User reviews

Seasons 1 - 7: 9/10

Seasons 8 - 9: 4/10

The attempted reboot: 1/10

The first handful of seasons of this show are truly classic television. This was probably the first show I ever watched that could be construed as a "Dramedy" show. Sure, there are laughs around every corner, but the Conner family is very obviously lower-class and we get a lot of realistic insight into their struggles. People who've been poor will relate to some of the storylines in this show A LOT.

John Goodman and Laurie Metcalf are the true stars here, as is the case with a lot of sitcoms. Roseanne is the main character, yes; she's the rock, the glue, but she isn't the funniest or most interesting of the bunch. Without her, though, it wouldn't be the same (the reboot makes this painfully obvious, but any seasoned viewer of television can tell you with from the start).

I wish there were shows like this around today. There are still a lot of poor folks out there struggling to get by, and today's television shows aren't providing the same kind of relatable escapism that Roseanne did.

Having watched all seasons aired in the UK the first time round, this show became like having a surrogate family on tv. The characters are well rounded, some relatable, all entertaining. Like many sitcoms, it got a bit weird towards the end, as all shows are victim to the 'we're losing ratings so let's shake things up to get 'em back' ethos of panicking writers which eventually killed it. The first 8 seasons are well worth revisiting if you're able. I hope this gets picked up by a streaming service so it can be enjoyed fully once more.

I realized why this show was such a success. Roseanne was so darn cute, and John was a great portrayal of a good husband and father. It's a realistic portrayal of the lower middle class, I knew a few families like this growing up, but the Connors were the Cleavers compared to most of the others I knew.

A terrifically intense dramedy which features possibly the most realistic familial unit in TV sitcoms, not to mention a marriage between Roseanne and Dan Connor (Roseanne Barr and John Goodman) which is pin-point exact, warm and right--and feels lived in. All non-believers have to do is watch a few episodes: the timing is deceptively shaggy yet perfect, the characters believable, their predicaments immediate. Fully realized by Roseanne herself, who never let her real-life chronicles get in the way of the show. The writing is continually sharp, with dialogue that frequently evokes whole lives, such as in the episode where Roseanne sits in a coffee house after hours talking to a tired waitress who confides about her late husband, "I miss him. It's so quiet. Sometimes I'll turn a football game on, turn it up real loud...and I hate sports. But what'ya gonna do?" Tender moments like this, seemingly throwaway bits, elude some viewers looking for a fast laughter fix; "Roseanne" was always something more, and it aches in laughter and in life's woes.

"Roseanne" is a milestone in TV sitcoms. It shows a lower class family realistically and the problems and issues they face. It dealt with (for the time) risky issues that you didn't see on TV often. I still remember quite a stir when two separate episodes dealt with one of the girls "becoming" a woman and the son of the family discovering how to "pleasure" himself. Also it had episodes dealing with abortion, gay characters, alcoholism, drug abuse, premarital sex, workplace and sexual harassment, how to deal with elderly parents... None of the characters were squeaky clean or perfect...they all had huge flaws and faults. But all of this was done with realism, great acting and a strong (if sometimes caustic) sense of humor. You saw the characters grow and change over the course of the 9 years it was on the air. It totally fell apart during the last season (egos were going out of control on the set) and ended horribly but the previous eight seasons were just fantastic. And the Halloween episodes were among the funniest ever done for a TV series. Just great all around. If you've never seen it, catch an episode or two--it's worth the effort.

I wrote a review of the Roseanne revival and then realized it's all clumped together on IMDB, so I'm adding a note that I loved the original series except towards the end (that last season was horrific).

My review of the revival:

The reboot of Roseanne put some liberals in a quandary, because they thought the series was funny but didn't want to watch a show helmed by a rabid conspiracy theorist who believes lizard men rule the world.

So as a liberal I was relieved when I watched the first episode of the reboot and though, meh.

As with the original series, Roseanne, who can't act and isn't all that funny, is supported by a talented cast to make up for her deficiencies. Unfortunately, only Goodman manages to capture what made the original series so good; everything he says is funny or thought-provoking, but even other hugely talented people like Laurie Metcalf and Sara Gilbert don't seem to be able to recapture their characters. Perhaps they're just out of practice.

The writing is weak. The back and forth between Jackie and Roseanne is shrill and uncomfortable but not actually funny.

Roseanne has a very old-school, which tends to put me off a series nowadays. The only really retro old-school series I watch is One Day at a Time, which is much funnier, and even then I don't care for it as much as modern sitcoms like Kimmie Schmidt and Corporate.

The new Roseanne isn't as bad as the final years of the old Roseanne, but it's not nearly good enough for me to bother with.

I grew up watching, and loving this show. First, the positives. The show has the same feel as the original iteration. I love the raw emotion, and witty exchanges. I enjoy that the majority of the cast returned, and I feel like they picked up seemlessly. The negatives... I hate that abc is allowing the political garbage to once again interfere. Now, this is nothing new for this show, but it is completely unnecessary and feels forced. Overall, I truly loved this show, and will try to give it a fair shot, but I hope the political crap falls off.

