Vee

She was pushed out of OLTL by Jill Farren Phelps.

It's not that I disagree with Bee. It's that at this point, crass performative shít like that doesn't solve anything or further any goal - it just makes everyone look fúckin' crazy. Which gives the Beltway press even more ammo to throw up their hands, chalk everything up to the crazy times and bemoan 'the lack of civil discourse on both sides'* instead of consistently being confronted with the real issue, which is first and last the GOP and Donald Trump and their insane voter base. We can be loud and angry but it has to have substance and action behind it. To me, calling the president's daughter a c**t on TV just gives them an excuse to martyr her and confuse the issue, like the Beltway's brief, failed attempt to make everyone feel bad for Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Whedon probably should be quiet, but he's right about Ivanka. Except no, "libs" did not create her sympathetic narrative. Ivanka tried to do that herself and it's failing more every day. (* - which is something we actually do need back badly, but not for the Beltway's reasons)

I've said this before, but the Johnny Jewel (from Chromatics) album of music for Season 3 (Themes for Television) is stunningly good. Evocative of Angelo Badalamenti's work but new as well. Pieces of it were used in the shadow (Windswept, Shadow, Saturday) but not much. I'm happy with the music mix as is given Lynch's love of silence and tonal sound, but I do wonder what it'd be like to have had it actively scored with more of this. Here's a playlist:

I like Samantha Bee a lot but I thought I was in some sort of bizarre dream state when I saw that bit. "Did she just do that on TBS??" I feel similarly about Ivanka Trump, don't get me wrong - but it's just not the look you want to lead with a day after Roseannegate. They are different words, but the way it will be handled is obvious. It was totally unnecessary and changes the media cycle, and allows the media to try to gun for Beltway Both Sides (I think some in the media may play that card in the neverending quest for 'balance' - not all). It was a very foolish, unforced error. That said, I like her and I hope she doesn't lose her show. I've recovered some - not all - of my old fondness for Kathy Griffin because she's been candid about having done stupid shít lately, and has worked hard to talk about substantive stuff recently. That said she also did a very stupid thing. Did she deserve how she got treated? No, but she still kind of invited some of it, if that makes sense. Don't go on TV and caterwaul, "he broke me!" (She admits that was a huge blunder, at least) More than anything, though, I think the one-two punch of Roseanne/Bee back to back in the same week - ape, c**t - shows just how far we've been divided as a country in the open and to what ludicrous histrionic extremes even public personalities will go to without taking a breath and having any kind of clarity or common sense. Imagine this kind of TV news cycle even two years ago. Just try it. I can't. It's a long, hard way down and we'll have a hell of a time pulling back up.

I didn't get a sense of that here. They had notes, but that's common.

It's Alicia Witt!

A good (and sad) piece.

Go to bed, old woman.

I didn't say I liked him much.

I've always liked Tom Arnold more than I should. Sue me.

BTS on the show: Pride and Brutal Pressure

LOL. I'm pretty sure they'd just hinge the show on Darlene the single mother and Dan, which they were doing with Darlene and her kids a lot anyway.

That's great.

If it's actually being considered then I'm sure her ownership stake is a consideration in mind. If there's no other legal loophole (and there may be), they could give her GTFO money - if she'd take it. I don't know how long the retooled show would last but hell, The Hogan Family ran years without half the longtime goodwill. I would give it a shot. And while I personally don't need David around full-time (and I like David, but I think the recurring role they were setting up for him here worked) if they got Johnny Galecki back full time that would be a boost in terms of TV star wattage. Not that Goodman, Metcalf and Gilbert aren't potentially enough. That said, while Sara and ABC/Werner are reportedly floating the idea I imagine the cast is so disgusted and heartbroken they don't want anywhere near the memories right now. And that's very valid.

Career-wise Metcalf, Goodman and Gilbert will be fine. They don't need a sitcom. Michael Fishman and Lecy Goranson kept busy with their own things, but being on the #1 show in America was definitely a huge step up for them again. This changed their life and now it's changed again. Roseanne's alleged stand-in for some of the early years tells a story. John Goodman is not talking much.

I don't believe a spinoff sans Roseanne will really happen, but I'd welcome it. Meanwhile, Michael Fishman went head to head with Roseanne and it's sad:

The first season was really not the show that became famous, at least not the brief first half of it Williams ran. It was a start, but it wasn't there. And I think Roseanne was right to fight Williams and win.

And now she's directly attacking Michael and Sara. Nice.

I think Sara and co. genuinely hoped they could fix her. I thought they might be making it work. But some things you can't do with people who are too far gone. She needs serious help, but I guess she's always needed help. As for enjoying the show again someday, I think so. I guess the good news is thus far Roseanne has no known serial rapists.

She really was the glue of the early episodes, especially with young Ames McNamara. She got me in the heart and she brought Roseanne's game up as well. She wasn't the same Darlene as when she was younger, either - she still had bite, but it wasn't all she had. She had matured. It does make me wish she'd consider a similar show elsewhere on her own. I think Natalie West is pretty happy doing theater and living her life these days, per a recent interview. But yes, it was great to see her. I'll watch the last few episodes eventually - I'm not ready to deal with this show again right now - but it'll be very bittersweet. So much potential and good work squandered by one ignorant person. I hope someday you watch them. It really had a lot going for it despite everything, but maybe it was an impossible situation from the start. And maybe my overly hopeful viewpoint was the same one Gilbert and co. held dear until it was too late. I imagine it was the same for some at ABC - I don't believe it was all a cynical business consideration from Day 1, people like Dungey, Sherwood, etc. are still human beings and I believe they genuinely hoped they could bridge a divide, possibly bring Roseanne back from the brink, and make good TV and/or bank. Their immediate reaction to yesterday, as detailed in the stories upthread, indicates it wasn't just about advertisers for them. That writer's story above - especially the last few answers about their intent being lost - is sad. Because that's what the show could've been, with a different Roseanne. Even just a newly arch-conservative Roseanne would not have been this Roseanne.

She is now RT'ing even more Valerie Jarrett conspiracy theories along with attacks on the cast - people who have stood by her for decades, people like Sara and Michael who stuck their necks out for her and have always been close to her. I wish I couldn't potentially see this ending one very specific, very sad way. And since we're on SON, OLTL's own chimes in:

More details on yesterday: More at the link.

Ugh. From a TV Line piece recapping the latest: