Amph Roseanne-ish (The Conners)

Yah unfortunately whenever I think of Family Matters I don't think of a family dynamic comedy but I just think of Urkel saying "Did I do that!" and then he built robots, rocket ships, and made a potion to make himself cool, was it Stephan Urkel or something? But, yah, wasn't the dude straight up time traveling / making abominations against God and natural law and nobody cared?

 

I prefered the longer title .

 

When I think of Family Matters, I remember there was humor mixed with drama and then there was a touching moment at the end when the music changed, the audience went awwwww, then laughed, some people hugged and the episode ended. Maybe there was a funny moment after the commercial before the credits that would have one last laugh and that was your 22 minutes for the week.

All the above is pretty much the same thing I remember about Full House. Upon revisiting episodes of Full House and the first season of Fuller House, I don't know why I enjoyed it so much back in the day - maybe because it was so simple and stupid and for a kid that's the stuff that's entertaining. The stuff on the Disney Channel now is horrendous but it's not aimed at me. So at times I used to put on my nostalgia glasses and say things like, "The shows today are garbage. Shows were much better when I was younger." In reference to Full House that's definitely a false statement.

With that said, concerning Roseanne, I never really got into it as much as I did the above two. I remember TGIF nights with the family and enjoying the above shows. I remember loving Family Matters and didn't like Hanging with Mr. Cooper as I wasn't into sports. As for Roseanne, which I think aired on Tuesdays back in the day?, never grabbed me. I remember it being on as a kid, but the actress Roseanne had a grating voice and I didn't really like any of the characters.

I remember hearing about them winning the lottery and killing off Dan and didn't know until years later that it was just a dream or a novel she was writing or something. By that point I wasn't watching or half watching or whatever.

Fast forward to present day, and my wife who loved the show when she was younger wanted to watch the new one. I watched it with her and I thought it was okay. It definitely doesn't feel like Family Matters or Full House and that's a good thing! It's its own thing and it appears to have stayed true to its roots. I only remember once or twice when the live studio audience applauded for an old cast member like Roseanne's mother, but thankfully the show felt more real and not a nostalgia trip every time an old cast member appeared.

We'll see if the wife wants to watch the new show and we'll see how it fairs without its creator. If it's entertaining, we'll continue to watch it. If it's not, then we won't.

 

New Teaser...

 

how it all ended for Roseanne (the character)

Spoiler

Her dying from OD could be a meta-reference to Roseanne (the person) saying "The ambien made me do it!"

https://ew.com/tv/2018/10/16/the-conners-premiere-how-roseanne-killed-off/

Tonight’s episode, titled “Keep on Trucking,” didn’t specify when Barr’s character kicked the bucket. Instead, the family is attempting to adjust to life without “Granny Rose,” whom they believe died of a heart attack. It’s not until Roseanne’s sister, Jackie (Laurie Metcalf), receives a call from the coroner that they learn what really led to the death of their beloved matriarch. Though initially in denial, Dan (John Goodman) comes to accept the outcome, since the family begins to find Roseanne’s pills stashed around the house.

 

It's been a very solid couple of episodes thus far; dealing with her character's death/absence has been played well, with other serious issues added too (Becky's proclivity towards alcoholism, David & Darlene's pending divorce, Jackie's loneliness). Don't know how long they can sustain this, but I'm glad they gave it a go.

 

If the bring back Seinfeld, do you think Kramer will have an offscreen death by shooting in Harlem?

 

Nah if only because Jerry Sienfeld has admitted they've been offered ungodly amounts of money and passed every time because it would just ruin it. But there is totally a full Sienfeld reunion show hidden in a season of Curb from writing to filming.

 

Yes, seen that. Loved it. In fact, that's reunion enough for me because it's the smartest way to handle it. It's everything I wished a third Ghostbusters film had been; a Ghostbusters film about making a Ghostbusters film which never takes off.

 

I think the Connors and the Huxtables should get together .

 

My wife appears to be enjoying the newest season so far. I will admit there are a few laughs here and there. Spoilers below for the first half (5 episodes) of season 1 of "The Conners".

Spoiler

• DJ's wife is on leave from the military so it's nice to have her around and since she appears to be a semi capable actress with good delivery; I'm glad she's getting some lines - more lines than DJ gets per episode it seems since he can't really act at all.
• While the younger kids seemed to be the focus of the prior season, it has slightly shifted to the adult kids (of Dan and Roseanne) for better or worse.
• Darlene is getting a lot of funny lines and I like her story of her trying to make something of herself, especially in the most recent episode where she'll be co-running some local publication. Her new boss has some good lines and they play well off of each other. There is an unspoken chemistry there that I like. The boss character is played by Jay R. Ferguson who played Stan Rizzo on "Mad Men".
• Becky is now pregnant when she couldn't get pregnant in the previous season. She learns that it belongs to the bus boy at her job and he's willing to help. There is weird moment where they introduce two lesbian characters that Becky is friends with that may potentially want her baby. So there's a possibility that Becky gives up her child for a better life since she can barely take care of herself.
• Dan took two episodes to get over Roseanne, who died, and appears to be fine now. Same with Jackie. Nothing crazy or different is happening with their story-lines so it's business as usual there.
• Justin Long had two scenes in two episodes. Darlene was dating his character and they are broken up so I don't know if he'll be back. There have been other celebrity cameos as well but nothing really outstanding happened with them. David was back for one episode which was okay. The story dealt with their daughter having premarital sex.

