'Into That Good Night" - opinions

[Moonlit_Suburb]

OK, I was one of the people who hated the way Roseanne ended. Up until today, I had only seen the final episode once, when it originally aired on ABC, and back then, I was more confused than disgusted. It wasn't until I started reading episode guides online, that I realized what a crock the finale was, and I thought it was a slap in the face of fans of the show. I hated the idea that Dan died, that Becky was coupled with David, and Darlene with Mark...the fact that most of season 9 never happend.

I caught both parts of "Into That Good Night" earlier today on UPN, and have a totally different opinion. I thought the whole finale was done brilliantly. The first part was very funny, and part 2 was great as well. The way the Darlene/Mark/Becky/David situation was explained wasn't as annoying as I thought it to be. The events from season 9 were also given a justifiable explination, and nowadays, I find it easier to stomach those episodes. As for Dan's death...well that was just sad. I was in tears when the camera panned over to Dan's empty chair at the dinner table, accompanied by somber music, and Rosanne explaining that he had passed away. Actually there were a few moments that got the water works flowing, like the scene when everyone at the house went to Harris' crib and said a few words...that was all very cute. Hell, when the camera started circling the dinner table, and the whole family was eating chineese, I knew tears were coming, and as soon as Roseanne's voice-over started, I was misty eyed.

Overall, I thought "Into That Good Night" was brilliant and creative. I also liked the second part of Roseanne's monologue when she was in the basement...good stuff. There was also Roseanne walking onto the old set at the end while an acappela version of the season 9 theme played, which was neat. (for the people who say Rosie's laugh at the end sounds kinda forced, I agree with you)

For those of you who hate this episode, well, I understand. You should probably regard part 1 of this ep as the series finale, as it all ends with the family having a good time and eating pizza. But now that I'm older, I really think the whole thing was very well done. And if you're annoyed by the fact that most of the series was just Rosie's book, simply disregard it. I mean, NONE of this stuff really happend, its just a fictional sitcom.

[Skyeona]

This was the most brilliant series ending since "St. Elsewhere"the 70s, when we found out the entire show was a daydream by an autistic child!

I cannot believe how limited is some peoples' imagination, that they just don't "get" the last episode. It was absolute genius! In one swoop, everything since the beginning came together. Roseanne just opened a big ol' can of whoopbutt on all of us--nobody, but nobody saw that coming! But afterwards, you can look back through the entire series and see clues that lead up to it.

Afterwards the whole Season 9 made sense, as did the 2 Beckys, Arnie getting taken by aliens, the whole he's-gay-no-wait-she's gay episodes; and a lot of other stuff I'm going to list in a separate thread.

Sometimes we actually have to think rather than being spoonfed everything. For the fans who waited it out through an inexplicably confusing last season, and then used their brain instead of having everything all neat and tidy and fa-la-la, the finale is revealed to be exactly what it was: brialliant, creative, worthy of every Emmy and Golden Globe and award that could be thrown at it.

But since awards shows are generally made up of people with whipped peanut butter for brains, and the general public doesn't want anything more challenging, say, than the number to vote for American Idol, the loud chorus of "I hate the ending!" ensued.

I hope Roseanne knows that some people did get it.

[HaskellGirl]

I never had that bad a reaction to the finale...even when I saw it the first time around I thought it was clever. I didn't like it, but I thought it was clever.

[db108108]

I loved the finale when it first aired and was surprizes that so many people hated it. Maybe some people were expecting more from the series, but really, what more could have been done? I also love how the last episode wraps up the entire series so well, not just explaining what happened in the 9th season, but the entire series.

It could have been funnier throughout the first part, but I love the end. At least it was memorable, whether people like the episode or or not. It's something you don't forget.

[sniffmagikmarkrs]

I'm so pissed, my station only aired the first part of into that good night i watched it and i thought it was cool today, my local station is airing life and stuff so thats a plus, also, does anyone know if nick at nite will ever air both parts or into that good night and does anyone have a tape of both episodes that they would be willing to sell or trade for other tapes?

[PopcornTastesYummy]

I'm not sure which was more disappointing that the finale was a copout or that it was completely unoriginal.

[Skyeona]

Originally posted by PopcornTastesYummy
I'm not sure which was more disappointing that the finale was a copout or that it was completely unoriginal.

