S10.E01: Twenty Years to Life / S10.E02: Dress to Impress

[peacheslatour]

6 minutes ago, Chicken Wing said:

ABC is going to rerun the premiere episodes on Easter Sunday.

What time?

[Chicken Wing]

7:00 EST.

[BitterApple]

I know this was touched on upthread, but what was everyone's take on David and Mark not being mentioned by name? I found Darlene saying "partner" and Jackie saying "husband" to be rather strange because family members don't normally talk that way. I'm hoping they're not keeping the switcharoo they pulled in the finale.

[Chicken Wing]

7 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

I know this was touched on upthread, but what was everyone's take on David and Mark not being mentioned by name? I found Darlene saying "partner" and Jackie saying "husband" to be rather strange because family members don't normally talk that way. I'm hoping they're not keeping the switcharoo they pulled in the finale.

That was jarring to me, too, but no they're not keeping the switcharoo. David was with Darlene, Mark was with Becky just as we saw all along. David will appear in one episode. I assume they're going to avoid mentioning Mark by name too often so as not to cause confusion with little Mark, and maybe David and Darlene's split was hostile to the point where even saying his name is forbidden in the house, lol.

Edited March 28, 2018 by Chicken Wing

[ams1001]

10 minutes ago, Chicken Wing said:

That was jarring to me, too, but no they're not keeping the switcharoo. David was with Darlene, Mark was with Becky just as we saw all along. David will appear in one episode. I assume they're going to avoid mentioning Mark by name too often so as not to cause confusion with little Mark, and maybe David and Darlene's split was hostile to the point where even saying his name is forbidden in the house, lol.

Maybe he cheated on her with a Cheesecake Factory waitress. ;)

[Chicken Wing]

I've literally never seen more than eight seconds of Big Bang Theory but I assume that's a reference. :)

[ams1001]

Just now, Chicken Wing said:

I've literally never seen more than eight seconds of Big Bang Theory but I assume that's a reference. :)

Yes; Johnny Galecki's character's wife is a struggling actress/waitress in the first several seasons of BBT.

[Jillybean]

I've seen a few people mentioning that Roseanne is an Uber driver. I'm pretty sure that was a joke.

[TigerLynx]

Maybe David took Mark's death really hard (they didn't show them being close, but apparently we are supposed to believe they were).  Darlene named their second child after Mark hoping it would make things better, but it didn't.  Then Darlene and David gradually grew apart.  Darlene was always the stronger more practicable one.

[Scarlett45]

1 hour ago, CatsAndMoreCats said:

It's entirely possible that she didn't.  Chicago has an EXCELLENT public transportation system.  And if you live in downtown Chicago (as opposed to one of the nearby burbs like Evanston or Oak Park), parking is either extremely difficult to find on the street or extremely costly if you opt to park in a lot or garage.  Many downtown residents opt not to own a car.

I love that you compared downtown Chicago to a Chicago suburb rather than a Chicago neighborhood- makes me giggle. (Born and raised Chicagoan- actual city limits). 

[chocolatine]

2 hours ago, TigerLynx said:

Maybe David took Mark's death really hard (they didn't show them being close, but apparently we are supposed to believe they were).  Darlene named their second child after Mark hoping it would make things better, but it didn't.  Then Darlene and David gradually grew apart.  Darlene was always the stronger more practicable one.

They didn't seem close, but Mark was the only Healy family member David had left. Their parents and sisters obviously wanted nothing to do with them, they didn't even bother to come to David and Darlene's wedding.

Edited March 29, 2018 by chocolatine

[Rap541]

If they didn't want the audience to be confused, they shouldn't have named the little boy Mark *without explaining he was named after Uncle Mark*. But then this is one reason why I don't like naming children after dead relatives.

[Scarlett45]

11 minutes ago, chocolatine said:

They didn't seem close, but Mark was the only Healy family member David had left. Their parents and sisters didn't obviously wanted nothing to do with them, they didn't even bother to come to David and Darlene's wedding.

I could see that. David loved his brother a lot, and if he passed before Little Mark was thought of or while Darlene was pregnant I can see him wanting to honor his memory. 

Even if David and Darlene split on less than amicable terms I cannot see him not supporting his children- that should be something coming in so that Dan & Roseanne’s resources aren’t stretched (with groceries and extra utilities due to 3 more mouths). 

