Original Flavor Season Talk: Dinner at Rodbell's

[JakeyJokes]

I'm currently slogging through the middle of Season 8.

 

 

Actually, there are four episodes in a row--"December Bride", "The Thrilla Near the Vanilla Extract", "The White Sheep of the Family", and "Becky Howser, M.D."--where, even with some of the more OTT antics the later seasons took on (especially the second episode I listed, where Roseanne and Jackie work at the grocery store), where you can still see shades of what made the show great in the first place.

 

I totally forgot that they did a three-episode gag in the latter of those three where Stan Freberg plays Mr. Harkin, a nemesis of Roseanne who constantly gets fired (he works at the Buy and Bag, he's a waiter at the Conners meal in "White Sheep", and at the end of "Becky Howser" he gets fired as a job counselor when he finds out David lives with the Conners). It's such a mean-spirited gag but Freberg just goes with it (and to be fair, he tried to put glass in Roseanne's salad). What I like about "Becky Howser" is that it doesn't end with a bow around it. Mark is pissed at Roseanne, she feels bad (and for once doesn't retort!), and Becky is determined about college. And then it isn't even mentioned in the next episode.

 

Regarding the food fight episode that traumatized me as a youth:

 

That being said, it's clear that both actresses are having a blast. Every time I see it though, I have to wonder if the milk thing was actually planned, because Laurie seems genuinely shocked. Then again, I guess it would be hard to not react like that when something gets poured over your head, even if you're expecting it.

 

 

So I finally rewatched it and I think that obviously Laurie knew the milk was coming, but then Roseanne puts a cheese cracker in her mouth and THAT I don't think she was expecting (She has this look on her face like "I cannot believe you just did that"). The milk thing is still super gross but overall the dialogue between Roseanne and Jackie is hilarious. 

 

What's weird about Season 8 is that Jerry seems to disappear right after being born -- he isn't even mentioned in December Bride or Thrilla Near Vanilla. Maybe we're just supposed to assume that Bev was watching him.

 

In the Disney episodes, we kind of get a glimpse as to what Season 9 was going to be; a very crass, "blue-collar" family living a more grandiose lifestyle.

[Bastet]

In the Disney episodes, we kind of get a glimpse as to what Season 9 was going to be; a very crass, "blue-collar" family living a more grandiose lifestyle.

 

Yes, very much so.  Roseanne Barr has said she came up with the basic storyline based on her memories of the first time she stayed in a swanky hotel (after a lifetime in which Best Western was considered upscale) and conversations with other cast members about their own similar experiences. 

[UYI]

 

 

 

Mark is pissed at Roseanne, she feels bad (and for once doesn't retort!), and Becky is determined about college. And then it isn't even mentioned in the next episode.

 

 

That episode is one of the few times in the final years of the series that Mark is allowed to be something other than the set up to a punchline. When he's getting upset over the idea of Becky going to college and Roseanne asks if he would leave her over it, he says, "I wouldn't leave your daughter for anything." And you knew he meant it, too. 

[Inquisitionist]

Actor Fred Thompson has passed away.  First role I can remember seeing him in was as Roseanne's creepy foreman at the Wellman Plastics factory.

[jonesingjay]

He gave me the creeps in that role! He really wanted to make Roseanne feel as low as possible because once he got her in line everyone else would fall into place. One of the few early season episodes that I like and not for the comedy but for serious content. 

[peacheslatour]

He gave me the creeps in that role! He really wanted to make Roseanne feel as low as possible because once he got her in line everyone else would fall into place. One of the few early season episodes that I like and not for the comedy but for serious content. 

I can't even watch that episode.  So. Much. Hate.

[BookThief]

I can't even watch that episode.  So. Much. Hate.

Oh my, I love that episode! "Guess we're not going to make our quota today, honeybunch." I mean, it's hard to watch the whole thing, but seeing Roseanne take charge there at the end and her friends all being behind her makes me like it. And then in future episodes we see how great a move it was for everyone else and that Roseanne had the hardest time finding something else, which adds a realistic touch.

 

It does annoy me that when we meet Wellman, Jr. in late series episodes they made Mr. Faber into Mr. Wellman, Sr. Why would he be supervising a single department in his own factory? Whatever! (I know, I know, they didn't create the show expecting people to watch them hundreds of times and pick up all the inaccuracies).

[Bastet]

I have a very hard time watching Faber's treatment of Roseanne; it's so well done that it's almost too real to endure.  But I do love everyone walking out; my favorite is that older woman whose name I can't recall.  In some ways, she has the most on the line; she's certainly the least likely of anyone in the room to be able to find another job. Her head down, that little hesitation, then placing her hands on the table to visibly gird her loins, and then joining the others in clocking out for the last time.  I love "Guess we're not going to make our quota today, honeybunch," but that quiet moment from a character/actor I can't even name is the most powerful for me.

[FairyDusted]

Sylvia! She had thread on her old tires! And who can forget her pocketbook of pain reilef for Crystal. 

[WhitneyWhit]

Sylvia! She had thread on her old tires! And who can forget her pocketbook of pain reilef for Crystal. 

"Caplet, tablet, or would you like an effervescent?"

 

I binged watched Roseanne Thanksgiving episodes over the weekend and I still believe the first one was the best. 

 

"If I knew we would be staying in a motel, I would have packed a different night gown"

"She's like a football team, she has home and away uniforms"

[Racj82]

Ahh snap. Two of my favorite episodes are airing this morning on Logo. Dan beating up Fisher and the aftermath.

[Bastet]

I love the relationship between Dan and Jackie, and it's on such wonderful display in those episodes.  The way Dan asks Roseanne if Jackie is okay, and then grabs his coat and heads out the door is great, and I also love when Jackie finds out he beat up Fisher, and alternates between chewing him out and hugging him.  And when she says Roseanne is always having to help with her problems, and now he is, too, and he says, "It's a big job; we had to expand the department."

 

Their dynamic is just one of the many things I love about those episodes; I think they're two of the best in the show's history.  And probably the best of their many examples of how to combine a serious subject matter and humor.  And definitely the best example of a revelation that makes you look back and realize it's been right under your nose the whole time.

 

Darlene and Dan at the police station?  Perfection.

 

"Darlene, I don't have time for this."

"Oh, I think you do."

 

"I bet when you imagined this scenario, you pictured yourself on the other side of the bars."  (I mangled that one, but that's the idea.)

 

"... Mom says he's our new daddy now."

[Racj82]

I love the relationship between Dan and Jackie, and it's on such wonderful display in those episodes. The way Dan asks Roseanne if Jackie is okay, and then grabs his coat and heads out the door is great, and I also love when Jackie finds out he beat up Fisher, and alternates between chewing him out and hugging him. And when she says Roseanne is always having to help with her problems, and now he is, too, and he says, "It's a big job; we had to expand the department."

Their dynamic is just one of the many things I love about those episodes; I think they're two of the best in the show's history. And probably the best of their many examples of how to combine a serious subject matter and humor. And definitely the best example of a revelation that makes you look back and realize it's been right under your nose the whole time.

Darlene and Dan at the police station? Perfection.

"Darlene, I don't have time for this."

"Oh, I think you do."

"I bet when you imagined this scenario, you pictured yourself on the other side of the bars." (I mangled that one, but that's the idea.)

"... Mom says he's our new daddy now."

I love their relationship as well. I've also always been transfixed by the episode where Roseanne leaves and Jackie becomes the mom of the house. I detest cheating and love Roseanne/Dan (until he becomes later becomes almost not equal to Roseanne in their own household) but I'm find myself just waiting then to go for it in that solo kitchen scene.

[SPLAIN]

I never imagined that Dan had anything other than a feeling of appreciation from Jackie in that episode where Roseanne was absent. Dan, like many men, almost always want to feel that they are appreciated. Females want that as well, but I am merely sticking with Dan for this topic. Jackie giving him that special attention and making him feel special by making him pot roast, laying out the bread slices, serving him his food and pouring his milk, it made Dan feel he special. It was a contrast to what Dan had become accustomed to as the spouse of Roseanne.  It was also making Jackie fulfill a fantasy role of sorts by taking care of a man in her life. She didn't have a partner or kids to tend to and now, she had it, albeit temporarily. Watching Jackie wear that apron and taking on the temporary role of wife and mother is likely how she imagined things would be if she had her own man and children to tend to and take care of, not the version she saw on a daily at Roseanne's house.

