Roseanne' and ‘The Conners' made me the progressive Appalachian I am today
ABC broadcast the series finale of 'The Conners' on Wednesday, closing out character arcs that began more than 36 years ago with 'Roseanne.' When the first run of Roseanne Barr's eponymous working-class comedy premiered on ABC in 1988, it stood in stark contrast to the prime-time glamour of 'Dallas' and 'Dynasty,' which then dominated television. Instead of sparkling gowns and champagne-fueled catfights, plots on 'Roseanne' involved unpaid electric bills, broken washing machines and kitchen-table spats.
For many Americans, like the ones I grew up with in Appalachia, 'Roseanne' gave us a mirror, instead of an escape. It transformed working-class humor-as-a-survival-tool into a relatable sitcom format. It helped viewers — those seeing themselves for the first time and those seeing others for the first time — grow toward each other.
'Roseanne' and 'The Conners' had an almost magical ability to speak to the haves and the have-nots. The shows invited the wealthy to laugh with, not at, working-class struggles, which helped generate empathy. They invited white working-class audiences into progressive conversations from which they may have previously been excluded. Both shows discussed topics including racism, queerness, gender equality, LGBTQ youth, immigration — often characterized as issues for liberal elites or big-city residents — in the language of Lanford, Illinois.
As a kid growing up in rural Kentucky in the 1980s and '90s, 'Roseanne' introduced conversations I wasn't having in church or the living room, and I'm not alone among my blue-collar friends in saying that it was 'Roseanne' that made me the political progressive I am today. The show made us aware that we, too, should be a part of these conversations, that we were worthy of being taken seriously, and that the issues we associated with others were intimately tied to our lives, as well.
The power of the series to do this work — in its original incarnation, its reboot and in the renamed show after Barr's character, Roseanne Conner, was killed off — came from its capacity to invite and add. For rural or blue-collar viewers, the show presented new ideas in a world they were comfortable in. For others, the show presented ideas they were already comfortable with but in a world new to them.
The show's legacy, then, is making progressive ideas digestible to poor and working-class people.
This legacy may be surprising to some, given Barr's disappointing evolution. Now a controversial conservative figure, her 2018 reboot was canceled after a racist tweet. ('The Conners' starts after her character on the show has died.) In 2024, Barr released a pro-Trump rap video called 'Daddy's Home.' Those choices should certainly shape how we understand Barr, but they don't erase the complexity or impact of her earlier work or the original show's spinoff.
In 2013, when I taught a course on gender and television, I had my students analyze shows using the Bechdel test, which asks only: Are there two women on screen talking about something other than men? It took 50 years of randomized TV episodes before we hit one that passed: 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' a 1994 episode of 'Roseanne' that tackled homophobia, performative allyship, gender expression and included a same-sex kiss. Revolutionary doesn't begin to describe it. The show earned that moment because its viewers trusted the characters. Viewers, at least the ones I knew, felt like they were watching 'one of us' — which made room for growth.
Throughout 17 years of the Conners' lives shown across two series, viewers were watching stories about difficult topics, but 'Roseanne' invited them in. It said: You're a part of this. To the same extent, the show said to Americans quick to dismiss the struggles of the poor and working class: This is how hard life is when you're living paycheck to paycheck — you, too, are a part of this. No one gets a pass because everyone is included. Few shows have had such political stamina.
In the highly criticized original finale, the Conners win the lottery and live out their wildest dreams, but it's later revealed to be a story made up by the character Roseanne. 'The Conners' echoed the original series' finale in its final season, with a story arc involving a lawsuit the family filed over the opioid-induced death of Roseanne. Given the scourge of opioids in working-class America, that storyline made sense. This time, though, there is no big payout. In the end, the Conners get a check for only $700, which they use to throw a party with pizza and beer.
Ultimately, this is a more fitting conclusion because there is no magical ending for America's problems. No lottery win. No glamour and champagne. Just moments of pain and fleeting relief. All we can do is care enough to see our own — and each other's — stories.
