MovieChat Forums > The Conners (2018) Discussion > I actually liked the first episode

I actually liked the first episode

posted 6 years ago by dteam6 (5073)
11 replies | jump to latest

Let me start off by stating that I HATED what Roseanne said and don't blame ABC for cutting ties. Regardless of anyone's personal feelings, it is at a company's discretion to take action like that if they feel their employee is casting a bad light on them. Roseanne was a representative of ABC. She should have chosen her words more carefully.

Having said that, I would have preferred if they could have somehow worked it out and kept her on the show as I like the character, despite disliking the actress.

However, I found myself pleasantly surprised by the debut. It was not only funny but it FELT a lot like the old seasons of the show. That's strange since the episode is missing Roseanne. Why would it feel MORE like the old Roseanne WITHOUT her as opposed to WITH her?

And I think a large part of it is due to this: Roseanne just didn't have it in the revival. She didn't. Something was terribly off in her performance. She seemed like a disinterested shadow of her former self.

I also disagreed with her character being a Trumper. Roseanne was written as someone who detested many men, PARTICULARLY those who were abusive, as they reminded her of her own father. She would NEVER respect someone as brash, abusive and authoritarian as Trump. It just doesn't mesh with her character.

Even John Goodman and other castmembers who worked with her felt that Roseanne's suddenly embrace of Trump both in REAL life and in the show seemed contrary to how both the actress and character operate.

Anyway, I was prepared to look past her character's support of Trump but...she just didn't "have it" this time around. It didn't feel like the Roseanne of old. Much of her fire, wit and vigor were gone. A shadow or glimmer of her old self sparked up here and there as the season progressed but, ultimately, she just wasn't there.

I think that's why I was able to enjoy this premiere--I didn't feel like I lost Roseanne THIS season--I felt like she never really returned last season. I don't even ultimately care about her sudden Trump support--I care about the fact that the ACTING just wasn't there in the revival.

Now, if you asked me during the 90s when this show was on top, I would have been raging over the decision just like everyone else here. I probably wouldn't have even watched it. But...times have changed. Roseanne was one of the weakest links in the revival. I saw a LOT of people say that same thing when it aired. Of course, now that she's gone, there's a lot of revisionist history going on with people claiming the show is "nothing" without her despite bashing her all last season.

The Conners felt more like the old show in that one premiere than the entirety of the revival. I'm willing to give this a chance. Goodman and Metcalf can carry this show. I genuinely believe that.

Still, I wouldn't mind if they ever revived Roseanne one day on the show. It will never happen but I wouldn't be disappointed if they did.

[–] Gubbio (3893) 6 years ago

The Conners felt more like the old show in that one premiere than the entirety of the revival. I'm willing to give this a chance. Goodman and Metcalf can carry this show. I genuinely believe that.

I didn't miss Roseanne's presence at all. The show always dealt with dark/serious themes and used sarcasm. All of that was there.

I didn't pick-up on Roseanne being off her game in the re-boot, but the show seemed forced. "The Connors" felt more to me like the original show.

There are those who will boycott the show because of Rosie's absence. Time will tell.....

But, they have to stop writing Jackie as if she was mentally challenged. I don't see the logic in that.

[–] dteam6 (5073) 6 years ago

I think a large part of the reason why The Conners felt more like the old show is because things are more settled now. The revival made every episode an "event" and dealt with various modern politics in each episode: from the election to gender issues and racism.

So far, from what I've been hearing about The Conners, it's going to be focusing on the family and their issues while being less overtly "topical". That's how the old show was like. It was politically neutral and dealt with more character-oriented episodes such as Jackie being beaten up by Fisher, problems paying bills, work issues, etc. The revival felt almost like "South Park" in its approach by making everything a "political topic of the week". I get it, though--they sort of HAD to do the revival that way because it was the revival of the show in a modern climate and they sort of had to deal with those issues and get them out of the way. Now that that's over, they can focus on the family-oriented stuff we love so much.