[Bastet]

Like both Dan and Roseanne told Jackie, at different times, that fantasy is fun for about two weeks. 

 

I think they're both really funny playing their roles, and it's nice to see the affectionate aspect of their relationship on display occasionally, like in this episode.  Dan and Roseanne have been together from such a young age that Jackie is more than just his sister-in-law; she's something of a little sister to him, too (whom he finds pesky, but will protect to the death).

 

It's interesting that Jackie is a lot more palatable playing her happy homemaker role here than she is when she tries to mold herself into the "perfect" partner for Gary (who thankfully tells her he doesn't want someone like that, and to just be herself).  She knows it's fake, and temporary, so she's just having fun.  When she's trying to do all this stuff she's only seen on TV after working all day, and in a real relationship, it's different.

Edited January 3, 2016 by Bastet

[qtpye]

One of my favorite shows of all time, before the writing went downhill.

 

I agree with so much of what was said.  I like the way Jackie and Roseanne mimicked Becky and Darlene.  However, the show was honest that Becky and Darlene would never have that type of close relationship.  They were too different to be friends.  I like how it showed how different and nuanced the sister relationships could be.

 

If felt that Roseanne always felt she threw away a great life to be with Dan.  However, I think Roseanne liked to daydream and she would have been too scared to really do anything.  Most people I knew thought she was incredibly lucky to have him and the onscreen chemistry between the actors was amazing.  So, I do not blame Dan for scoffing a little bit that Roseanne gave up everything to be with him. However, it was heartbreaking when they realized their little star "Becky" would not be able to live the life they wanted for her, because of marrying Mark.  I also like the way that Mark was just the means, they knew Becky got to the point she did because she was emulating the hasty decisions of her parents.  I know the economy tanked, but Dan never had a head for business.  The drywall work was simple, but I doubt if he had the discipline to handle the day to day of a small business.  That whole season ending with Becky eloping and that politician going door to door was just brilliant.

 

Also, DJ won the spelling bee.

[JakeyJokes]

My favorite part of the "Crime and Punishment" episodes mentioned above is when Dan tries explaining to DJ, "Fisher has been really mean to your aunt Jackie ... in a way that's different than the way we're mean to her."

[jonesingjay]

Also, DJ won the spelling bee.

 

And, that's were the real money is.

[ljenkins782]

Hmmm, looks like they updated the Roseanne collection on Netflix. I was excited at first to see A Stash from the Past pop up, but then I noticed that's just the last 2 seasons and the first and second are gone. :( 

 

Would much rather have seen the middle seasons pop up.

[BookThief]

Well, ya'll probably aren't as slow as me, but it has taken me at least 2 decades to realize that the actor who plays Dwight (William Sadler) was one of the prisoners in The Shawshank Redemption. I went to confirm on IMDB and the man has been busy! He's been on so many shows I watch--Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Elementary, Damages, Fringe, and so many more.

I'm sad discussions of this show have died down so much! It's still one of my favorites. Maybe there isn't much to say about a show with no new episodes after a while.

[Bastet]

No, it didn't take me that long, but it did take me several viewings of Shawshank to make the connection.  The worst it how long it took me to realize A.D. Kersh on The X-Files was Chuck (James Pickens Jr.).

[slf]

While I never bought Dan as a cheater, I always watch the episode where he tells Roseanne because of how she just...dismisses him. It's one of the most realistic breakups I've seen; no screaming or sobbing, she doesn't want him to see how much it's affecting her. She doesn't even look at him, just flips through the magazine and tells him he's a disappointment then, "you're free, go".

Edited June 1, 2016 by slf

[nkotb]

I'm so glad I found this board! I agree with the above posters that the arc of Fisher beating Jackie is probably the best arc of the series. It's definitely my favorite, and if I see that it'll be on, I always record it. My favorite part is when Dan doesn't say a word, just grabs his coat and heads out the door. JG is just so hot in that scene, by far my favorite of his in the entire series. I also loved the jailhouse scenes with Darlene. The look on Dan's face when he sees her is the best! SG is just comedy gold; it's a shame she's not really acting anymore.

