S01.E10: Don’t Shoot the Piano Teacher

[Pete Martell]

13 minutes ago, Snow Apple said:

I don't need them to cast Andy but it would be nice to have one line mentioning "he's working overseas" or something. Also one of their friends asking "is Jerry still on that boat?" Just one line.

I prefer just having the focus on the main cast but it's insulting to fans to pretend those two boys never existed.

On the one hand the show is trying to be more reality-based in the revival (relatively speaking), so the lack of continuity is odd, but this is also the show that winked at Becky having two faces by bringing Sarah Chalke back, and winked and nodded to viewers about bringing Dan back from the dead. So it doesn't really bother me that much. If I was more interested in the story I might feel differently. 

If they do get another season then I do think they should seriously consider the idea, as Estelle Parsons doesn't film much (understandably) and the Matthew Broderick relationship is not working for me. 

[mythoughtis]

2 hours ago, rmontro said:

I wish they would quit painting Dan as a guy everybody is afraid of (Emilio in this case).  I know John Goodman is a big guy, but he's 66 years old, I doubt that he's interested in going around bashing heads all the time.  I could see it when he was younger, but it kind of bugs me now.

Emilio being concerned about Dan was more of a play on the fact that Emilio is a genuinely nice man who want to ‘do right’ by Becky and his baby. His concern was more that Dan would think he was a different sort of person than wether or not Dan would try to beat him up. Dan knew he couldn’t beat him up ... but he still had to do the macho phrasing of ‘I’d totally wipe the floor with you’.  At least Dan is starting to get his swagger back. 

[Wanda]

19 hours ago, tessaray said:

There is one more episode next week and negotiations for a second season are underway.  It's mainly a question of scheduling from what's been said so far. 

That said, the earlier episodes of this season seemed better on average than the last few.  A late sophomore slump?

This was supposed to be a 10 episode season and Comcast had this as episode 10?

[BeachDays]

19 minutes ago, Wanda said:

This was supposed to be a 10 episode season and Comcast had this as episode 10?

 

Yes but a couple of months back ABC ordered 1 additional episode 

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/ew.com/tv/2018/10/26/the-conners-additional-episode-ordered-not-canceled/amp/

[Wanda]

3 hours ago, jsbt said:

All of this is demonstrably incorrect if you check the Media or Ratings thread. According to multiple press sources, the show has had solid numbers and is in talks to be renewed.

The numbers were demonstrably lower than the original reboot which give them an out on renewal should they choose that route. All three leads have no shortage of work so they don’t need this job. This season was done strictly because ROSEANNE was already renewed, contracts signed and the leads were already going to be paid for a second season. So what I wrote was not demonstrably incorrect. It may or may not return for a second season, nothing has been stated for certain, I was surmising, and that cannot be stated as correct or incorrect at this time.

[jsbt]

2 minutes ago, Wanda said:

The numbers were demonstrably lower than the original reboot which give them an out on renewal should they choose that route. 

Regardless of that (anticipated) drop, it is the network's #1 comedy and is among the highest ratings of its night/timeslot. Hence, ABC has asked for another season and is currently in negotiations to renew it. They aren't looking for an out.

All three leads have no shortage of work so they don’t need this job.

No, but all three have said in public recently that they want it.

This season was done strictly because ROSEANNE was already renewed, contracts signed and the leads were already going to be paid for a second season.

That's also not true. Gilbert and Carsey-Werner had to pitch this show to the network.

As it stands now, the show is extremely likely to be renewed. Don't take my word for it, just google its name.

38 minutes ago, Wanda said:

This was supposed to be a 10 episode season and Comcast had this as episode 10?

Another episode was ordered after the early eps did well critically and numbers-wise.

1 hour ago, Pete Martell said:

On the one hand the show is trying to be more reality-based in the revival (relatively speaking), so the lack of continuity is odd, but this is also the show that winked at Becky having two faces by bringing Sarah Chalke back, and winked and nodded to viewers about bringing Dan back from the dead. So it doesn't really bother me that much. If I was more interested in the story I might feel differently. 

I can understand their avoiding late-season stuff like Andy and Jerry this year, because everything's been so nuts with this whole situation. IMO it's a miracle the new show works and has been largely a success; I wasn't expecting it to be. But I do feel Jackie not mentioning Andy at all during the Becky SL has been a mistake and should be rectified. I do agree it doesn't kill the show for me.