[chocolatine]

3 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

Even if David and Darlene split on less than amicable terms I cannot see him not supporting his children- that should be something coming in so that Dan & Roseanne’s resources aren’t stretched (with groceries and extra utilities due to 3 more mouths). 

I'm sure he'd want to, but he may not be able to, depending on his own job situation.

[Scarlett45]

6 minutes ago, chocolatine said:

I'm sure he'd want to, but he may not be able to, depending on his own job situation.

Shit that would fucking suck. 

[BlossomCulp]

13 minutes ago, chocolatine said:

I'm sure he'd want to, but he may not be able to, depending on his own job situation.

A lot of time has gone by and Roseanne is trying to be realistic - it's also realistic that there are deadbeat parents out there with lots of "good" excuses for why they can't or won't help support their kids.  I hope they don't go there with David but it would a sadly true to life kind of thing to have happen.

[Cupcake04]

1 hour ago, Chicken Wing said:

ABC is going to rerun the premiere episodes on Easter Sunday.

YAY!!! I FLOVED IT!!!!

[UYI]

4 hours ago, Zoe said:

Both.  She prayed for Jerry who was off on a boat with apparently no phones to call home.

Didn't she say Jerry was on a boat in Alaska? Maybe I'm wrong. 

Edited March 28, 2018 by UYI

[StaceyNotStacie]

27 minutes ago, Rap541 said:

If they didn't want the audience to be confused, they shouldn't have named the little boy Mark *without explaining he was named after Uncle Mark*. But then this is one reason why I don't like naming children after dead relatives.

 

56 minutes ago, TigerLynx said:

Maybe David took Mark's death really hard (they didn't show them being close, but apparently we are supposed to believe they were).  Darlene named their second child after Mark hoping it would make things better, but it didn't.  Then Darlene and David gradually grew apart.  Darlene was always the stronger more practicable one.

I’ve noticed the family pictures on the tables in the background. I’d love a scene with young Mark and Becky looking at a picture of original Mark and her telling him a little bit about his namesake. Maybe include a comment from him such as “would he have liked me?”  If they don’t want to go into too much detail about how he died, it would be a good way of mentioning his passing. 

I hope that they’ll also do some sort of RIP for Glenn and Shelley Winters acknowledging that the actors have passed. 

[Mu Shu]

8 hours ago, BitterApple said:

Regarding Becky, I agree with the poster up thread who said it's kind of crazy that in 20 years she hasn't managed to do something with her life. It's not like she was tied down with five kids and going to college or trade school would've been all but impossible. I wonder if Darlene alluding to Becky being a drunk is going to reveal a substance abuse problem in later episodes.

I’m thinking Becky has/had a substance abuse problem. The line where she told second Becky “I’ll take all the drugs you have”! had me thinking that’s what caused her downfall. 

[iMonrey]

Quote

Lecy only ever appeared sporadically in season 8, with Sarah Chalke stepping in for the episodes where Becky's absence would have made no sense (the family trip to Disney World and Darlene's wedding). It was believed that the 8th season would be the last one, so they found a way to work around Lecy's schedule to have her reprise the role for a last hurrah. But then the show got picked up for a ninth season, but Lecy was either not willing or not able to come back again.

I'm not so sure. The Disney World episodes were filmed before the season premier, which is why the part "reverted" back to Sarah Chalke. Goranson appeared in the first half of the Season 8 episodes aside from those 2, then disappeared and Chalke took over once more. 

Roseanne had a cast reunion on her short-lived talk show and Goranson was not there. And Roseanne snidely referred to her as "that other girl." It definitely seemed like there was some bad blood between them at the time.

[Chas411]

Normally I'm all for some behind the scenes drama but I genuinely don't think it was the case with Lecy/Roseanne and the show. They fully supported her when she chose to leave, took her back when she was available to return and then let her leave again when she couldn't fully commit to the show (I think her schedule couldn't accommodate the full time hours of filming the show). She then returned as Becky in the reboot. I think Roseanne referring to her as that other girl is in jest as the 2 Beckys was a running gag at that stage. 

[Sile]

3 hours ago, TV Diva Queen said:

and therein lies the joke.  Jackie is always trying out something else.  

That was my feeling as well.  Hearing about some new trend, jumping on the bandwagon and deciding to make it her career without even considering that she lacks both a demand and a customer base is perfect Jackie thinking.

[Chicken Wing]

20 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

I'm not so sure. The Disney World episodes were filmed before the season premier, which is why the part "reverted" back to Sarah Chalke. Goranson appeared in the first half of the Season 8 episodes aside from those 2, then disappeared and Chalke took over once more. 

Roseanne had a cast reunion on her short-lived talk show and Goranson was not there. And Roseanne snidely referred to her as "that other girl." It definitely seemed like there was some bad blood between them at the time.

The Disney World episodes were late in the season, in February 1996. They filmed before the season premiere, that far in advance? Remember the meta joke when Sarah Chalke walked into the house and an announcer says that the role of Becky originally played by Lecy then Sarah then Lecy again will tonight be played by Sarah. It was after Lecy took over the role again. I'm pretty sure I read that Lecy was just not available for too many episodes (she appeared in ten total that year), which wasn't that big a deal because both Becky and Darlene appeared only semi-occasionally in those later seasons already, but they had to get Sarah to step in for the Disney episodes and the wedding episode when Lecy wasn't available then because Becky couldn't not be there. Lecy actually appeared again, and for the last time, in the episode after the wedding.

Edited March 28, 2018 by Chicken Wing

[UYI]

4 hours ago, iMonrey said:

I'd really like to know what went on behind the scenes with Gorensen's return and then inexplicable departure mid-season. I've always suspected Roseanne herself drove her off the show because she never wanted her back. It seems like they've made amends over the years.

This might have been addressed already, but Lecy Goranson left to attend Vassar College (the return in season 8 occurred once her schedule had opened up--and the two times they had to bring Sarah back were due to Lecy's college schedule getting in the way).

If there was ever any tension between Roseanne and Lecy, it appears it was years ago, and and has long since been resolved. Roseanne made a point once to praise Lecy's performance in Boys Don't Cry, which came out two years after the show ended (and three after Lecy left for the final time). 

4 hours ago, AM1418 said:

Not sure why, but this just made me think of the PMS episode where they are talking about Roseanne's PMS and Dan spells it out (cheerleader style) and DJ goes "OMG!" and falls out of the chair. Can you imagine what he would have done if he was in the living room listening to them talk about Andrea eating Becky's placenta?!

 

 

Michael Fishman actually fell out of the chair by accident. It wasn't scripted. 

[Chaos Theory]

4 hours ago, Deskisamess said:

The "Life Coach" job for Jackie also makes very little sense given the town and economy it is supposed to be in. Wealthy people pay for such help, not people making less than 45k in a state that has lost most of its manufacturing jobs.

Landford was always portrayed as a town where most everyone knew everyone else. So, in light of Jackie's life, who would pay her for advice? It doesn't ring true one bit.

 

4 hours ago, Zoe said:

I saw it mentioned elsewhere that one of the interviews have said that Lanford is now a majority-minority city.  That means a lot of people must have moved into town and others have moved out, so Jackie's reputation certainly could have improved.

I didn't know Landford was a real town.  Either way I can see it being "close enough" to a major city that it would be gentrified which could explain why the restaurant went out of business.  What self respecting metrosexual would eat at a loose meat place?    

Plus people move in an out all the time.  It was kinda a running joke that The Connors had a few different next door neighbors over the years.  There was the old naked couple.  The stuck up woman.  That guy with the one good daughter and the one bad daughter.   So I can see people moving in and out as their luck and job opportunities change.  

Edited March 28, 2018 by Chaos Theory

[UYI]

4 hours ago, Kokapetl said:

Lanford did have more than a few non poor people, such as Darlene’s black classmate with the stock broker father and name brand cornflakes, the neighbour with the ceramic Dalmatian thingy, uppity department store cafe customer lady who ordered water and a coffee, yuppie Leon, Nancy who had her butt removed.

And Meg Wellman! ("Hello, Roxanne!")

[Chicken Wing]

2 minutes ago, Chaos Theory said:

I didn't know Landford was a real town.  Either way I can see it being "close enough" to a major city that it would be gentrified which could explain why the restaurant went out of business.  What self respecting metrosexual would eat at a loose meat place?

It's not a real town. They're just making up "facts" for their story universe. :)

[UYI]

15 minutes ago, Chaos Theory said:

 

I didn't know Landford was a real town.  Either way I can see it being "close enough" to a major city that it would be gentrified which could explain why the restaurant went out of business.  What self respecting metrosexual would eat at a loose meat place?    

 

 

I don't think Lanford (no extra "d'! lol) is a real town. That does make me curious what town in Illinois it's based on, though. Moline, maybe? Roseanne and Jackie's parents lived there before Bev came back to Lanford.

I DO know this: Roseanne named Lanford after Llanview, the fictional Pennsylvania town where the soap opera One Life to Live took place. The real Roseanne was a huge fan of that show (and of General Hospital, for that matter). 

Edited March 29, 2018 by UYI

[AntiBeeSpray]

3 hours ago, Stacey1014 said:

I noticed something upon rewatching. When Roseanne mentioned Jerry, Dan had a strange expression. I wonder if he really doesn’t call or just communicates with Dan because of Roseanne’s strong personality. 

I also LOL’d at Dan calling Roseanne “Mother” in the opening scene. I wonder if that was a dig at Pence. 

I wondered about that too lol.

[OpalNightstream]

Did I miss why there was suddenly a stair lift in the second episode? 

Unrelated, but becky's deep voice was so jarring to hear! 

[2727]

Since Darlene and David named their first child after her aunt, it seems reasonable that she went along with naming their second after David's family member. Although Darlene always had the upper hand in that relationship and in my mind was probably high on painkillers when she agreed.  ;-)

The ridiculously unrealistic surrogacy storyline is really going to chafe, I can tell. Why not have Becky be a paid subject in a medical study on IVF for eggs in women over 40, or something? Chalke could play one of the researchers and Roseanne and Dan could still be opposed to Becky giving up her eggs.

Sure it's a fictional TV show, but the writers didn't have to be quite so hamfisted and clumsy.

[jonesingjay]

I like the set design. 

[Chaos Theory]

5 minutes ago, 2727 said:

Since Darlene and David named their first child after her aunt, it seems reasonable that she went along with naming their second after David's family member. Although Darlene always had the upper hand in that relationship and in my mind was probably high on painkillers when she agreed.  ;-)

I believe her full name is Harris Connor Healy.  Named after all the women in Darlene's life.  I actually enjoyed the episode "The Miracle" as it was one of the few good episodes of the final season.    Harris is Jackie and Roseanne's maiden name.  If they are not going with Jackie being married to Fred then she is still probably Jackie Harris.  

As for naming the son Mark.  I think the show is assuming that most of the people watching have SOME knowledge of the shows history and aren't going to explain every detail of the show to people just tuning in.   If you want to catch up its not really hard to find reruns.    The show is billing itself as season 10 after all.  

[BitterApple]

16 minutes ago, 2727 said:

Since Darlene and David named their first child after her aunt, it seems reasonable that she went along with naming their second after David's family member. Although Darlene always had the upper hand in that relationship and in my mind was probably high on painkillers when she agreed.  ;-)

The ridiculously unrealistic surrogacy storyline is really going to chafe, I can tell. Why not have Becky be a paid subject in a medical study on IVF for eggs in women over 40, or something? Chalke could play one of the researchers and Roseanne and Dan could still be opposed to Becky giving up her eggs.

Sure it's a fictional TV show, but the writers didn't have to be quite so hamfisted and clumsy.

You'd think with all the great potential Becky storylines on the table (Mark's death and aftermath, her failure to complete school, mucking around in mediocrity for 20 years, potential drug issues etc.) they could've come up with something much better for her to do than become an obviously-way-too-old surrogate. 

[UYI]

11 minutes ago, Chaos Theory said:

I believe her full name is Harris Connor Healy.  Named after all the women in Darlene's life.  I actually enjoyed the episode "The Miracle" as it was one of the few good episodes of the final season.    Harris is Jackie and Roseanne's maiden name.  If they are not going with Jackie being married to Fred then she is still probably Jackie Harris.  

 

Fred's last name was Oakland, but I don't remember Jackie ever using it. 

[Chicken Wing]

2 minutes ago, UYI said:

Fred's last name was Oakland, but I don't remember Jackie ever using it. 

Was that his last name? I don't think I remember them ever mentioning it. The closest I remember them coming to referencing it was in the episode where Roseanne and Jackie took Bev to an AA meeting and Roseanne introduced them as "Roseanne C" and "Jackie O."

[Dee]

8 minutes ago, BitterApple said:

You'd think with all the great potential Becky storylines on the table (Mark's death and aftermath, her failure to complete school, mucking around in mediocrity for 20 years, potential drug issues etc.) they could've come up with something much better for her to do than become an obviously-way-too-old surrogate. 