My favorite episode for Roseanne is called "It's a boy!", I think. It's the episode where David wants to move in, so Roseanne goes to David's mom's house to discuss it. The exchange between David's mom & Roseanne is one of the best of the entire series in my eyes.

DM: Don't you tell me how to raise my kid. Look at the 2 little whores you raised (paraphrased).

Roseanne: Oh, uh, I'm in this now. If your kid wasn't here, I'd take this opportunity to tell you that people who live in glass whorehouses shouldn't throw stones.

Then, she tells David he can move in. Roseanne's delivery is just superb during that confrontation. She really could bring it like no one else.

[readster]

I also love that episode, and even before David and Mark's dad took off with their younger siblings. Their mother was a piece of work and was both mentally and physically abusive to her kids. Then you wonder why Mark had so many problems early on and the writers even said, they were going with that. That his bad boy image was due to his mother and that their dad was just doing nothing. Then they decided to have it that he grew a pair, took the younger brother and sister and got the hell out of there. I would have liked some kind of follow up, but sadly we never got to see Mark and David's dad, and from what we understand, he was in the picture, but it was their mother who did everything. 

[RealityCowgirl]

I'm watching the tornado episode and having a "don't apply logic to sitcoms or your head will explode" moment. It's always a really great idea to hang out by the windows, run around the house, and collectively cower behind a chair in the living room than, I don't know, *go to the basement* like the rest of the world knows to do.

The pathetic thing is, I've been obsessing over that delayed revelation instead of doing the work I should be doing this morning. :)

[Bastet]

Yeah, and their excuse for not going to the basement is that Dan is using it to store drywall.  We've seen that basement; I highly doubt he filled the entire room, floor to ceiling, so they couldn't at least cram in there for the time it took to wait out a tornado. 

There's a marathon on Logo, too; season four just started.  The WE marathon is about to start season two.  I am going to get nothing done this morning.

[RealityCowgirl]

I missed that explanation. Yet another bit of logic to set aside. :)

[BooksRule]

I usually like the earlier seasons episodes, but I just saw one from season two that I really disliked.  It was 'Sweet dreams', where  Roseanne can't get a few minutes to herself to take a bath, so she falls asleep and has the dream where she is constantly interrupted by family while she's being pampered by the hunky guys.  She ends up killing Dan and the kids in weird ways and is arrested for murder by Jackie.  I don't find it really funny (okay, maybe have Dan die by being boiled in a vat of creamed corn is a little funny), but it might be that I just never liked sitcoms with dream episodes or any with the 'It's a wonderful life'-themed Christmas ones.

[Bastet]

That and the episode with the obnoxious accountant who won't leave the Conners alone are the only season two episodes that I don't watch over and over.  (But I will always watch the tag of the accountant one - I love them with that refrigerator.)

[readster]

On 6/4/2016 at 11:42 AM, Bastet said:

Yeah, and their excuse for not going to the basement is that Dan is using it to store drywall.  We've seen that basement; I highly doubt he filled the entire room, floor to ceiling, so they couldn't at least cram in there for the time it took to wait out a tornado. 

There's a marathon on Logo, too; season four just started.  The WE marathon is about to start season two.  I am going to get nothing done this morning.

Not to mention, even when they showed the boat that Dan was working on in the first season, there was plenty of room. So, I find it pretty bad writing and even being cheap with the use of the set pieces for the excuse was because there was soooo much drywall. So, if there was no room for anyone, then how was Dan going to get it back out?

[ljenkins782]

12 minutes ago, readster said:

Not to mention, even when they showed the boat that Dan was working on in the first season, there was plenty of room. So, I find it pretty bad writing and even being cheap with the use of the set pieces for the excuse was because there was soooo much drywall. So, if there was no room for anyone, then how was Dan going to get it back out?

The boat was in the garage, not the basement. 

Honestly, I didn't find the drywall storage to be that implausible, that's something my own father would do (and has done, actually) with various types of building materials), so it never struck me as odd that he may have completely filled the basement to the point where not all of them would fit down there comfortably enough to spend hours. 

Quote

It's always a really great idea to hang out by the windows,

They did address that part with Roseanne saying they were able to eat plate glass or whatever she said about them stupidly standing in front of a window. 