AFAIC Jerry still exists, same as he did last season when they mentioned him.

[mojoween]

I thought when Darlene told her birthing story she was going to say something like “Harris almost DIED” but they went the joke route.  But the birthing must have been traumatic because it stunted Harris’s growth about five years, heh.

You can’t turn in gifts with gift receipts for cash.  You get store credit or an exchange. At least around here anyways.

[BeachDays]

Yeah I was wondering if she was going to mention Harris being a preemie and almost dying too but maybe she didn’t want Blue to bring up the story about how when she was born she wasn’t breathing.  😜

[eel2178]

6 hours ago, Concerned said:

Laurie Metcalf plays Hillary Clinton in a Broadway show starting March 16 and if it’s a hit, she likely won’t be available for the Connors during 2019. John Lithgow plays Bill Clinton.

That sounds horrible. What play is it?

[Mu Shu]

7 hours ago, SirFilligryFlirt said:

This is taking a hard dive quickly. I see John as participating from a home in bed, nostalgically looking on with odd smiles and close up shots. I like Mark. He's a good kid, with healthy awareness. Ben was right, a bit firm, but that message needed to be given. I rolled my eyes when Mark introduced that he wanted to take lessons, and Dan shrugged it off with their typical case of the poors. They may have erased a lot of the original show. But, for some reason, they decided to keep Jackie just as she was the last few seasons. And that sucks.. Because, Laurie is fantastic, and could do so much more with Jackie than she is being given. Wasn't a huge fan of this one. 

I used to love Jackie’s old apartment.  How I would love a show set in that apartment with her and Becky as roommates.  They are the best part of the show, when they allow Jackie to not have to act all cringy. 

I accidentally caught the last ten minutes.  I’m sorry, but Sarah Gilbert can’t carry this show. 

[Dahlia]

Oh you said it.  What an unbelievable and cringy  story line.  Darlene is the least interesting character for me and pushing her and this ‘relationship’ so vigorously has my eyes rolling so hard my sister was worried I’d lose them. Sarah is an interesting woman but she cannot carry this show, and it’s so obvious,  I’m pretty sure it’s soon cancelled if they don’t switch gears. 

Edited January 17, 2019 by Dahlia

[Mmmfloorpie]

17 hours ago, Pete Martell said:

I don't see it as a repeat of the Jackie and Fred story. For one thing, I thought that story was much more unpleasant and forced (by this time they had started making Jackie's character so one-note and unpleasant it led to me quitting the show, along with the overall decline in the writing). Jackie was also a different person than Becky is - Becky is much more fragile, which the show only occasionally acknowledges. The story of a woman who thought she was past her chance to have a child only to then get pregnant when she didn't want to has been around for a long time. There are definitely parallels with Jackie and Becky, which could and possibly should be acknowledged, but I would never look at this story and think it was a repeat from season 6.

My point was if you read a paragraph long synopsis of the episode you could mistake it for a season 6 episode.

"Aging single woman gets pregnant after one night stand. Family attempts to force her to accept support from father (30min. CC)"

Jackie wasn't fragile? This was after the Fisher incident and that was used as a reason why she didn't want to let Fred in.

[ItsHelloPattiagain]

4 hours ago, Mmmfloorpie said:

Jackie wasn't fragile? This was after the Fisher incident and that was used as a reason why she didn't want to let Fred in.

Jackie was fragile like broken glass - all fight and bravado covering her very fragile nature.  Becky comes across as ditzy but I don't feel like they have really delved into everything that went on with Becky (and Mark passing away). Earlier Roseanne shows were basically funny. Mid-shows were more a mixture. Perhaps this show doesn't want to come across heartfelt at all, just going for laughs. 

A couple of unpopular opinions here - I don't like ditzy Becky. Becky used to be the intelligent one of the kids. Darlene was a brooding slacker. I understand how things can change (and with Sarah being the lead, I''m sure she doesn't want to appear to be brooding and dark anymore. And I don't like Mark - it has nothing to do with his clothing or lifestyle choices. He's just this perky Disney-esque kid. He almost seems out of place for the Conner household. 

[UYI]

50 minutes ago, ItsHelloPattiagain said:

A couple of unpopular opinions here - I don't like ditzy Becky. 

