"The Conners" Discussion Thread

[Gray Bunny]

 

Perhaps it's an "empty nest" situation where Andy's all grown up and out of the house.  

 

It'll be interesting to see how they play around with the younger generation's ages, since Harris Conner Healey should be 21 this year. 

[Vee]

IIRC they deSORASed Harris - she's 15-16 or something in this, I think.

 

According to the article

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I hope that isn't broken down in the writing the way some of their past post-Season 5 arguments did, when Roseanne was always right and Jackie always wrong/an idiot. I can't see Sara Gilbert (who's producing) going for that, along with a lot of the cast and crew.

Edited January 9, 2018 by Vee

[DRW50]

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This will be my last post in the thread, before anyone says just not to watch the show. 

[Vee]

I don't blame you. I'm not happy about it. But I'm going to see how it plays. As anathema as I feel it is to Roseanne Conner and what she stood for, I also think it's anathema to Roseanne Barr and what she stood for and claims to still stand for - but that same Roseanne Barr is now a Trump supporter, and those women, fictional and real, are joined at the hip. So I guess they have to reconcile it somehow. And like some other folks, I don't think it would be realistic if they didn't address it. This show is made for these times, and we all know there was no way Roseanne was going to go back on TV and not do herself - my personal hope is that the character is now chagrined by her vote (as Roseanne Barr increasingly seems to be despite her excuses), like a lot of people. But if the show turns into Trumpist porn I'll turn it off.

Edited January 10, 2018 by Vee

[Faulkner]

Yeah, I agree that Sara Gilbert as producer could act as a check/balance on any of Roseanne's excesses, which is why I'll give the show a chance. Gilbert seems pretty savvy to me.

[KMan101]

Gilbert is also why I'm willing to give it a chance. I expressed on here how nervous I was because of Roseanne's insane twitter rantings and Trump supporting. I'm OK with depicting a divided house but, like Will and Grace, I hope it's just the first episode and maybe a joke here and there but I don't need Roseanne stanning for Trump in all 9 episodes. Not saying it will but I just don't trust her.

 

Personally, I'm with Carl, Vee and the others. I don't really like it. I also don't think the Roseanne Conner of the 90s would EVER vote for Trump. I'd like to see why the Roseanne Conner of today did though. It doesn't make sense to me based on the character she was. I know they're trying to appeal to that audience but IDK. We'll see how it plays out I guess.

 

I could see Dan voting for him. I would have never imagined Roseanne voting for him. But, to be honest, several of my friends are Trump supporters, and a good half of my extended family voted for him, and honestly, I've avoided even talking about it, which isn't easy. So it is realistic for the show to do this. But is it something I want to watch because I'm living with it?

 

The show Roseanne really never was political (but I guess in it's heyday it was a different time). I'd never have thought of what party Roseanne or Dan belonged to and I don't really care to now. Personally, it could backfire on them.

 

I'm also not sure I care about Becky being a surrogate for Becky #2. We'll see. After watching soaps for so long I'm just over baby stories. To me, a baby story is given when the writers don't know what to do with a character anymore. It didn't always feel like that but I feel like it does now. I guess it's an attempt to be relevant and it could be a good plot line but IDK.

 

It feels like they're trying too hard to be blue collar again when they don't have to try so hard. Are we going to get Mexican jokes because Becky works in a Mexican restaurant? I mean ... it's like  Roseanne pulls these ideas out of her behind.

 

Oh, I also hope Jackie is less Don Knotts this go-around, but seeing her facial expression while wearing the !@#$%^&*] hat and nasty woman shirt, I think they're making her the butt of the joke again. Roseanne is right, Jackie is wrong and Roseanne is overbearing about it. I'm already dreading it. I hope it plays better than I'm picturing lol.

 

And by trying too hard, I mean, it's like they have neon lighted signs shouting how "real" they are. Flashing lights shouting "DJ HAS A BLACK DAUGHTER! AND THE MOTHER IS AWAY FIGHTING WAR" .... "BECKY WORKS IN A MEXICAN RESTAURANT! LOOK HOW POOR WE ARE!"

 

IDK. It just kind of annoys me. Anyone else feel this way?

Edited January 10, 2018 by KMan101

[BetterForgotten]

I also seriously doubt ABC would give them carte blanche to put on a Trump propaganda show. This isn't on streaming or cable, so will be subject to network censorship. 

[KMan101]

Yeah, it won't be Trump 24/7 lol

 

And they've already got some pushback for Roseanne being a Trump voter

 

Like I said, I don't mind a divided house based on politics, but I'm just fearful of how they handle it. Just rip the band-aid off in the first episode and move on.

Edited January 10, 2018 by KMan101

[Vee]

 

I agree, but I also never thought Roseanne Barr IRL would ever vote for Trump. I don't think it's about trying to appeal to a Trump audience so much as there's no way this is something they can get away from given the nature of the show, its star and its setting. The two women are intrinsically tied on the show and in real life, so it feels dishonest not to dig into it. I'm willing to see where it goes.

 

 

I do too. The thing is I think Laurie Metcalf* herself has recently said that she often sees Jackie as "Barney Fife", which is not encouraging. So it doesn't just come from the old writers. But I hope they tone it down. I can't see TPTB going for Trumpist Roseanne running over Jackie. And I do sense some buyer's remorse from IRL Roseanne as well. The other stuff - the adopted kid, etc. - don't bother me, as it's in keeping with stuff Roseanne talked about wanting on the show for years. And I think it's only right they still be blue-collar, especially now.

 

It will likely be very imperfect, but I'm open to seeing how they handle all these various dissonances.

 

* - Laurie Metcalf is amazing in Lady Bird BTW, see it

Edited January 10, 2018 by Vee

[Khan]

Perhaps, I'm wrong, but wouldn't it have made more sense if, say, Leon had voted for Trump INSTEAD of Roseanne?  (Yes, I know Leon was/is gay.  But they could go for irony there.). Regardless, though, I'm not happy to read/hear about this, even if I do agree that this issue needs to be addressed on the show.

Edited January 10, 2018 by Khan

[amybrickwallace]

 

Yup. I also agree about Sara Gilbert.

[Gray Bunny]

 

The only political affiliation they ever mentioned on the original Roseanne was when Leon (the episode in season 8 when he got married) admitted he was a Republican. That would be an interesting route they could've taken.... 

 

I remember reading that in the later years, Laurie Metcalf actually met with Don Knotts for "Barney Fife" pointers. Lawd have mercy, please don't go back there. I'd much rather see the Jackie Harris circa seasons 1-5, now older with a kid out of the house and she's single and ready to mingle. 

[Khan]

 

Especially if I could see Scott (and Nancy) voting for Hillary.

 

And if Leon wouldn't have sufficed, then what about Bev?  Being a late-in-life lesbian didn't change her all THAT much.

[dragonflies]

 

[KMan101]

Is Bev even still going to be a lesbian? LOL. Obviously she swings both ways because she has a boyfriend in the new season.