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Top: Sara Gilbert, Alicia Goranson, and Laurie Metcalf; bottom: Michael Fishman, Roseanne Barr, and John Goodman. ABC/Photofest ©ABC

Overview

It took a quarter-century to obliterate the traditional family sitcom of the 1950s and early 1960s. Then along came Roseanne to bury it once and for all. Other shows chipped away at it, but there were always those nurturing parents to remind viewers that the genre hadn’t strayed all that far from the Nelsons and Cleavers. Yeah, mom and dad Conner loved each other and their kids, but would Harriet Nelson or June Cleaver have told their annoying brats to “go play in traffic”? Roseanne did. She ran the ultimate dysfunctional family; forget Married . . . with Children, which aired at the same time but lacked the sense of realism that made Roseanne far more viable.

And make no mistake about it—Roseanne (Roseanne Barr) ran that family. She and husband Dan (John Goodman) were the funniest blue-collar couple since Edith and Archie Bunker. In a medium in which attractiveness sells, nobody seemed to care that both were rotund and slovenly. The dysfunctional, sarcastic, and bickering Conners were everything that the traditional television family was not, except for the deep feelings of affection they felt for one another (although you had to go pretty deep), and American viewers watched in droves. The show remarkably soared to number two in the Nielsen ratings in its debut season, secured the top spot the following year, and remained in the top four in each of the next four years.

The sitcom spotlighted the high-spirited and playful relationship between Roseanne and Dan, as well as daughters Becky (Alicia Goranson 1988–1992 and 1995–1996, Sarah Chalke 1993–1997) and Darlene (Sara Gilbert) and son D. J. (Michael Fishman). The dismissive jibes at one another were most often accompanied by a smile, but the conflicts, particularly between the pretty, popular, boy-crazy Becky and the socially awkward and frustrated Darlene, boasted an intensity and realism rarely seen on TV sitcoms of any era. The struggles of the Conners to make ends meet in their Lankford, Illinois, home made them seem like a family viewers knew, only a lot funnier.

Money was indeed scarce. Roseanne toiled at various low-paying jobs, including one in a plastics plant and another as a lounge waitress. She shared the same financial battles as younger sister Jackie Harris (Laurie Metcalf), who worked in the same plant before landing a job as a cop. They finally teamed up to open their own coffee shop in 1992. Dan gained his independence and found the opportunity to embrace his passion by opening up a motorcycle shop after fighting perpetual unemployment as a contractor doing various odd jobs. One and all always found a way, however, to fight bureaucracy, which was one major theme of the show. But it was the private moments inside the home, the dialogue and interaction that revealed the feelings of the characters about themselves and one another, that proved most humorous and satisfying.

All good things must come to an end, and this one did prematurely and unintentionally. The story lines strayed dramatically after real-life Roseanne got pregnant and gave birth on the show to Jerry Garcia Conner (her tribute to the recently departed Grateful Dead lead singer, whose spirit visited her in the delivery room). Meanwhile, Jackie and husband Fred (Michael O’Keefe) separated and then divorced.

Roseanne deteriorated by the end of its run. Dan suffered a heart attack at Darlene’s wedding reception and then separated from his wife after an argument. The drastic turn smacked of unrealism considering the deep love and affection they had shown for one another throughout; the writers could have found a better way to placate Goodman, who yearned to lessen his workload on the show. The two got back together when the Conners won $108 million in the lottery, adding to the ridiculousness. Dan embarked on an affair, which caused a second breakup. The “about time” series finale features the birth of Darlene’s first child and a Roseanne of the future explaining that Dan had died of a second heart attack. And then, to top it all off, she reveals that nothing that happened in the entire last season had really happened. It was all a hallucination of sorts.

It was, as Roseanne might say, a bummer of a way to end a sitcom that exuded optimism and positivity and nurtured an “us against the world” relationship that helped maintain a tight-knit family and marital relationship. After all, those insults tossed about the Conner home were good-natured.

Who’s Who?