I doubt that's unpopular--I don't like that she sometimes comes across as ditzy, either. What I DO like--and I think this is what it seems like a lot of posters here like about current-day Becky--is her humorous observations about the world around her. There's a dark humor that Becky has to her character now that somehow manages to still be different enough from kind of humor that Darlene is known for--probably a by-product of the life she's led since Mark has been gone. She's funny, but there's an undercurrent of knowing sadness to it, and Lecy brings it to life beautifully.

That said, I do think that whatever intelligence Becky has/comes across today is largely due to Lecy's portrayal alone. And yet, at the same time, I don't see the ditzyness that I saw with Sarah Chalke's Becky, either. So even when Becky may not always seem as smart as she was originally portrayed to be, there's an air of natural intelligence Lecy brings to her that keeps it from going too far.

I do hope Becky is shown trying to make an effort to better her life, though, aside from staying away from drinking and having the baby. Maybe take night courses at the local community college while keeping her job at the Mexican restaurant (or online courses, if working at night makes the most sense as a waitress)? It would be a start, at least. I was so happy last season when it looked like she would finally pursue something like hotel management, and then it just seemingly got dropped. I hope, even if she pursues a different career than that, she at least gets that chance again. 

Edited January 17, 2019 by UYI

[TV Diva Queen]

On 1/16/2019 at 8:47 AM, UYI said:

There was always an ambiguity about how close Lanford and Chicago were to each other. I seem to remember them being two hours away from each other at one point, maybe when Darlene was first considering going to art school, and of course in the tornado episode from the first season, Lanford was in Fulton County, which in real life is near Peoria (that may have just been a coincidence, though--the writers may have had no idea there was a real Fulton County, Illinois). 

And then, of course, in season 6, the lesbian bar Roseanne, Jackie, Nancy and Sharon went to was in Elgin, which is a bonafide Chicago suburb.

So, who knows. 

 

And last  night they said Kane County, so they’re back in Elgin. Lol. 

And to the post upthread, regarding the one hour...it’s a one hour train ride. I live 9 miles from downtown and when I have to drive to the loop for work, it’s an easy hour. 

Edited January 17, 2019 by TV Diva Queen

[Mmmfloorpie]

1 hour ago, ItsHelloPattiagain said:

 

A couple of unpopular opinions here - I don't like ditzy Becky. Becky used to be the intelligent one of the kids. Darlene was a brooding slacker. I understand how things can change (and with Sarah being the lead, I''m sure she doesn't want to appear to be brooding and dark anymore.

That's the whole problem with the revival.

Darlene and Becky in the original were like the Odd Couple. They were divergent personalities who clashed. TV shows are premised on conflict. No conflict, no comedy.

In the revival they are essentially the same character. Both wise ass trailer trash. It's like watching Two Broke Girls. 

Since there'd be no show if Darlene didn't move back to Lanford, make her the unsuccessful. Now turn the tables and make Becky successfull. Still have her single with no family because of the Mark baggage. Successful but not too successful. Like a dental hygenist. She still acts like the high school beauty queen but doesn't know there's no floor under like Will E Coyote.  Becky could score off Darlene being washed out and Darlene could score off Becky for being a blonde bimbette. 

You could even keep the Emilio story. Miss Priss Becky queen gets knocked up by an illegal.

Whitney Cummings, you have my phone number.

[andipandi]

ben strikes me as a control freak, and while that makes him different than pushover david, he sets off all kinds of red flags for me.

[TheLastKidPicked]

50 minutes ago, andipandi said:

Ben strikes me as a control freak, and while that makes him different than pushover david, he sets off all kinds of red flags for me.

Yes!  And he hasn't known Darlene that long.  For him to go from being a care free bachelor to "Why don't you and your kids move in with me?" in that short amount of time makes me wonder what is up with him.

[CrystalBlue]

I agree with Ben being a control freak.  He has a little challenge on his hands (Darlene's personality and her parenting style) and he wants to control and change it.  I agreed with his piano lessons rules, but other than that, I'm questioning some red flag moments too.

[BeachDays]

I was shocked when Darlene said that the ultimate decision is hers bc she is the mom and Ben said “unless you are wrong”-  she played his comment off as a joke but I was like ehhhh.  

[Pete Martell]

17 hours ago, Mmmfloorpie said:

My point was if you read a paragraph long synopsis of the episode you could mistake it for a season 6 episode.

"Aging single woman gets pregnant after one night stand. Family attempts to force her to accept support from father (30min. CC)"

Jackie wasn't fragile? This was after the Fisher incident and that was used as a reason why she didn't want to let Fred in.

I wouldn't say her fragility was played up as much as Becky's has been, no. 

I think that if you read a synopsis of an episode then it can lead to more similarity than what is onscreen. I could say that the episode where the Conners grieve for Roseanne was similar to the episode where Jackie and Roseanne lost their father if I read a synopsis. 

I guess we will just agree to disagree.

11 hours ago, Mmmfloorpie said:

That's the whole problem with the revival.

Darlene and Becky in the original were like the Odd Couple. They were divergent personalities who clashed. TV shows are premised on conflict. No conflict, no comedy.

In the revival they are essentially the same character. Both wise ass trailer trash. It's like watching Two Broke Girls. 

Since there'd be no show if Darlene didn't move back to Lanford, make her the unsuccessful. Now turn the tables and make Becky successfull. Still have her single with no family because of the Mark baggage. Successful but not too successful. Like a dental hygenist. She still acts like the high school beauty queen but doesn't know there's no floor under like Will E Coyote.  Becky could score off Darlene being washed out and Darlene could score off Becky for being a blonde bimbette. 

You could even keep the Emilio story. Miss Priss Becky queen gets knocked up by an illegal.

Whitney Cummings, you have my phone number.

Darlene and Becky don't remind me of each other at all, other than not having money. They get along better now, but at this point I'd find conflict between them contrived if it's just for the sake of conflict.

Whitney Cummings isn't involved with the show anymore.

Edited January 18, 2019 by Pete Martell

[One Tough Cookie]

And just where is Jerry Garcia Conner?

[andipandi]

IN A BOAT

[Lili]

Probably the funniest episode so far. Also, was this the first episode where Roseanne wasn't referenced once?

[jsbt]

I think Darlene and Becky are still profoundly different people. I also think they've taken the Roseanne/Jackie sibling mantle very easily, shockingly so - prob because the show IMO would never have decided to lean on Lecy Goranson and challenge her as a frontburner actress if not for the loss of Roseanne Barr. While Becky is not the same person she was in 1991, she's also not the one-note ditz Sarah Chalke's Becky became. I don't think Becky is a ditz now, she's just embraced an irresponsible, reckless lifestyle for too long. As she told Mark a few episodes ago, look where being smart got her.

Edited January 18, 2019 by jsbt

[BeachDays]

50 minutes ago, Lili said:

Probably the funniest episode so far. Also, was this the first episode where Roseanne wasn't referenced once?

 

She was referenced-  Becky told Jackie “From what Mom told me, your garden didn’t exactly have a fence around it.”   😂

[RandomWatcher]

Am I not remembering correctly or didn't Darlene have  a difficult labor?

[jhlipton]

Count me as one who watched and enjoyed the original series but don't give a hoot about Jerry, Fred or Andy.  I like this cast and what references to the original they've had.

On 1/16/2019 at 6:47 AM, UYI said:

There was always an ambiguity about how close Lanford and Chicago were to each other.

TV geography.  Also the reason you can drive from anywhere to anywhere in Los Angeles or New York in just a few minutes.

[UYI]

2 hours ago, RandomWatcher said:

Am I not remembering correctly or didn't Darlene have  a difficult labor?

She prematurely gave birth to Harris, who almost died as a result and came home from the hospital later than expected. 

[Pete Martell]

10 hours ago, jsbt said:

I think Darlene and Becky are still profoundly different people. I also think they've taken the Roseanne/Jackie sibling mantle very easily, shockingly so - prob because the show IMO would never have decided to lean on Lecy Goranson and challenge her as a frontburner actress if not for the loss of Roseanne Barr. While Becky is not the same person she was in 1991, she's also not the one-note ditz Sarah Chalke's Becky became. I don't think Becky is a ditz now, she's just embraced an irresponsible, reckless lifestyle for too long. As she told Mark a few episodes ago, look where being smart got her.

I don't see Lecy's Becky as ditzy either. I think she was very early on, the first few seasons, but Lecy's acting always had a much harder edge from then on. I'd say it still does. I quit watching, for the most part, not that long after Sarah's Becky came in, but she did feel much more like a ditz - and also completely irrelevant. 

