TV Show Review: (Original) Roseanne (1988-1997)

Quote by Roseanne: “I think the problem is that there is no problem.”

Creators: Roseanne Barr and Matt Williams

Total Seasons: 10 but I’m focusing on 9 of them

Episodes in Each Season: Varies

TV Rating: PG

Running Time of Each Episode: 21 or 22 minutes

*******

Major Cast: Roseanne Bar as Roseanne Conner, John Goodman as Dan Conner, Laurie Metcalf as Jackie Harris, Michael Fishman as D.J. Conner, Sara Gilbert as Darlene Conner, Alicia Goranson as Becky Conner, and Sarah Chalke as Becky Conner-Healy

Supporting Cast: Natalie West as Crystal Anderson-Conner, Johnny Galecki as David Healy, Glenn Quinn as Mark Healey, and Estelle Parsons as Beverly Harris

Other Cast: Martin Mull as Leon Carp, Michael O’Keefe as Fred, Sandra Bernhard as Nancy Barlett, James Pickens Jr. as Chuck Mitchell, Tom Arnold as Arnie Thomas, Bonnie Bramlett as Bonnie Watkins, Shelley Winters as Nana Mary, Matt Roth as Fisher, Ned Beatty as Ed Connor

*******

Roseanne was hilarious when it first aired and is just as funny when replayed. The later seasons went off the rails a bit and don’t get me started with the 9th season finale. The best episode out of them all is in season 7, episode 26 where the Conner family transforms into the Gilligan’s Island’s cast. I’m not too much into this particular reboot so I haven’t seen much of it although I do see Katey Sagal and Jay R. Ferguson have been added to the cast. Time will tell if I invest in the later seasons. As done before, I listed the best episodes of the first nine seasons.

BEST EPISODE OF EACH SEASON

Season 1 = “Death and Stuff” is the 21st episode where a salesman dies in the kitchen and during the time when Roseanne and Dan try to sell their their washer and dryer. IT aired on April 11, 1989.

Season 2 = “Brain-Dead Poets Society” is the 10th episode where Darlene reads a poem during Culture Night. It aired on November 28, 1989.

Season 3 = “Trick or Treat” is the 7th episode where Roseanne is a male trucker for Halloween and gets in trouble at the Lobo Lounge. It aired on October 30, 1990.

Season 4 = “Stressed to Kill” is the 9th episode where Roseanne starts smoking to deal with stress and tries to hide it from Dan It aired on November 29, 1991.

Season 5 = “War and Peace” is the 14th episode where Darlene bails Dan out of jail after hitting Jackie’s boyfriend. It aired on January 12, 1993.

Season 6 = “David vs. Goliath” is the 15th episode where Roseanne throws David out of the house and starts living with Jackie. It aired on February 1, 1994.

Season 7 = “Punch and Jimmy” is the 8th episode where D.J. is bullied at school and Dan teaches D.J. and David how to fight. It aired on November 9, 1994.

Season 8 = “Thrilla Near Vanilla” is the 12th episode where Jackie and Roseanne compete as supermarket sample people. It aired on January 2, 1996.

Season 9 = “Arsenic and Old Mom” is the 22nd episode where Dan thinks his mother, Audrey, is trying to kill him. It aired on May 13, 1997.

Roseanne gets FOUR FINGERS of GREAT at 90%.