting in a cushioned chair?  Maybe it's in a chair every week because they can't afford a TV table or whatever, but I've never noticed it before.  Plus the kids were watching at a very odd angle.  I know that was done so as not to block the line of sight to the actors, but it still took me out of the story.

Besides that, I didn't think it was that important that we see the actual news coverage to know they were watching it.

[ams1001]

11 minutes ago, rmontro said:

Did anyone think it was odd the way they had the TV sitting in a cushioned chair?  Maybe it's in a chair every week because they can't afford a TV table or whatever, but I've never noticed it before.  Plus the kids were watching at a very odd angle.  I know that was done so as not to block the line of sight to the actors, but it still took me out of the story.

Besides that, I didn't think it was that important that we see the actual news coverage to know they were watching it.

Wasn't Dan fixing something in the beginning? I thought he said something about a leak causing a short in the outlet or something like that. So I was assuming they moved the TV to plug it into a different outlet. (Which was probably just a plot device to have a reason to move the TV to where the audience could see it.)

[QQQQ]

Becky's white sweater with the flowers had to be vintage. I'm pretty sure I had the same one around 1990, probably purchased at a now-defunct mall store like County Seat or Deb.

[ams1001]

4 minutes ago, QQQQ said:

Becky's white sweater with the flowers had to be vintage. I'm pretty sure I had the same one around 1990, probably purchased at a now-defunct mall store like County Seat or Deb.

Having a problem with the description of 90s fashion as "vintage." 😄

[Annber03]

7 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

Having a problem with the description of 90s fashion as "vintage." 😄

Your post makes me think of a line from last week's "Will & Grace" episode: "Please don't say 'the '90s' like it's 'the '50s'." :p. 

Edited February 14, 2020 by Annber03

[QQQQ]

Sorry, I'm almost 50. I work with teens and reminded on a daily basis that anything made before 2012 is retro, vintage, old school. My tears are starting to leave rust spots on my manual typewriter. 

[JeezumCrow]

I really enjoyed this episode and often forgot it was live! Really enjoyed seeing more Michael Fishman and the sibling bonding between Mark and Harris (even if I’m mostly ‘meh’ on Harris). Lecy was a particular standout IMO.

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, ams1001 said:

So I was assuming they moved the TV to plug it into a different outlet. (Which was probably just a plot device to have a reason to move the TV to where the audience could see it.)

Bingo - they had to write in a reason the TV was temporarily displaced, because they wanted to show ABC news footage on the TV, and there's no realistic way to film live the TV where it would normally be.

[hoodooznoodooz]

Does anyone know of whom that photo on the left is? Blonde girl. 

 

[TV Diva Queen]

16 hours ago, hoodooznoodooz said:

Does anyone know of whom that photo on the left is? Blonde girl. 

 

what photo?  

[hoodooznoodooz]

22 minutes ago, TV Diva Queen said:

what photo?  

You know how behind the sofa/couch, there’s a piece of furniture with knickknacks on it? There are maybe three framed photos. I recognize a young Sara Gilbert in one, maybe DJ also. But I don’t recognize the girl in the photo on the left.

[peacheslatour]

18 minutes ago, hoodooznoodooz said:

You know how behind the sofa/couch, there’s a piece of furniture with knickknacks on it? There are maybe three framed photos. I recognize a young Sara Gilbert in one, maybe DJ also. But I don’t recognize the girl in the photo on the left.

Sarah Chalke?

[hoodooznoodooz]

8 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Sarah Chalke?

Ah, that is possible. Thank you!

[CrystalBlue]

1 hour ago, hoodooznoodooz said:

Ah, that is possible. Thank you!

I would think it's one of the Beckys.  😃

[hoodooznoodooz]

2 hours ago, CrystalBlue said:

I would think it's one of the Beckys.  😃

I completely forgot that Sarah Chalke replaced Lecy for a bit!

[Kel Varnsen]

One thing that really impressed me was how the episode really looked like a standard episode visually. I was reminded of the live episodes of 30 Rock and how the lighting was all weird and one of the characters made a comment about how everything looked like "a Mexican soap opera".

Also was that actually Laurie Metcalf's Hilary impression?

[Caseysgirl]

Haven’t watched that much of this season so not up to date on what they’ve all been doing but it all seems rather bleak. No money for food, no heat and someone leaving home, plus Dan had a girlfriend but not now?  I know “Roseann” liked to be realistic but this show doesn’t have a bit of happiness or joy associated with it. I think I’ll leave this off my roster from now on.

[theredhead77]

I thoroughly enjoyed this episode and I hope it inspires people to register and vote, period.

Harris may have done well in school before moving back to Lanford but with Lanford being a depressed town I can't imaging their public schools are that great, which means any sort of guidance counseling would be subpar, if at all. I don't find it unbelievable that Harris wasn't provided any support or guidance with college applications. What knowledge she has probably came from her time in Chicago. 

I don't blame Dan one bit for feeling as he does. The family way over-stepped, even without knowing Dan and Louise "broke up".

The reality of the Conner family day-to-day life is depressing but it is real life for more families and people than we want to admit. I think Mark and Harris will be the ones to break the cycle but it shouldn't be easy for them since it's not easy for people in that situation. 

[seacliffsal]

Yes, they make it seem that nobody has any money, no food in the house, etc., but then three of them (Darlene, Becky, and Jackie I think) go out to eat at the Mexican restaurant (where they then get the idea to throw a good-bye party for Louise).  So many of their decisions do not make a lot of sense.

[Meushell]

I was worried that the politics would take over the episode with a clear agenda, so I was glad to be wrong. Tell me to think, by all means, but don’t tell me what to think. 😀 They did it right here.

I like Dan and Louise, but I do feel she was too pushy last week. It felt really strange that the kids were not just on the Dan/Louise train, but felt he needed a push to move on from their mother. I am glad that the goal was to get Dan to tell her how he feels, and not to stop her. The idea of a going away party would’ve worked a lot better if there hadn’t been an agenda behind it.

Edited February 17, 2020 by Meushell
Typo fix.

[UYI]

20 hours ago, Caseysgirl said:

Haven’t watched that much of this season so not up to date on what they’ve all been doing but it all seems rather bleak. No money for food, no heat and someone leaving home, plus Dan had a girlfriend but not now?  I know “Roseann” liked to be realistic but this show doesn’t have a bit of happiness or joy associated with it. I think I’ll leave this off my roster from now on.

Not exactly. They had been hanging out together and Louise is definitely interested, but I wouldn't say they were actually "dating", certainly not to the point where I'd say she was his "girlfriend" or call what they had a "break up". They've never even kissed! 

Edited February 17, 2020 by UYI

[theredhead77]

On 2/13/2020 at 11:33 AM, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Darlene should have thought about that all those times when she slept over at Ben's and David's and Dan had to take care of her kids at night and get them off to school in the morning.  Harris even commented on how she was never home.  Maybe they could have discussed college hopes and dreams then.

I've been thinking about this. Darlene spending the night at Ben's and at David's wasn't something she was doing every night and IMHO it's unfair to paint her as a harlot who was out with a different man every evening neglecting her kids.  When we picked up she just moved back to Lanford and she was working at a casino, probably a night shift. That job probably kept her away from home way more often than either of her relationships.

Harris is a teenager and we have no idea what kind of relationship Darlene and Harris had in Chicago. We do know Harris took the move to Lanford extremely hard and is not handling it well, at all. Not to say Darlene isn't handling Harris' not handling it, well it's not as if Harris is trying to adapt to the [temporary] circumstances.

[ESS]

3 hours ago, UYI said:

Not exactly. They had been hanging out together and Louise is definitely interested, but I wouldn't say they were actually "dating", certainly not to the point where I'd say she was his "girlfriend" or call what they had a "break up". They've never even kissed! 

Well I'm hoping this will change to where she is his girlfriend and they are actually dating because I do want them together. 

[tessaray]

21 hours ago, seacliffsal said:

Yes, they make it seem that nobody has any money, no food in the house, etc., but then three of them (Darlene, Becky, and Jackie I think) go out to eat at the Mexican restaurant (where they then get the idea to throw a good-bye party for Louise).  So many of their decisions do not make a lot of sense.

I got the impression that the episode started out with no food because no one had been shopping and no heat because an electrical wire caused a minor fire.  Of course, this was mainly so they could situate things for the cameras.

I'm glad they gave MF more to do.  But since he handled the live episode just fine, they have no excuse for not giving him more storylines.

[jewel21]

1 hour ago, tessaray said:

I got the impression that the episode started out with no food because no one had been shopping and no heat because an electrical wire caused a minor fire.  Of course, this was mainly so they could situate things for the cameras.

I'm glad they gave MF more to do.  But since he handled the live episode just fine, they have no excuse for not giving him more storylines.

I follow MF on Facebook and according to some of the posters on his page who have been to multiple tapings, it appears MF does get material but it's mostly always cut for time. I think that's sad because he loves being on the show and interacts with all the people at the tapings. He's very grateful to the fans. 

The cast did great on the live episode. Maybe they should do more live shows, everyone was on their game. 

[ItCouldBeWorse]

9 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

I've been thinking about this. Darlene spending the night at Ben's and at David's wasn't something she was doing every night and IMHO it's unfair to paint her as a harlot who was out with a different man every evening neglecting her kids.  When we picked up she just moved back to Lanford and she was working at a casino, probably a night shift. That job probably kept her away from home way more often than either of her relationships.

I wan't calling her a harlot-I was commenting on the fact that the show indicated that when she was dating both guys, she was rarely home at night. If she was staying out every night with one guy, the result would be the same. That's very different from working at night to support her children. One was a choice, the other a necessity.