On to "The Conners"

Spoilers ahead.

Three episodes into "The Conners," I don't much miss the presence of Roseanne.  I mean, I always liked Roseanne Barr in the show, and think it's a shame that she self-destructed to the point where ABC washed their hands of her.  However, "Roseanne" was never just about the character of Roseanne Conner, and "The Conners" has no trouble picking up without her.

Darlene has become the de facto main character, still hunting for a steady job and trying to parent her kids.  Everyone else around her is just doing their best to get by, though Becky's role has come into sharper focus - the premiere revealed that she has a drinking problem.  The writers have also introduced quite a few new characters. There are lots of new love interests played by recognizable names in the mix: David's new-agey girlfriend Blue (Juliette Lewis), Darlene's new beau Neil (Justin Long), and a fussy academic named Peter (Matthew Broderick) dating Jackie.  D.J.'s wife Geena (Maya Lynne Robinson) has also returned from overseas, and joined the main cast.

As we've all heard by now, Roseanne was killed offscreen by a painkiller overdose, which was handled with all due consideration and sensitivity in the first episode.  The season premiere was wisely set after the funeral, at a point where the Conner family had already had some time to process Roseanne's death. I was a little disappointed that only the first episode really dealt significantly with grief, mostly Dan and Jackie's, but you see little nods to Roseanne's absence in other episodes too.  As evidenced by the title change, the show had to move on, and put "Roseanne" behind it. And it's doing a pretty good job of it so far.

I think the first season of "The Conners" is actually a bit better than the revival season of "Roseanne."  Actors have gotten more settled into their roles, there's not as much emphasis on the characters dealing with modern, hot topic issues, and there's a better sense of where the show is going.  The best episode so far was the second, where Darlene meets Blue for the first time, and instantly hates her guts. "Roseanne" was always better when it was dealing with interpersonal family tensions that hit close to home.  So I'm glad Johnny Galecki will be sticking around for more co-parenting aggravations.

There's no denying that "The Conners" is a different beast than "Roseanne."  Darlene is a younger and more progressive POV character than her mother. However, the show doesn't lose its darkly acerbic streak or anti-authoritarian bent.  The Halloween episode might not have been as wild as some of the old ones, but it still features Darlene standing up against overly PC rules for Halloween costumes, and everyone in gory getups.  The Arab family from last season may be invited to the party, and Mark likes boys and wears skirts, but "Roseanne" was always about being inclusive and thumbing its nose at the establishment.

Also, more importantly, "The Conners" is still fully committed to realistically depicting how working class Americans live.  Characters are constantly being shown at work, hustling for side jobs, and discussing their economic insecurity. Becky and Jackie joke about the dating pool being full of unemployed and damaged men.  The most unrealistic element from the "Roseanne" revival season, Becky becoming a surrogate for another woman's pregnancy, has been quashed for good. No mention of Jackie's efforts to become a life coach either, though I wouldn't count that development out just yet.

I'm still interested in some of the questions that were never answered last year, like what happened to Jerry and Andy, and the circumstances around Mark's demise.  There is plenty of material for the writers to draw from going forward, and "The Conners" could be around for a long while. As I mentioned in the last review, I want more of Dan and Jackie, as their actors remain the strongest performers in the cast.  Lecy Goranson is much improved, and all the kids and the newcomers have been fine.

So, yes, we lost Roseanne, and that was a blow, because I like her.  However, there are several other characters from her show that I like just as much, and I'm glad that ABC is giving the creators an opportunity to keep telling their stories.      

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