Quote

That and the episode with the obnoxious accountant who won't leave the Conners alone are the only season two episodes that I don't watch over and over.  (But I will always watch the tag of the accountant one - I love them with that refrigerator.)

Yep, those were 2 major clunkers in an otherwise great season. The bathroom one is especially pointless. 

Edited June 6, 2016 by ljenkins782

[Bastet]

Nothing about the reason they can't take cover in the basement makes sense -- that Dan would be storing such a large amount of drywall at home (rather than a job site) to begin with, or that he'd store drywall in the basement rather than the garage.  Drywall is heavy, and the sheets are large.  The only reason he'd maneuver it through the house and down the basement stairs is if he was going to use it down there (say, making it a finished basement that could be used as a writing room); if he just wanted to store it, he'd put it in the garage where he had a straight shot from the truck bed rather than dealing with stairs and corners.  Even if the boat was still in the garage (I can't remember when that project disappeared), there would be room to stack drywall.

[readster]

46 minutes ago, Bastet said:

Nothing about the reason they can't take cover in the basement makes sense -- that Dan would be storing such a large amount of drywall at home (rather than a job site) to begin with, or that he'd store drywall in the basement rather than the garage.  Drywall is heavy, and the sheets are large.  The only reason he'd maneuver it through the house and down the basement stairs is if he was going to use it down there (say, making it a finished basement that could be used as a writing room); if he just wanted to store it, he'd put it in the garage where he had a straight shot from the truck bed rather than dealing with stairs and corners.  Even if the boat was still in the garage (I can't remember when that project disappeared), there would be room to stack drywall.

Exactly, and if they want to throw in that the boat was in the garage (that was my mistake). It wasn't like he couldn't have slipped it on the side to get to easily through the main door. In the basement made no sense, now if Dan would have said: "You wanted me to finish it." Then you can go with the excuse, but there just for storage. I wouldn't want to be the person who would have to carry it up, move through the house and then load it. 

[Bastet]

Quote

They did address that part with Roseanne saying they were able to eat plate glass or whatever she said about them stupidly standing in front of a window. 

Dan tells the kids they're getting a taste of what nature can do, and Roseanne pulls them away, saying, "You're also about to get a taste of that plate glass window."

Another thing that bothers me about the episode is that Becky is the only one who cares about the pets.  I don't care that they're "just" guinea pigs or whatever Pebbles and Bam-Bam were (I can't recall) - they're dependent living creates for whom the Conners are responsible.  Not that they're any safer in the house than the garage, given the basement issue, it's just that Becky running out in the middle of a storm to get them shouldn't have been an issue, because they should have been accounted for long before that. 

But I love Jackie - who had previously gone on about how it's all meaningless and if a tornado is going to get you, it's going to get you - grabbing Roseanne to declare, "I want to live," and Roseanne saying, "Think it over."

And Darlene reporting that a neighbor called to say she has Dan's Bears boxer shorts.  Roseanne jokes, "To think I trusted you," and Dan insists, "I was thinking about you the whole time."

Dual marathon Saturday was great, and I, indeed, did not get up until it was over -- one network was showing season two, which is when the show really started firing on all cylinders for me, and the other was showing season four, which is my favorite of the series.  I was in Roseanne heaven.

[ljenkins782]

18 hours ago, Bastet said:

Nothing about the reason they can't take cover in the basement makes sense -- that Dan would be storing such a large amount of drywall at home (rather than a job site) to begin with, or that he'd store drywall in the basement rather than the garage.  Drywall is heavy, and the sheets are large.  The only reason he'd maneuver it through the house and down the basement stairs is if he was going to use it down there (say, making it a finished basement that could be used as a writing room); if he just wanted to store it, he'd put it in the garage where he had a straight shot from the truck bed rather than dealing with stairs and corners.  Even if the boat was still in the garage (I can't remember when that project disappeared), there would be room to stack drywall.

I assumed they had a Bilco door leading directly from the outside to the basement, that used to be a standard for houses and the purpose of them was to move large objects directly in. And if he was an independent contractor who was often between projects, I don't find it implausible that he'd have extra materials and need somewhere to store them. 