Easy to throw out words like "copout" and "unoriginal", when you don't explain what you mean by those terms. When did any other show ever attempt anything remotely like this one? And in what way is it a copout?

[swedeace]

Okay, here's my take:

I have not seen this two-parter episode since May 1997, so you can only imagine how ecstatic I felt after finding out my local WB station would air these episodes. I wasn't going to be home, so I set my VCR's set-timer to record them.

After a long day at work, I went home and hit rewind to play the episodes. I remember reading posts from the thread I started about these episodes airing on my NM station, and there were people saying "not to waste time" or "they're not that good." So, I had totally forgotten how it was! After watching the episodes I recorded, I think they were well-done! Surely, the last part where "the truth" is told, especially about Dan, is very sad and heart-breaking, but part one AND the first half of the second part was really good! The Conner families and their friends were all laughing, talking, and reminicsicing. I really liked how Roseanne and Darlene talk heart-to-heart about how Darlene "barked" in the pilot episode. I also liked how when there were times when there was talking and how when there were semi-insults thrown among the family members, they all laughed but weren't insulted. It reminded me of season one!!! I loved season one most of all! It seemed like a relax enviornment. It was truly better than I remembered!

So a HUGE hooray for the episodes "Into that Good Night." It gets my high vote!

[HaskellGirl]

Originally posted by Skyeona
Easy to throw out words like "copout" and "unoriginal", when you don't explain what you mean by those terms. When did any other show ever attempt anything remotely like this one? And in what way is it a copout?

I completely agree. It may have been many things, but I think it was actually the very opposite of "copout" and "unoriginal". JMHO.

[Brent88]

Originally posted by sniffmagikmarkrs
I'm so pissed, my station only aired the first part of into that good night i watched it and i thought it was cool today, my local station is airing life and stuff so thats a plus, also, does anyone know if nick at nite will ever air both parts or into that good night and does anyone have a tape of both episodes that they would be willing to sell or trade for other tapes?

I'm sure they will. They aired it during the launch marathon in September. I can ALMOST see out that far for Oxygen(they should be there if they air in about 3 weeks).

[sniffmagikmarkrs]

cool i'll check out oxygen, and my fox station sucks, their schedule isn't right they didn't play the first episode and they were scheduled to....bakersfield blows, i'll record it off of oxygen

[Salem]

I found the first part of the finale quite boring. I second part was better but I thought Roseanne's monologue was fatastic.

I got really emotional during her speach and especially when Roseanne walked into the original living room.


PS: Did you notice how she said that her sister was her rock and couldn't have gone that far without her? The show was kind of her life through her eyes. She dumped her real-life sister about after the second season. I just found it interesting that she said that in her monologue (long after she dumped her sister)

[tanabi5790]

I thought I knew this episode inside out the day that I knew it would air. I thought I was completely prepared for it. I had read just about every "Roseanne" fan's opinion on it, and I didn't like the whole concept. But when I saw it, my view completely changed. It wasn't at all like I expected. Roseanne Barr is a creative person, and she showed her creativity through this episode. Her speech from her basement after Dan's death is revealed is wonderful. And seeing her walk back onto the original set with an a capella version of the theme song (which wasn't performed that well, in my opinion), added the perfect touch. A wonderful way to end a wonderful series.

[flagler]

I thought the finale was a little depressing, but brilliantly done, the shining moment for me was that she realised her dream from season 2 to become a writer, and really what a fantastic writer she became.

I thought it was odd that Darlene ended up with Mark because Roseanne didn't imply that Mark or Darlene's personalities were any different to the way they were portrayed in the shows run, so it seemed strange she would end up with someone like him, I wish she had explained that more.

I can see Becky and David together, so that was no real surprise.

All in all a great end, sad but great. I wish the last season was funnier though, I didn't mind all the strange plots because in context they make sense but I wish it was funny. I can even laugh at season 8 now even though when it first aired I didn't like it, but 9 (with the exception of a few episodes) wasn't very funny and I think could have been done better.

[AKA]

The episode (and the entire last season, for that matter) was nothing but a bunch of self-indulging ****. Thanks, Ms. Barr, for ruining a great show.