'Roseanne' and 'The Conners' gave us just that. One episode at a time.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Joan Collins, 92, stuns fans with new picture of rarely-seen daughter Katy
Actress Joan Collins sparked a wholesome fan reaction on Sunday when she shared an ultra-rare photograph of her youngest daughter, Katy. In a celebratory birthday post shared to Instagram, the Dynasty star uploaded a beaming snapshot that showed the pair posing together at a round table. Dressed to impress, Joan, 91, looked radiant wearing a ruched coffee-hued top which she teamed with a cream blazer emblazoned with a pink and navy check pattern. The legendary TV star elevated her look with a wide-brim hat, pearlescent disc earrings and a statement pearl crucifix. Katy, meanwhile, looked stylish dressed in a chic quilted jacket and a black beanie. Paying tribute to Katy on her birthday, Joan wrote in her caption: "My beautiful #daughter Katy enjoying the happiest of birthdays last Friday #daughtersareforever #daughterslove." Fans and friends quickly inundated the comments section with touching messages. One wrote: "Beautiful photo of you both", while a second added: "What a beautiful photo of you both", and a third commented: "Happy birthday Katy. I love her jacket!" Joan shares Katyana Kass, known affectionately as Katy, with her third husband, Ron Kass. Whilst Katy tends to avoid the spotlight, Joan did open up about her daughter in her 2023 BBC Documentary titled This Is Joan. Sharing a glimpse into their family life, Joan revealed that Katy suffered a traumatic car accident when she was eight years old. "She was knocked down by a car and sustained very serious brain injuries and I was told that she was going to die. She was in a coma for a very long time," Joan said. Aside from Katy, Joan is also a doting mother to her two eldest children, Alexander and Tara, whom she shares with her second husband, Anthony Newely. Tara is a journalist and screenwriter, while Alexander is a published author and artist. Musing on motherhood, Joan previously told In 2018: "What makes me happiest is seeing my children happy. Honestly, life makes me happy and I'm very aware of how lucky I am." Joan has been married five times in total; to Maxwell Reed, Antony Newley, Ron Kass, Peter Holm and Percy Gibson, to whom she has been happily married since 2002. Lovebirds Percy and Joan crossed paths in 2000 before going on to tie the knot in 2002. While Joan initially had no intention of remarrying, she felt an instant connection with her "soulmate" Percy and subsequently changed her mind. "It is my fifth marriage, and my happiest, and last" Joan previously told us. "Percy is wonderful, he's my soulmate. That doesn't mean we don't bicker but we are very understanding of each other."
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Scrubs Revival: Everything We Know About the Potential ABC Sequel Series
As the new Scrubs awaits an official series order at ABC, TVLine is rounding up everything we already know about the highly anticipated revival. The hospital-set comedy first bowed on NBC in 2001, and chronicled Dr. John Dorian's rise from intern to attending at Sacred Heart. When NBC announced that it would not renew the series beyond Season 7, ABC swooped in and picked up the show for what was conceived as an eighth and final season, complete with a series finale that creator Bill Lawrence first conceived of years prior. But ABC ultimately renewed Scrubs for Season 9, which was subtitled Med School and featured a mix of new and returning characters, with Kerry Bishé's med student Lucy Bennett installed as the quasi-spinoff's new narrator. More from TVLine Casting News: Andor Subs In for Kimmel, Connie Britton Joins Steve Carell Comedy and More Bad Monkey EP Bill Lawrence Offers Season 2 Update, Confirms 'Razor Girl' Adaptation On Hold in Favor of New Story With Same Cast Shrinking EP Tees Up Brett Goldstein and Cobie Smulders' Returns, Michael J. Fox and Jeff Daniels' Season 3 Arcs The original Scrubs ensemble consisted of Zach Braff (JD), Donald Faison (Turk), Sarah Chalke (Elliott), Judy Reyes (Carla), John C. McGinley (Dr. Cox), Neil Flynn (The Janitor) and Ken Jenkins (Kelso), while recurring players included Christa Miller (Jordan), Robert Maschio (The Todd) and the late Sam Lloyd (Ted). Season 9 additions included Bishé (Lucy), Michael Mosley (Drew), Dave Franco (Cole) and Eliza Coupe (Denise). So, what can we expect from Scrubs 2.0? And how soon can we expect to see the revival should ABC pull the trigger and order Season 10? Scroll down for a recap of all of TVLine's original reporting. The in-the-works Scrubs revival has locked in its leading man: TVLine reported on May 21 that Zach Braff closed his deal to reprise Dr. John Dorian (aka JD) in Season 10, which is still awaiting an official green light at the network. Attention now turns to closing deals with fellow legacy cast members Donald Faison (Turk) and Sarah Chalke (Elliot), who, along with Braff, are expected to return as series regulars. Additionally, TVLine hears that talks are underway with a number of OG Scrubs supporting players — Judy Reyes (Nurse Carla Espinosa) and John C. McGinley (Dr. Perry Cox), among them — to recur. 'My hope would be that we establish where everybody from [the original show] is,' series creator Bill Lawrence previously told TVLine, 'whether they're still with us at the hospital or not.' That also includes Neil Flynn (The Janitor) and Ken Jenkins (Dr. Bob Kelso): 'I hope Ken [who is now 84] is able to come play with us a little bit. He's a little older, but we love him so much.' 