 

I do wonder what'll happen with Darlene & that publisher fellow; is as strong-willed/sarcastic as her, after all, despite being a polar opposite in everything else. I don't think Dan & Jackie are completely fine, though. Something else concerning Roseanne's death will come up.

 

Well the season finale is next week and here's where everyone is at...

Spoiler

(1) Ben, the publisher fellow, asked Darlene (and her kids) to move in with him as he'll be moving to Chicago, an hour away from Landford, so I'm don't see why she wouldn't, but if she says no then I'm guessing Ben will be written off which is a shame because his and Darlene's dynamic is a source for a lot of humor of the show.
(2) Becky's pregnancy saga continues and she finally decides to let the father of the child, Emilio, into her life. Dan even gives Emilio a job of hanging drywall. Unfortunately, he's in the US illegally, which they mentioned multiple times, so we'll probably see **** hit the fan sooner or later.
(3) Jackie is still with her idiot boyfriend that takes advantage of her. I'm glad she put her foot down in one episode, but I'm sure Matthrew Broderick's characters isn't going to survive into the next season, at least I hope not.
(4) Dan has been a voice of reason per usual for his character. There was a weird episode where he covered for DJ's job and hurt his arm and there was a lawyer and suing and stuff. I don't remember a lot of laughs in that one.

As for Roseanne, she's mentioned here and there, but other than the one episode of Dan dealing with her death it hasn't been a focus or anything that has been distracting from the multiple story lines which I like.

As far as I can tell, my wife is still enjoying and like I said earlier it's good for a laugh here and there. I don't know the ratings, but if they're good I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be renewed for another season. I don't really miss Roseanne at all. We'll see.

 

In the season finale there were very little surprises except for one...

Spoiler

It was cool to see the Lunch Box again, Roseanne (and Jackie's) old restaurant, but it was sad under the conditions in which it was featured. Jackie finally discovered that her boyfriend was cheating on her. She threw him out and got very drunk and showed up at the restaurant which was now a Chinese restaurant. The cops called Dan and Darlene to get her so she wasn't arrested. It was sad but fulfilling to see Jackie finally deal with the death of her sister after bottling it up and hoping her boyfriend would help with that pain inside her.

Darlene turns down Ben's offer so she can stay in Lanford to take care of Dan. They don't break up, but she needs more time. He agrees and they'll try the long distance relationship. Unbeknownst to Ben, David finally broke up with his girlfriend and asked Darlene if they could make it work. Darlene didn't say really say yes or no either way as they were interrupted by Dan with the Jackie incident above.

Sadly for Becky, when it appeared things were going well with the father of her baby, he was deported.

What did everyone think of the season without Roseanne?

 

didn't watch it but reading that description makes me think that this show is just one consistent misery after another.

 

Jackie's breakdown at the old Lunch Box was some of Metcalf's best stuff on this show; no surprise with the David & Emilio stuff, but I'm more interested in how the Emilio story line goes with Becky's kid, him getting back to the country, etc. Thought it was a strong season, even with a few things I didn't like (more D.J. & Bev, please; also, what about Jackie's kid/Fred? Say something definitive there ). Hope there's at least 1-more season.

 

I think Emilio will do anything to get back for his baby and he'll magically show up when Becky is in the delivery room. It'll probably be bittersweet as there will be another man there OR something bad happens during the delivery. Who knows. Maybe they flash forward into the future a few years and the baby is 6 years old next season.

Jackie had a kid? I didn't remember that, but it's funny that we've seen Jackie's apartment multiple times this season and her mother zero times. I forgot she lived there until it was mentioned in passing in the season finale that she was out of town somewhere.

DJ can't act so it's no surprise that there isn't much of him. He's like Lily on Modern Family. The actress that plays his wife is cool and definitely under-used.

I think I like Darlene's story the best probably because I like her boss. I hope we get more of him next season. No more David. Go back to Big Bang, David!

 

My biggest disappointment with the Conner's is Darlene's parenting. I agree she'd let her kids be themselves, but I'm shocked by how much she lets them get away with. The way she coddled Mark over the piano lessons seemed out of character for her. She's tough love with everyone, why not her own kids? And as much as I loved David in the '90's I really wish Darlene had gone to Chicago with Ben.

I agree that scene in the Lunch Box was great, sad, but great. Now they have to do another season. Too much left hanging.

 

If it would have been this from the start, I would have tuned in.

 

I found this analysis on YouTube that explains my enduring fondness for the original run better than I ever could.