I wonder if the writer of that one throwaway line back in 1989 (?) could have ever imagined people would be debating it's plausibility in 2016, ha. :) 

[Bastet]

But there was no door directly to the basement, otherwise Jackie would have come in rather than talking to Roseanne through the window, and David would have used it rather than climbing through the window.

[heatherchandler]

On ‎5‎/‎29‎/‎2016 at 0:22 PM, Bastet said:

No, it didn't take me that long, but it did take me several viewings of Shawshank to make the connection.  The worst it how long it took me to realize A.D. Kersh on The X-Files was Chuck (James Pickens Jr.).

He was also Keith's dad on Six Feet Under.  I did not make that connection for a long time.

[heatherchandler]

On ‎12‎/‎28‎/‎2015 at 1:52 PM, Racj82 said:

I love their relationship as well. I've also always been transfixed by the episode where Roseanne leaves and Jackie becomes the mom of the house. I detest cheating and love Roseanne/Dan (until he becomes later becomes almost not equal to Roseanne in their own household) but I'm find myself just waiting then to go for it in that solo kitchen scene.

I never saw that scene in that way.  They are family, they would never go for it, that would be weird, and gross.  I felt like the look and pause was all about letting each other know that they appreciated each other - it was a sweet moment, not a sexual one. 

[Racj82]

6 hours ago, heatherchandler said:

I never saw that scene in that way.  They are family, they would never go for it, that would be weird, and gross.  I felt like the look and pause was all about letting each other know that they appreciated each other - it was a sweet moment, not a sexual one. 

I never implied that they should go for it or that this what the scene is supposed to imply. When I watch that scene, I find myself getting caught up in the moment and forgetting about the logistics of the scene. Years later I find out that Laurie and Roseanne had crushes on Goodman at one point and it kind of makes sense now. Like, part of the reason I get caught up in the scene is that there was possible chemistry there (in reality).

[ItsHelloPattiagain]

Quote

Ahh snap. Two of my favorite episodes are airing this morning on Logo. Dan beating up Fisher and the aftermath.

Every time that episode is on I cover my eyes when Dan gets that "look" and goes to grab his jacket. Masterful acting by John Goodman. 

IMHO the later wackiness of Jackie seemed to be what has happened to lot of people I know in real life - her anxiety started to get the best of her as she got older. Bev was an alcoholic and Jackie did her share of drinking too much in earlier episodes (perhaps some of it to deal with emotional issues). I think she had a lot on her plate over her life - failed jobs, failed relationships, family issues - maybe her anxiety got the best of her. 

[qtpye]

On 6/30/2016 at 11:42 AM, ItsHelloPattiagain said:

IMHO the later wackiness of Jackie seemed to be what has happened to lot of people I know in real life - her anxiety started to get the best of her as she got older. Bev was an alcoholic and Jackie did her share of drinking too much in earlier episodes (perhaps some of it to deal with emotional issues). I think she had a lot on her plate over her life - failed jobs, failed relationships, family issues - maybe her anxiety got the best of her. 

 

On 6/22/2016 at 10:29 AM, heatherchandler said:

I detest cheating and love Roseanne/Dan (until he becomes later becomes almost not equal to Roseanne in their own household) but I'm find myself just waiting then to go for it in that solo kitchen scene.

It's interesting, I once was talking to a friend about this show and how later Roseanne started to treat Dan horribly, sometimes, it seemed like it was just because he was a man and the real life Roseanne was taking her frustrations out on the character.  My friend, who claims to of grown up in a similar blue collar household had a different take.

Without going into gender stereotypes,  my friend claimed when they were young her mother was expected to do the brunt of the childcare, housework, and hold down a job that brought some income into the family.  It was enough that her man "provided" by doing his own solid blue collar job and nothing else was expected of him.  It was not "manly" for him to help out with the kids, besides going to the occasional baseball  game or teaching them sports. 

My friend the mom was the punching bag for the kids to unload all their problems and frustrations, while their Dad was looked upon as hero for doing what was expected of him.  Later, as the kids got older he mother began to resent the heck out of the dad and sometimes vented her frustrations.

I am not saying blue collar guys are brutes and are all like this, but that my friend said she understood Roseanne's frustration with Dan, even though he seemed like the ideal husband in a lot of ways...though the writing was so poor by this point, it really did not come across well.