Roseanne reminds me of simpler times. I miss her. I'm sorry things didn't work out with her and the reboot. I didn't approve of the Tweet (and I do believe her remorse was sincere), but I also stopped watching the show when they kicked her off.

I liked the Roseanne show when it was a blue collar comedy that made people laugh mostly about themselves. I didn't like it when it became preachy and liberal especially since half the cast of characters like Leon and his partner played by Martin Mull and Fred Willard were gay as was Sandra Bernhard's character and then the outing of Beverly played by Oscar winner Estelle Parsons. I felt the show was too much by then and it was making a political statement when there plenty of other statements. I felt the show went from being blue collar comedy to left wing liberalness. Don't get me wrong, I am a liberal and I support gay rights but I felt that the show's original premise and it's realism was lost aside to shocking audiences. While it was a shock factor then, it does not exist now. I loved Beverly played by Estelle Parsons who they were smart enough to use wisely and often. Laurie Metcalf's Jackie and Roseanne's herself were believable as sisters on the show. John Goodman's Dan deserved accolades for being the long-suffering husband. There were plenty of topics and smart enough to have casted George Clooney before ER. Yes, Roseanne's show became too much at times but it was funny and maybe you didn't agree with it or disliked the insanity but you saw yourself in the role.

Wasn't going to watch this at all, but read a review that said it was great, so gave it a shot. What a disaster. Nothing in either episode made me laugh, or even crack a smile. Laugh track was beyond annoying, mostly because IT WASN'T FUNNY. Loved the original show, but this is bad.

Roseanne should be considered one of the best sitcoms in television history as every classic show is a reflection of the times it represents. Roseanne has been off the air for about a decade now, and when I have a chance to watch it in syndication, I am always entertained. Even the last season, which was a disappointment, has its moments. It's also interesting to see how the characters evolved and changed over the years. I could be wrong about the following comment, but it seems somewhat obvious when Roseanne Barr was going through her divorce to Tom Arnold. Her performance on the show was more biting than usual during that particular season. Maybe it was the media, expectation, or something else. Either way, a new dimension to the show was added due to Barr's transformation (I believe it was Season 4 or 5).

What really makes Roseanne stand out and keeps it in good company with other classic sitcoms is its blending of comedy and drama, often displayed in one scene. Elementally speaking, it reminds me of All in the Family, Maude, and Good Times, shows that defined showcasing dramedy in the 70s. Also, the performances were terrific. John Goodman was outstanding and underused as Dan. I look forward to when he is on screen. Sara Gilbert delivered a consistently excellent turn as Darlene, and then there's Roseanne Barr. She made her mark and did it well. Estelle Parsons was fantastic as Beverly, and Laurie Metcalf had some scene–stealing moments as Jackie. These are talented performers giving us quality television to remember, along with the writers, director(s), producers, and everyone else involved in the project.

Anyone who finds Roseanne insulting, repugnant, and/or basically not worth watching may be missing the point of the show and the writing itself. Watch it again and really listen to the dialog. The characters are actually quite decent – they are simply not idealistic in a society that craves moral fortitude yet has difficulty maintaining a core foundation these days. Ozzie and Harriet they're not, but then again, a classic show is a reflection of the times it represents. Hence... Roseanne. The show would fair even better today with our present economy.

Thanks to ABC for giving us Roseanne. We are the richer for it!

Although I had previously rated "Roseanne" a 10, I've had to reevaluate my opinion. I admit there is no denying the relatability of the show along with a certain feeling of comfort that one feels while watching. A sweeping sense of nostalgia washes over you while watching older seasons and the reboot felt like a welcomed family reunion. But behavior matters and you can't remove the foundation without (sadly) damaging the ENTIRE structure. I hope the employees who are now out of work go to Barr directly for lost wages.

So, I have now lost all respect for the IMDb platform as these are obviously fake reviews. I'd say 9 times out of 10, I agree with the community on here, but to give this Roseanne reboot a 7.5 is complete absurdity. Honestly I was expecting to see a 4-5, maybe 6, but I can't even get there. Horrible acting, fake laughs, made me sick. Turned it off after 5 minutes. The only star is the girl from Shameless who is awesome and actually made a career for herself. Don't waste your time with this piece of trash. Leave Roseanne in the 80's or 90's, whenever it was, where she belongs.

I was twelve years old when "Roseanne" came out, and vividly remember it having such a huge impact on my family, as well as society as a whole. For the first time, middle-class families could identify with characters on a sitcom, and enjoy real life issues and problems being handled with utmost care and realism.