'The only bummer [about doing the revival], obviously, is that Sam Lloyd [who played hospital lawyer Ted Buckland] was such a huge part of the show, and he passed on [in 2020],' Lawrence has said. But other than Lloyd, you can expect to see all your favorites back. Lawrence has even said that, unlike Roseanne and Will & Grace, which found clever ways to erase their divisive finales from series canon once they were revived, Scrubs Season 10 will stay true to the developments of Season 9, which shifted gears (and locations) and focused on a quartet of newbies, including Kerry Bishé (Lucky Bennett), Michael Mosley (Drew Suffin), Dave Franco (Cole Aaronson) and Season 8 holdover Eliza Coupe (Denise Mahoney). That means the door is open for any (or all) of them to make guest appearances. 'I'm not against seeing those people, and I think it would be fun to have one of them zip by,' the EP said in December. 'But that [season], if you remember, was supposed to be a med school, and those people that were going through it would then go off into the world and land as physicians in places here, there, everywhere. What I think we will really be focusing on is a place where some of our core regulars' — AKA the legacy cast. There will, however, be a major change behind the scenes: Although Lawrence, who is under an overall agreement with Warner Bros., struck a deal that allows him to shepherd the 20th Television-produced revival, he will not serve as showrunner if Season 10 moves forward. Braff has said that the Scrubs revival will aim to capture the same humor and heart as the original run, but showcase a version of JD who has been 'beaten down by the system' over the last 15 years — an idea that Lawrence also expressed during a recent interview with TVLine: 'The hardest part is that Zach and Donald have aged,' the EP said with a laugh. 'People still have that affinity, and love, for that goofy youthfulness — it's why the T-Mobile commercials work so well. But if I saw two guys in their late 40s/early 50s doing 'World's Most Giant Doctor,' and carrying each other around all the time, I would go, 'What the f–k is going on,' you know? To see what that [friendship] looks like at their age, and [take] a comedic look at what medicine has become since those kids started out as interns, and see how our people would look at it, deal with it, and try to remain optimistic,' is their main objective. 'I will tell you that the people I based the original characters on, like the real JD [Dr. Jonathan Doris], is still the medical advisor on the show, and still a cardiologist and a heart surgeon in L.A.,' Lawrence revealed. 'But the real Elliot [Doris' wife, Dr. Dolly Klock] is no longer in medicine because it got to be too much for her, and she wanted to do other things that are equally as philanthropic. She does this education thing for adolescents and kids now. So, to look at how the system not only changed, but how it has beaten some of these people down, and how they retain their optimism with a new wave of young characters, has really been fun.' Meanwhile, unlike Season 9, which saw JD pass the proverbial torch to a new protagonist, Lucy, a hypothetical 10th season will be told exclusively from Dr. Dorian's perspective, and the story will 'start with JD and Turk.' If ABC hands a series order to Scrubs 2.0, it could premiere as soon as midseason/early 2026. TVLine will keep you posted as we learn more, so be sure to bookmark this page and check back for updates. Ted Lasso Season 4: Everything We Know View List Best of TVLine 20+ Age-Defying Parent-Child Castings From Blue Bloods, ER, Ginny & Georgia, Golden Girls, Supernatural and More Young Sheldon Easter Eggs: Every Nod to The Big Bang Theory (and Every Future Reveal) Across 7 Seasons Weirdest TV Crossovers: Always Sunny Meets Abbott, Family Guy vs. Simpsons, Nine-Nine Recruits New Girl and More
Fox Sports
9 hours ago
- Fox Sports
Oklahoma native Kristin Chenoweth to perform national anthem before Game 7 of NBA Finals
Associated Press OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — At 4-foot-11, Kristin Chenoweth is still making it to the NBA Finals. The award-winning actress, singer, Oklahoma native, Oklahoma Hall of Fame inductee and unabashed Thunder fan is performing 'The Star-Spangled Banner' before Game 7 of the title series between the Thunder and the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night, the NBA announced. Chenoweth's performance will air live on ABC at 8 p.m. Eastern, shortly before tipoff of the season's final game. Chenoweth's Thunder fandom has been no secret for at least the last 15 years, though she also has professed at times to liking the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks as well. That said, the Thunder are clearly her top choice — so much so that she once told the Tulsa World she spent three hours bedazzling a Thunder hat. She went to Oklahoma City University after growing up in Broken Arrow, about 115 miles northeast of where the Thunder play. And her dog's name is Thunder. She even dressed the pup up once in a Thunder outfit. Chenoweth has been the anthem singer at multiple Thunder games in the past, sometimes alone and at least once with children from her Chenoweth Broadway Bootcamp. That camp is part of the arts and education fund that she founded to cultivate 'young artistic expression by enriching children's lives through the power of education, entertainment and experience.' Chenoweth won a Tony Award in 1999 for best featured actress in a musical for her role in 'You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.' She also earned two other Tony nominations for best actress in a musical — one in 2004 for playing Glinda in 'Wicked" and the other in 2015 for playing 1930s Hollywood diva Lily Garland in 'On the Twentieth Century.' And in 2009, she won an Emmy for best supporting actress in a comedy series for her work on ABC's "Pushing Daisies.' ___ AP NBA: recommended