 

On 6/22/2016 at 4:58 PM, Racj82 said:

Years later I find out that Laurie and Roseanne had crushes on Goodman at one point and it kind of makes sense now. Like, part of the reason I get caught up in the scene is that there was possible chemistry there (in reality).

In keeping with my post from above, it felt like at some point in the nineties, every woman in America had a crush on Goodman.  There were so many people who wanted him to be their imaginary husband/father.  It definitely proved that heterosexual women do not mind a man with a little extra meat on him, if he seems like a good guy.

[Bastet]

I think the series did a good job throughout showing that, while Dan was a good husband and father, he did not do an equal share of the parenting or household duties.  He "helped" more than a lot of men, but it was still her job with which he helped, not an equal responsibility.  It's a very typical scenario, and it was nice to see Roseanne's frustration with it (and the fact the kids took it for granted) flare up time and again.  Also a nice realistic touch where Roseanne would get twitchy when he did step in more, because he wasn't doing it "right" (e.g. her way).

[Racj82]

Eh, there was some realness to the issues or the hostility but to point it just read like the beaten down husband/can't do right husband thing that so many sitcoms used to get bogged down in. Like it was just supposed to be funny to see the man getting taken down a peg. It's also the stupid comedy rule of long running sitcoms where you amp up certain aspects of characters to eleven. Darlene is all snark, Jackie is a huge mess, David is extra money, etc. I just hate that. There to be more nuance to the show and certain relationships that were almost all gone by the end.

[qtpye]

On 7/6/2016 at 11:19 PM, Racj82 said:

Eh, there was some realness to the issues or the hostility but to point it just read like the beaten down husband/can't do right husband thing that so many sitcoms used to get bogged down in. Like it was just supposed to be funny to see the man getting taken down a peg. It's also the stupid comedy rule of long running sitcoms where you amp up certain aspects of characters to eleven. Darlene is all snark, Jackie is a huge mess, David is extra money, etc. I just hate that. There to be more nuance to the show and certain relationships that were almost all gone by the end.

Yeah, if the show had been at the level of the original seasons, it really could have been very poignant.  However, the writing was so bad that everyone was a nasty caricature of what they had been.  Roseanne went from smart/sassy to shrew.  Sometimes it felt that Dan was berated, just because he was a man and Roseanne was going through a bad divorce with Tom Arnold.

Edited July 13, 2016 by qtpye

[Aja]

23 hours ago, qtpye said:

Yeah, if the show had been at the level of the original season, it really could have been very poignant.  However, the writing was so bad that everyone was a nasty caricature of what they had been.  Roseanne went from smart/sassy to shrew.  Sometimes it felt that Dan was berated, just because he was a man and Roseanne was going through a bad divorce with Tom Arnold.

One of the most wtf episodes for me was when they thought something might be wrong with Jerry and Roseanne spent the entire episode accusing Dan of being an asshole who was trying to assert his male dominance over her body. Uh, what? She is so completely irrational, treating him like a one night stand who knocked her up and is demanding she have an abortion, not her husband of 20+ years who has fathered and lovingly raised three children with her already, and who was only expressing his fears that something might be very wrong with the baby. I know it all got worked out in the end, but both Roseanne and Jackie were horrible and completely bizarre in that episode.

Edited July 13, 2016 by Aja

[readster]

5 minutes ago, Aja said:

One of the most wtf episodes for me was when they thought something might be wrong with Jerry and Roseanne spent the entire episode accusing Dan of being an asshole who was trying to assert his male dominance over her body. Uh, what? She is so completely irrational, treating him like a one night stand who knocked her up and is demanding she have an abortion, not her husband of 20+ years who has fathered and lovingly raised three children with her already, and who was only expressing his fears that something might be very wrong with the baby. I know it all got worked out in the end, but both Roseanne and Jackie were horrible and completely bizarre in that episode.

Oh I remember that. I completely got Dan's side on all of that, but really Roseanne and Jerry came off completely horrible and even to this day, I can't excuse their behavior. 