Roseanne cast members came and went in record numbers. There were two Beckys (Alicia Goranson and Sarah Chalke), two actresses playing Dan’s mother Audrey (Ann Wedgeworth and Debbie Reynolds), two D. J.s (Sal Barone in the pilot and Michael Fishman), three actors playing Crystal’s son (Josh C. Williams, Luke Edwards, and Kristopher Kent Hill), and two actors playing D. J.’s friend Todd (Troy Davidson and Adam Hendershott).

Did You Know?

Roseanne Barr’s real-life husband, Tom Arnold, appeared on the show periodically between 1989 and 1994 as Dan’s buddy Arnie.

They Said It

Jackie: [on living on a tight budget] It could be done. I was watching this National Geographic special on desert people. Bedouins can live for three days on one fig.

Roseanne: Well, that don’t do me no good. My family can’t live three days on one Bedouin.

Darlene: You guys think we don’t get your corny little sex jokes?

Roseanne: Hey, you kids are our corny little sex joke.

Becky: No one could eat this crud.

Dan: Hey, if you don’t finish your crud, you’re not gonna get any crap for dessert.

Major Awards

Emmy Award Wins (4)

1992 (1): Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Laurie Metcalf)

1993 (2): Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Roseanne Barr); Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Laurie Metcalf)

1994 (1): Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Laurie Metcalf)

Emmy Award Nominations, in addition to wins (21)

1989 (4): Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (John Goodman); Outstanding Achievement in Music and Lyrics (Dan Foliart and Howard Pearl for the song “I’ll Never Change My Mind” for “Radio Days”); Outstanding Art Direction for a Series (Garvin Eddy for “Lover’s Lanes”); Outstanding Editing for a Series, Multi-Camera Production (Marco Zappia for “Toto, We’re Not in Kansas Anymore”)

1990 (2): Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (John Goodman); Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Comedy Series (Daniel Flannery for “Boo”)

1991 (1): Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (John Goodman)

1992 (3): Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (John Goodman); Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Roseanne Barr); Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing in a Comedy Series (Jennifer Heath and Amy Sherman for “A Bitter Pill to Swallow”)

1993 (3): Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (John Goodman); Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Sara Gilbert); Outstanding Individual Achievement in Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Comedy Series (Daniel Flannery for “Halloween IV”)

1994 (4): Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (John Goodman); Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Roseanne Barr); Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Sara Gilbert); Outstanding Individual Achievement in Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Comedy Series (Daniel Flannery for “White Trash Christmas”)

1995 (4): Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (John Goodman); Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Roseanne Barr); Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Laurie Metcalf); Outstanding Individual Achievement in Hairstyling for a Series (Pixie Schwartz for “Skeletons in the Closet”)

Golden Globe Wins (3)

1993 (3): Best TV Series, Musical/Comedy; Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series, Musical/Comedy (John Goodman); Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series, Musical/Comedy (Roseanne Barr)

Golden Globe Nominations, in addition to wins (11)

1989 (3): Best TV Series, Musical/Comedy; Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series, Musical/Comedy (John Goodman); Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series, Musical/Comedy (Roseanne Barr)

1990 (1): Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series, Musical/Comedy (John Goodman)

1991 (2): Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series, Musical/Comedy (John Goodman); Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series, Musical/Comedy (Roseanne Barr)

1992 (1): Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series, Musical/Comedy (Roseanne Barr)

1993 (1): Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for TV (Laurie Metcalf)

1994 (2): Best TV Series, Musical/Comedy; Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series, Musical/Comedy (Roseanne Barr)

1995 (1): Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for TV (Laurie Metcalf)

Humanitas Prize

1993: 30-Minute Category (Rob Ulin)

Humanitas Prize Nominations

1992: 30-Minute Category (Chuck Lorre, Jeff Abugov, and Michael Poryes)

1993: 30-Minute Category (Amy Sherman)

1995: 30-Minute Category (Rob Ulin and Kevin Abbott)

1997: 30-Minute Category (Drew Ogier)

Peabody Award

1993: NBC