What are 10 reasons you love "Roseanne" (the show)?

[lanfordlunchbox28]

What are 10 reasons you love to watch "Roseanne" (the show, not the actress)? A lot of the following points have been made a thousand times, but I'm new to these forums and I wanted to throw in my 2 cents (which is about all I have, really). Mine are:

10.) I love the characters. It's pretty much the first and only TV show I've ever seen in which I like all the characters. My favorites are Jackie, Roseanne, Beverly, and Darlene. For the most part, they're all pretty realistic, as most people can attest to knowing someone like one of these people at some point in their lives.

9.) This was one of the few shows to portray homosexuality in a semi-accurate light. I didn't like how it seemed as though Nancy woke up and became a lesbian, but other than that it did a great job with its gay characters --- making them human, and not stereotypes (except for "RoseanneFeld," in Season 9, an episode I went to a taping of).

8.) Other than homosexuality, the show has taken on other controversial issues, and has done so quite bravely and most important, honestly. Themes explored were: racism, obesity, addiction (smoking, gambling, drinking), promiscuity, homosexuality, abortion, domestic violence, drugs, and more.

7.) I love the continuity. Sometimes it plays more like a comical soap opera instead of a sitcom. The characters make reference to other situations in past episodes, and past characters sometimes re-surface. I think this adds realism to the show.

6.) I love the sarcasm. As a child, the only other show I can remember watching that held a lot of sarcasm was "Benson." Then "Roseanne" came and blew "Benson" out of the water when it comes to insulting, sharp, sarcastically offbeat remarks. I think the sarcasm of the characters represented a defense mechanism as a way of dealing with all the crap of everyday, blue-collar small-town life.

5.) I love the house, and how it never changed (except in the controversial 9th season). Does anyone know where the outside shots of the house, as well as the outside shots of Lanford, were taken? They look a lot like the town I live in now (of course I know they're not).

4.) I love how the show is pretty much an extension of Roseanne's stand-up comedy act, which I thought was pretty damn funny. It captures the frustration and the anger of her act brillaintly, and stretched it for nine seasons (eight, if you don't count the much-discussed last season).

3.) The chemistry between Roseanne Arnold and John Goodman was spellbinding. They worked perfectly off each other, as they were complete opposites. He was passive, tolerable, and submissive --- to a point, until he got fed up. She was aggressive, confrontational, and intolerant --- to a point, until she realizes she might have overreacted. And apologizing was almost impossible for her (I can relate to that one). This is unique to me. But even through her loudness, sarcasm, and screaming, the viewer could always sense that Roseanne Conner loved her kids more than anything in the world and wanted what was best for them. Another plus for the realism, I think.

2.) Laurie Metcalf is a grandioso performer. She is absolutely amazing, brilliant not just as Jackie Hartris is "Roseanne," but in other film roles, as well. Completely opposite from her sister, the chemistry between her and Roseanne worked in exactly the same way it worked between Roseanne and Dan. Jackie was my all-time favorite side character on the show.

1.) This was the first and only show to portray small-town, working-class, blue-collar life the way it (almost) really is, as far as families and situations go. Like a lot of people, my family was very much like the Conners. I ALWAYS found at least one thing I could relate to in every episode.

Okay, those are my reasons. Who's next?


"Want a soda, Bev?"
"Sure! But make mine Sprite, 'cause that's what I am!"

[Fan of old shows]

im gonna be thinking of 10 things i like as i go along here,

10) i love the jazzy music they had for the theme song and between scenes of the shows.

9)All the actors are amazing. John Goodman whos done more acting in movies and such than any other Roseanne star, ive been a fan of almost every thing hes been in.

8) the kids werent goody goody kids, they acted up, they did things kids really do, and the parents reacted the way parents really do.

7) I love it when Roseanne and Dan get in a fight and start yelling, i just love those episodes.

6) Darlene was pretty cute too.

5) the house was simple, the furniture wasnt the greatest furniture, it was sloppy at times, and that blanket on the sofa looks like something my late grandma would have made.