 On another note, I remember when Leon was leaving the diner and Roseanne was upset over the manager position and yet a few months later, the entire diner closed down. If the writers wouldn't have given up with the entire: "The Connors MUST have money and job problems." It could have played out better that Leon saw the writing on the wall and got out of Dodge before the place closed down so he wasn't out of a job. Because you just don't one day go: "This place is a bust, time to shut it down." Places like that have months and months of declining sales and the decision to possibly close comes up about three months before such an act is made. The management staff is alerted first and depending on the company when employees are told. Now, some places are assholes and tell people at the last minute, but its not like there isn't major advance notice in places like diners or Big Box stores of impending closing. If anything, the dinner would have had a temp manager until the closing happened. 

Edited July 13, 2016 by readster

[BooksRule]

As I was getting ready for work this morning I thought of a 'Roseanne' episode.  I was going to heat up a little peach pie (I know, not the best breakfast food) to eat and didn't realize that a fuse had blown, cutting off power to parts of the house.  I did notice that the light on the microwave was off, but it's an old clunker and I just figured that the light had burned out and made a mental note to look at a new one at Wal-Mart.  I set the time, hit start and went on my merry way for the next few minutes.  I later went back and got the pie.  I did notice that it was cool, but I just thought that I hadn't set enough time and ate it anyway.  It wasn't until I tried to use my computer that I realized that some of the power was off.  I changed the fuse and everything was okay (so far), but I was reminded of the episode 'The Dark Ages', where their electricity had been cut off and Jackie came in and blithely began getting food out of the fridge, pouring coffee (cold from the day before?) and trying to cook in the microwave.

[Aja]

On 7/22/2016 at 5:34 PM, BooksRule said:

As I was getting ready for work this morning I thought of a 'Roseanne' episode.  I was going to heat up a little peach pie (I know, not the best breakfast food) to eat and didn't realize that a fuse had blown, cutting off power to parts of the house.  I did notice that the light on the microwave was off, but it's an old clunker and I just figured that the light had burned out and made a mental note to look at a new one at Wal-Mart.  I set the time, hit start and went on my merry way for the next few minutes.  I later went back and got the pie.  I did notice that it was cool, but I just thought that I hadn't set enough time and ate it anyway.  It wasn't until I tried to use my computer that I realized that some of the power was off.  I changed the fuse and everything was okay (so far), but I was reminded of the episode 'The Dark Ages', where their electricity had been cut off and Jackie came in and blithely began getting food out of the fridge, pouring coffee (cold from the day before?) and trying to cook in the microwave.

"Well, we don't have any lights, but now we know the speed of stupid." I love that one. :D

[Dee]

My favorite part of the Jackie Gets Abused arc?

Chuck: Hey, Jailbird! So when's visiting hours?

Dan: What is this, Mayberry?!

Anne Marie: Dan, we brought you a little something, to help wile away those lonely hours in the slammer. Hit it, Chuck!

Chuck: *plays the harmonica & then hands it to Dan* So what's the story, man? I heard you took out three guys in a bowling alley?!

Crystal: I thought it was a poker game?

Roseanne: Well, Dan, according to the people at Buy & Bag, you went on a drunken rampage, beat up six guys, and took out a pay phone.

Anne Marie: Hey, Roseanne. We heard about Dan's little adventure. You know, everybody's talking about it.

Chuck: Mhm.

Roseanne: Well, people have been saying it for years, but now, with Dan going to jail and everything, we are officially Poor White Trash!

Dan: *plays Oh Susannah on the harmonica & dances around in a circle with Roseanne*

Roseanne: Now, all we need is some little half-wit sitting in the front yard eating dirt!

DJ: Hi!

Roseanne: Shut up, Darlene!

Edited August 5, 2016 by Dee

[lallalla]

I'm still reading through, perhaps it's already been commented on, but does it strike anyone as..."differently odd" for the show's stance when DJ is supposed to kiss an African American girl (for a school play)?  Maybe it's just differences between now and then, because it is so much more accepted, and also seen as "I find that fine, but it's not my attraction" (insert whatever race), whereas at the time, the show was trying to state a (perhaps understandable) social perspective, of absolute prejudice, especially with the African American population as they related to white Americans.  Does this show how much things have changed (overall, not in all places or for everyone) or did the show miss another solid point here (given the time frame it was set in)?

Edited August 9, 2016 by lallalla
editing for better wording. I tried to word it per the show originally