When I see Becky now I see a very screwed up person who uses humor and self-deprecation to hide just what an unfulfilled life she's had. In a way she's like a darker Crystal, a Crystal who gave up on the little bit of hope in life that Crystal has always had. 

I do agree they've taken over the Jackie and Roseanne dynamic, although I'm glad they don't have either of them needing each other the way Jackie so often seemed to need Roseanne, at times clinging to her in such toxic ways. 

8 hours ago, jhlipton said:

Count me as one who watched and enjoyed the original series but don't give a hoot about Jerry, Fred or Andy.  I like this cast and what references to the original they've had.

I really liked Fred but I'd rather he not come back if it will just be poorly handled.

A part of me wants the show to just openly troll people and cast Michael O'Keefe as a new love interest for Jackie. It would be better than Matthew Broderick, and I could enjoy his chemistry with Laurie Metcalf without all the baggage.

[Lili]

18 hours ago, BeachDays said:

 

She was referenced-  Becky told Jackie “From what Mom told me, your garden didn’t exactly have a fence around it.”   😂

Oh, I see. I must had missed that.

[bigskygirl]

On 1/17/2019 at 5:30 PM, CrystalBlue said:

I agree with Ben being a control freak.  He has a little challenge on his hands (Darlene's personality and her parenting style) and he wants to control and change it.  I agreed with his piano lessons rules, but other than that, I'm questioning some red flag moments too.

Darlene can be a control freak herself. She "bossed" David around during their relationship. They make David look like the bad guy, but Darlene is no prize either. 

[TigerLynx]

It's not ruining the show for me, but it would be nice if the writers had a throw-a-way line about Andy and Jerry every once in a while.  Currently, I'm picturing Sheldon as Andy and Penny as Blue.

I liked Dan's conversation with Emilio.  Dan didn't like that Emilio broke the law to get here, but he respected Emilio wanting to work and provide for Becky and the baby.  It was a nice balanced view of the problem without demonizing anyone.

I like Darlene's boyfriend.

[ItsHelloPattiagain]

On 1/18/2019 at 11:04 PM, Pete Martell said:

A part of me wants the show to just openly troll people and cast Michael O'Keefe as a new love interest for Jackie. It would be better than Matthew Broderick, and I could enjoy his chemistry with Laurie Metcalf without all the baggage.

That would be awesome, but it would also be cool if Andy showed up at Jackie's (after his prolonged disappearance) and Fred showed up to see his son after years and years. I was one of those who really liked Fred's character and I still remember how upset Jackie was when Fred got "interesting". 

[andipandi]

On 1/16/2019 at 4:13 PM, Snow Apple said:

I don't need them to cast Andy but it would be nice to have one line mentioning "he's working overseas" or something. Also one of their friends asking "is Jerry still on that boat?" Just one line.

I prefer just having the focus on the main cast but it's insulting to fans to pretend those two boys never existed.

I have retconned that Andy died tragically (drugs or something) which is why Jackie is now a life coach and not some other typical ex-cop job.

[jsbt]

"Lowe's! That's good wood."

I really hope the clear circling of plot wagons with Ben/Darlene/David/Blue that's emerging here does not mean the storyline wraps tonight with the finale; Jay Ferguson (Ben) is definitely not lacking for work or series regular opportunities these days and could well have only signed for this year's handful of episodes, but I love him with Sara Gilbert and while it's clear the show ultimately intends to reunite Darlene and David (and I am fine with that provided they both continue to grow as people) I'd rather see the Ben relationship play out at least into another season. Ben reminds me of one of Jackie's many solid partners who came and went; Booker, Gary, etc.

Ames McNamara and Sara really click together; the bond shows through. I'm glad they've let Mark be a bit more mischievous this season though, like the "he won't be my daddy!" gag in the opening.

The stuff with Dan/Becky/Jackie was so uncannily like Jackie in the old days, and it was great to hear Jackie say it all back to Becky. I also think John Goodman doesn't get enough credit for being really engaged week to week. He has different speeds like he always has, and he deploys those moments of louder Dan mania much more carefully than some of the late seasons of the old show.

I'm with people who say Darlene agreed to moving way too quickly, which to me is a function of two issues: One, a closed season where they likely didn't know if they were getting renewed and planned to do a complete arc albeit it being rushed, and two, Darlene is in denial about her unresolved feelings re: David and moving too fast.