Roseanne sacrificed storytelling for temporary headline-grabbing cultural currency

[TMC]

https://www.esquire.com/entertainmen...finale-review/

ABC's Roseanne revival, says Justin Kirkland, "invented a poorly constructed vehicle designed for headlines, and it's called that creation Roseanne Conner." He adds: "The whole process started in the premiere with a politically charged episode. Roseanne's political leanings didn't track, but showrunners assured viewers that moving forward the series wouldn't rely on politics to tell the Conners' story. But for a show that argues that it would shy away from politics as the season went on, this nine-episode collection has covered the following topics: natural disaster relief, the opioid crisis, undocumented workers, racism toward Middle Eastern people, insurance coverage, elder care, divorce, surrogacy, multigenerational caregiving, physically punishing your child, genderqueer children, gun rights, the presidential election, and the lacking resources from the Veteran's Association. If you're keeping track, it's a bit mind-boggling. For any fan of the old show comparing series notes, it's full-on perplexing."

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  Roseanne would've been a lot more interesting to watch had it really committed to being a pro-Trump sitcom
  The old Roseanne would've stuck with its stories when it broached serious issues, rather than abandon them at will
  This season fell apart for the same reason the original's ending didn't work: they both suffer from erasure issues
  Roseanne is to Trumpian politics what a superhero movie is to nerds: a celebration