I actually don't mind Crazy Jackie. Yes, I prefer the Season 1-5 Jackie but 6-10, The Conners Jackie is great as well. Besides, Jackie has always been neurotic as far back as the first season. Yes, I'll admit that it was a more natural and realistic kind of neurotic in the earlier seasons but it was still there. A good example of that is in Season 1 Episode: "Toto, We're Not In Kansas Anymore". She was flipping out about the tornado, saying: "There's just no rhyme or reason to it! It wipes out one house and leaves the next untouched! Nothing means anything!"

Roseanne: "Have you been talking to mom?!"

I get it, though--she went from neurotic to cartoon character about mid-way in the show. I still like Cartoon Jackie, though. That entire "Flow of the kitchen" thing in The Conners was classic Jackie, really.

I was actually rather impressed how they handled the grieving process. It was classic and what you'd expect: people making jokes while simultaneously grieving.

I actually--laughed a lot at the part where Jackie tells Bev: "You're 92! You're going to live long enough to bury all of us and a robot will have to bury you!"

Classic Jackie line right there.

It's also great to see Chuck and Crystal back.

I'm still wondering what happened to Dan's father. They've not addressed that at all since the revival up to now and Crystal doesn't even mention him. The actor is still alive, so I wonder if he'll ever return.

[–] modica (4169) 6 years ago

The biggest problem with Rosanne in the Rosanne revival was her timing. Everyone seemed on their game except her. I will continue to watch The Conners. I love the old and the new characters enough to keep watching.

[–] dteam6 (5073) 6 years ago

Exactly. She seemed slow to the punch and somewhat disinterested in what she was doing. Estelle Parsons had far more energy than her, for crying out loud, and she's 92.

What irritates me is that SO MANY--SO MANY people were saying the same things we are are when the revival was still airing and now everyone is acting like her loss is such a detriment.

[–] modica (4169) 6 years ago

I will miss her presence, but the show now does oddly seem like the old show, while the reboot did seem quite off.

[–] dteam6 (5073) 6 years ago

I'll miss her presence, too, as she was so entertaining back in the 90's. I don't know what happened to her since then because she was so off the mark in the revival--distracting, even.

Yes, The Conners has more of the spirit of the old show. It's so strange.

Now that Roseanne is out of the picture, they need more episodes that center around Dan and Jackie together. Those were some of my favorite episodes from Roseanne where Dan and Jackie had their heart-to-heart moments.

[–] ODB82 (2055) 6 years ago

It was good and funny but damn....was it depressing. Poor Dan.

[–] dteam6 (5073) 6 years ago

It was depressing, yes. I'm interested to see how/if David and Dan interact in the upcoming episode and whether or not Roseanne's death will lead to Dan and David mending fences.

I could see David sharing with Dan how much Roseanne meant to him and the two perhaps finding a peace with each other.

[–] janelsenor (2042) 6 years ago

I liked the revival and I like this.

[–] fishpan (544) 6 years ago

I like the revival and for the first time since I agree the revival the real life issue felt more down to earth. The revival always seemed to be tick boxy with Rosanne (as in the character) sorts out 'x' issue of the week through her lense.

Though I always wondered how they would have dealt with the racism one with the muslim neighbours if the writers had the balls to put in a scene where the muslim dad had been characterised as holding onto his 2nd amendment rights and came to that front door with a gun when Roseanne and Jackie went to his door in the middle of the night with that baseball bat to 'ask' for a wifi password.

As for the character's death in the Conner's - well it felt real as people don't suddenly get over an opoid addiction because you sort out their knees, they just don't. It should be acknowledged and the consequences of that should be explored.

[–] dteam6 (5073) 6 years ago

Not to mention it's not even the first time in the show Roseanne was an addict.

Some other examples:

-Her off and on smoking habit in Season 4 when she was stressed. She would smoke behind everyone's back because she couldn't cope with their bad life circumstances.

-Her food binges in various seasons. This was especially addressed in Season 2 when she was bing-eating out of stress and cheating on her diet, though Dan did as well.

Roseanne has been portrayed as a stubborn addict on more than one occasion.

You're right--you don't just drop an opiate addiction cold turkey like that. She was stashing them all over the house, for crying out loud, and blaming others. Those are the actions of a very bad addict.