That would get in the way of their Saint Darlene story.

[BitterApple]

4 minutes ago, Chicken Wing said:

Was that his last name? I don't think I remember them ever mentioning it. The closest I remember them coming to referencing it was in the episode where Roseanne and Jackie took Bev to an AA meeting and Roseanne introduced them as "Roseanne C" and "Jackie O."

Bev getting arrested for DUI was one of my most favorite episodes ever. I still crack up thinking about her warning Darlene against good-time Charlies and "the herpes."

[UYI]

5 minutes ago, Chicken Wing said:

Was that his last name? I don't think I remember them ever mentioning it. The closest I remember them coming to referencing it was in the episode where Roseanne and Jackie took Bev to an AA meeting and Roseanne introduced them as "Roseanne C" and "Jackie O."

I honestly don't remember ever hearing it either, but it's always mentioned as his last name on fan sites/wiki pages. I suppose it could be fan fiction gone wild (see also: Liz Webber's mother on General Hospital being listed as Andrea on Wikipedia, despite the character NEVER appearing, nor even given an onscreen name, in the nearly 21 years that Liz has been on the show). 

Edited March 29, 2018 by UYI

[Annber03]

Just now, BitterApple said:

Bev getting arrested for DUI was one of my most favorite episodes ever. I still crack up thinking about her warning Darlene against good-time Charlies and "the herpes."

I liked Jackie's response to the officer talking about her mug shot photo. "Oh, man, can I get that in wallet size?" 

[UYI]

5 minutes ago, Dee said:

That would get in the way of their Saint Darlene story.

#JusticeForBecky

Nope, I'm not a bitter Lecy as Becky fan. No, seriously, I'm not! ;)

[Chicken Wing]

7 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

I liked Jackie's response to the officer talking about her mug shot photo. "Oh, man, can I get that in wallet size?" 

If it were my mother, I'd legit blow up that picture and plaster it across my garage door.

[chocolatine]

5 minutes ago, Chicken Wing said:

If it were my mother, I'd legit blow up that picture and plaster it across my garage door.

It it were mine, I'd make it a holiday card.

[zoeysmom]

Fingers crossed they will bring Fred and Andy back for next season.  Martin Mull, Fred Willard would be great to see again.  George Clooney rejected coming back.  Shocking.  Roseanne recall her days with George Clooney on the Howard Stern show.  

ABC has the shows up on their website:  http://abc.go.com/shows/roseanne/episode-guide/season-10/01-twenty-years-to-life

Edited March 29, 2018 by zoeysmom

[stillhere1900]

On 3/27/2018 at 7:17 PM, Stacey1014 said:

 

I really don’t like the surrogate storyline. There could have been a better way to include Sarah Chalke. 

 

No way in hell that would any woman rich enough to pay $50,000 to a surrogate would ever pick someone who lived in that house/dump to carry her child.

[stillhere1900]

23 hours ago, TigerLynx said:

I was hoping it was going to be revealed that Darlene was gay, and that's why she and David are divorced.  I wonder how they will address the David question.

I didn't expect to like it.  I thought I would tune in once, hate it, and never watch again.  I was wrong.  It was way better than I believed it would be.

Was DJ being married to an African-American a call back to the episode where DJ didn't want to kiss a girl because she was black?  If I remember correctly, DJ and Dan talked about it, and the conversation ended with DJ saying something about he had heard she used her tongue, and Dan told him to stay in touch with her or something like that because someday he would be glad he did.

That  little girl paying DJ's child is not mixed race.

[Sakura12]

How is there a Saint Darlene story? She's not doing great either, she lost her job, her husband and moved with her kids back in with her parents. And is lying to everyone about it. 

[Zoe]

6 minutes ago, stillhere1900 said:

That  little girl paying DJ's child is not mixed race.

But she is meant to be

[Chicken Wing]

6 minutes ago, stillhere1900 said:

Was DJ being married to an African-American a call back to the episode where DJ didn't want to kiss a girl because she was black?  If I remember correctly, DJ and Dan talked about it, and the conversation ended with DJ saying something about he had heard she used her tongue, and Dan told him to stay in touch with her or something like that because someday he would be glad he did.

He was referring to another girl about the tongue. After Dan straightened him out about the play, he asked if he should also try to kiss [whatever her name was], because his friend Ralphie said she uses tongue. Dan's like, I'd go for it.