4) I liked how the problems werent always solved after every episode, or didnt get resolved all the time. They had bills, money problems, unemployment.

3) Even though Roseanne was a big woman, it never really had anything to do with the humor of the show. there werent really fat jokes being thrown around.

(having problem thinking of 2 more here)

2) It took place in an average town that we all never heard of before probably till the show.

1) There was Family Feud. Jackie and Roseanne didnt get along with their parents. unlike other shows with feud between family, this was expressed very realisticly.

[iloveTV]

I'm going to type 10 of the little things I love about Roseanne, afterall they are the things that keep you watching.

10. How the show starts. I mean how it has a little clip of the show and then the theme song and commercials. Hardly any shows do that anymore.

9. Darlene when she was still a sarcastic little tomboy, reminds me of my older sister.

8. The clips that were on while the credits rolled. (I especially liked it when they showed John Goodman's audition tape, not sure which episode. If anybody knows, please post it.)

7. Jackie when she was being crazy.

6. The 'Booker' years. I thought that there was great chemistry between Jackie and Booker. Out of all the guys she was with I think he was the most suited.

5. Mark. Before Mark Becky was just a goody-goody. I don't think a lot of people could relate to her but once she started sneaking to go out with Mark everything changed. (I'd just like to throw in that I didn't enjoy when they put down Mark. In the characters begining he didn't come off as stupid, it leaves you wondering when he suddenly got so dumb.)

4. The way that no matter how bad your own life got the Conner's was either worse or had been worse would be getting worse.

3. At the end of the day the family really cared for each other. They could yell, fight, hit each other, etc. but in the end it was always modivated by love.

2. Dan's facial expressions.

1. The Halloween episodes. They are all hilarious and creative.

I could go on all day about Roseanne but since you said 10 I'll stick to that. But I would like to throw in that a lot of people I know that don't like the show don't like it because they can't relate to it. If your rich, happy, and never seen a raindrop in your life of course you wouldn't know what it's like to live from paycheck to paycheck and drywall job to drywall job. But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it!

[Superbatboy]

10.Lighting-The lighting on this show made it seem so real. Kinda makes me hungry when I watch, don't ask me why.

9.Theme Song-Whoever composed the Roseanne theme was a genius, they butchered the song in the 9th season by adding words to it, and worse yet having Blues Traveler sing the song.

8.Chemistry-The chemistry between Dan and Roseanne, and Roseanne and Jackie was almost awe inspiring. They were a comedy team made for each other. The kids had pretty good chemistry also, until Sarah Chalk came along.

7.Ending Scenes-The ending credits scenes were so hilarious. Like the episode where Sarah Chalke was added, and the end they're watching Bewitched and talking about the character changes on that show. Just well done skits.

6.Realism-To this day there still isn't a family sitcom that seems so real and on point. Grace Under Fire tried, but still failed in comparison to Roseanne the first 8 seasons.

5.Pop Culture References- I automatically love any show that can cleverly use pop culture references in a funny way. (ie The Golden Girls) An example of this is when the Conner's electricity was shut off, and they were telling scary stories. And Roseanne starts telling this story about 4 princesses who held captive a man, and then two left and they brought in 2 more and they really stunk, then Darlene interupts her and says "mom that's designing women"

4.Touching Moments-Even though I'm not a huge fan of touching moments, they seemed to be really well done on this show. Even in the last season, when they had a touching moment it was well done.

3.Darlene-I knew a girl exactly like her in real life. Which made the show seem that much more real. Although I've always said, if any character should've been gay, it should've been her. Cause the girl I knew that was like Darlene was gay.

2.Roseanne-This was the perfect role for her. She didn't need to have superior acting skills to pull this off. She did it with ease because the role was so good for her. My acting coach once told me that no matter how horrible an actor someone is, there is always a perfect role for them in some shape or form. Whether it be speaking or non-speaking.

1.Sarcasm-Sarcasm is me. And this show had LOTS of it. They used all kinds of sarcasm you can think of. Double, backwards, wayward, silly...all kinds.