Roseanne Barr is looking to return to primetime
By Nellie Andreeva
March 22, 2009

The star of ABC's long-running sitcom has teamed with one of the "Roseanne" producers, Caryn Mandabach, for a family comedy in which she would play the matriarch.

Jim Vallely ("Arrested Development") is attached to pen the script for the project, which has been pitched to Fox. He would executive produce with Mandabach, Maggie Rowe and Barr.

After her eponymous sitcom ended its nine-year run in 1997, Barr fronted a syndicated talk show and a reality series for ABC. Now she's returning to her scripted comedy roots.

Mandabach, who rose to partner at Carsey-Werner, the company behind "Roseanne," has focused for the past couple of years on producing for the BBC. In the U.S., she executive produces Showtime's upcoming series "Nurse Jackie," starring Edie Falco.

Source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/television/news/e3i710f01ed18601fd4096f2b58cb5d8ac0

Although nothing will compare to John Goodman as "Dan", Laurie Metcalf as "Jackie" and Sara Gilbert as "Darlene" -- this could turn out to be a smash success. With the economy the way it is, people are longing for another realistic sitcom that tackles real issues.

The problem is that the quality of Roseanne's talent is inconsistent. The first 7 seasons of her show were incredible, but the last two seasons were pretty horrid. And although her stand up in the '80s was groundbreaking, her latest attempts in recent years have failed.

Creative people like Roseanne are usually a bit crazy. But if Roseanne can put her creative and typically revolutionary ideas into the hands of talented writers and producers, she'll have another hit on her hands. Obviously, she herself can write great jokes and storylines...but sitcoms need a lot of talent from all different kinds of people in order to be successful.

Here's hopin'!

Roseanne coming back to network television would be gold - a huge ratings draw, and a great way for FOX to alleviate their sitcom status. Too bad ABC wouldn't offer her a pilot, though. We all know what FOX does to their sitcoms, and with ABC desperately wanting to get back in the sitcom game, Roseanne would be perfect for them.

I really hope she does return, in a good show, with a good supporting cast. It will never match the greatness of the 9 seasons we already have, but Roseanne is great. Too bad she couldn't get John Goodman again, and get a new show going. Kind of like how Bill Cosby and Phylicia Rashad got together again for "Cosby" in the 90s, after The Cosby Show ended.

I would love to see Roseanne back on tv but I'm a little weary of Fox.

I would love to see Roseanne back on tv but I'm a little weary of Fox.
Fox sucks when it comes to sitcoms. If it isn't a hit right out of the gate then they will lose interest. They'll probably pair it with "Till Death."

Fox sucks when it comes to sitcoms. If it isn't a hit right out of the gate then they will lose interest. They'll probably pair it with "Till Death."

They would, too. Like I said, ABC should try to grab her up for a new sitcom. FOX just won't work.

She's been out of the headlines for too long for any show she's involved in to be a hit anymore IMO. Kind of the same thing that happened to Lucille Ball.

I'm hoping she makes a comeback, she's a very talented person.

I hope she makes some kind of comeback. I didn't think her talk show was bad at all.

I hope she makes some kind of comeback. I didn't think her talk show was bad at all.

I didn't, either. She's a very funny lady; she's needed on TV again.

She's been out of the headlines for too long for any show she's involved in to be a hit anymore IMO. Kind of the same thing that happened to Lucille Ball.

I don't think being out of the headlines has caused her to lose too many fans. If the show is good I imagine a lot of the old "Roseanne" viewers will stick with her now. She's become increasingly political though, which could be a turn-off for some. It really depends on the writing.

I hope she makes some kind of comeback. I didn't think her talk show was bad at all.
Me either, she even gave her tv son a job which was cool.

Her guest starring spot on My Name Is Earl was hilarious a couple of years ago. I think if she gets writers who do shows like that a new sitcom would work for her.

I don't think being out of the headlines has caused her to lose too many fans. If the show is good I imagine a lot of the old "Roseanne" viewers will stick with her now. She's become increasingly political though, which could be a turn-off for some. It really depends on the writing.

I agree it would depend on the writing. I still like her even though I she is very political and I sometimes disagree with her. I could see people being turned off by her but overall I think many would love to see someone like her back on TV.

I agree it would depend on the writing. I still like her even though I she is very political and I sometimes disagree with her. I could see people being turned off by her but overall I think many would love to see someone like her back on TV.

I know I'd like to see her back on TV - but, it would probably be better for her not to become too involved in the writing and such of the show. Roseanne took over the writing almost completely by season 9, and we all know what happened then.

I know I'd like to see her back on TV - but, it would probably be better for her not to become too involved in the writing and such of the show. Roseanne took over the writing almost completely by season 9, and we all know what happened then.
Let's all remember that HER writing is what got her famous to begin with. Her stand up comedy routine was composed of jokes she wrote by herself.

Roseanne really started taking over the show around season 3, and by season 5 she had almost complete control. Seasons 3 through 6 were the best of the series. And even many episodes in season 7 had great writing. I'm 100% certain Roseanne did a lot of the writing for those seasons herself.

Roseanne CAN write. She is also great at coming up with storylines and ideas.

I just think by season 8 and 9 she was going through a lot of personal issues (divorce) and was sick of constantly fighting with critics and those producing the show. She was emotionally drained and thus her writing suffered. Many credit Tom Arnold to the success of "Roseanne" during it's prime, but come on, I think it had more to do with Roseanne being "happy" and on the top of her game, as opposed to Tom Arnold contributing anything amazing. I also think family sitcoms naturally lose steam in the later seasons, especially when the children are grown up.

Hopefully she is happier now and can put her talent up-to-par with that of her stand-up and the best seasons of "Roseanne".

I will agree with that - seasons 3-6 were the series best, but I always liked the later seasons just as much. Just looking back, especially at season 9, some of the writing was just terrible. And season 9 was the season Roseanne started writing entire episodes almost by herself. The jokes were corny, and the storylines were stupid. Now granted, other season 9 episodes were great, and the writing was great. But you can tell that the episodes Roseanne wrote almost entirely were just not the greatest, whereas the episodes others were involved in writing, they were good.

I'm a huge fan of Roseanne, and the show, always have been been, and I love Roseanne's comedy routine. She's a great commedienne, no doubting that. I'd love to see her get another sitcom, because network television could really use her.