What made "Roseanne" unique was its utter lack of vanity, superficiality, and unrealistic idealism. In the age of "The Cosby Show," and "Family Ties," Roseanne stormed in as an overweight, screaming mother who didn't always keep her house clean, didn't pay the bills on time, didn't always have the answer, and didn't keep her sexuality hidden. From the very first episode, viewers got to see a messy house, screaming kids who don't always listen, and parents who struggle with money, menial jobs, and weight issues. Finally, a real family on television! Can you think of another show where the female lead walks around the house with an xxx-large bright pink bathrobe, rollers in her hair, and can still be taken seriously? Whatever you might think of Roseanne personally (in terms of her public behavior), she never let it effect the quality of the show. The show benefited from WONDERFUL writing, a fantastic cast, and a pitch-perfect blend of comedy and drama. The show had some incredibly funny moments, combined with profoundly touching scenes that really played well on television; the show was never sappy, and stayed true to life. In my opinion, virtually every episode during seasons one through six, with rare exceptions, played out like thirty minute masterpieces. By seasons three and four, the show had reached perfection.

Roseanne acted her heart out on this show, and got better every year. She could always deliver a sarcastic one-liner like no other, but as the show progressed she managed the dramatic scenes with perfect accuracy. She managed to infuse her strong, sarcastic exterior with an incredible dose of heart and generosity. John Goodman had exceptional chemistry with Roseanne, and turned Dan into a hard-working, loving father that we all wish we could have. Laurie Metcalf's Jackie was, perhaps, the shows most complex character, and, in my opinion, the best actor of them all. She could take even mundane lines and turn them into hysterical comedy. Metcalf turned Jackie into a cool, sympathetic character you always wanted around. The sister relationship between Roseanne and Jackie was perhaps the most realistic ever portrayed on TV.

The kids of the show were also exceptional. I remember watching Darlene when I was a kid/teenager, and thinking "finally, a realistic depiction of a teenager." The iconic Darlene was a tomboy, depressed at times, and certainly not your typical happy, popular, beautifully perfect character. She had many challenges, emotions, and Gilbert pulled them all off with complete ease. Darlene was a hero to anybody who felt like they didn't fit in. Becky was the whiny, spoiled brat of the bunch, played beautifully by Lecy Garonson; she never hit a false note. Sarah Chalke, on the other hand, was sub par, and really should never have been cast as a replacement. Even DJ, the youngest of the bunch, had some incredible one-liners, and managed to be completely real.

Overall, this show goes down as a masterpiece; it's exactly what a TV show should be: Hysterically funny, profound, insightful, relevant, and, above all, completely entertaining.

The best scenes in the catastrophe of "comedy" are the ones that don't include Rosanne. The first 2-3 seasons were tolerable, but then you could tell nearly to the episode when Rosanne was given too much power and creative control. She already is on the line of most annoying and least funny female "comedian" with Kathy Griffin because of this.

The show continued to go downhill to the point where it went from a few chuckles here and there of blue collar comedy, to idiotic nonsensical Liberalism. Good job of destroying what could have been a half-decent concept. I'd rather stick to comedies that can hold their ground over time because of solid laughing moments aka Seinfeld.

I've been a fan of this show since it premiered in the last 1980's. I used to watch it with my aunt every week and we looked forward to the laughs. I didn't always understand what was going on but Roseanne and Dan always made me laugh.

Now that I'm old I still watch the re-runs on TV Land and CMT and it still makes me laugh just as much. I think what I always loved about the show is how it mimicked real life. Not everyone lives in a beautiful home with an unlimited cash flow and the Conners were just like the rest of us - living paycheck to paycheck and trying to find a way not to get the lights shut off. The show did a great job with serious and social topics through the years, I just wish at times they didn't focus so much on women's lib and making men out to be useless and dumb.

The first few seasons are the very best because Roseanne, in real life, did not become a diva yet but the middle seasons are very good too. The majority of season 8 and all of season 9 are just train wrecks. The series really should have ended with season 7 because the final 2 seasons just because so outlandish and weird that it was clear Roseanne was just doing these things because she could. Her real life craziness was now taking over the show.

If you've never watched the show before I highly recommend it, but maybe just skip seasons 8 and 9 so it does not leave you with a bad taste in your mouth.

During its first six seasons, "Roseanne" was a classic sitcom which was filled with great characters and hilarious moments. If my rating of the series had been based on the first six seasons alone, I would probably have given it a 9 out of 10. Unfortunately, I had to take the final three seasons into account; and, the show lost a lot of points because of those seasons (especially the final season).

During the first six seasons, the show was known for its stories about a working class family in Lanford, Illinois. The characters had great chemistry on screen; and, the characters of Dan Connor, Roseanne Connor, and Darlene Connor were known for their delivery of clever humor. Darlene's delivery of jokes was especially dry and funny.

During season seven, it was obvious that something had changed. The show featured the same characters and the same setting; but, something was definitely wrong. It was as if the souls of the characters had disappeared; and, the stories seemed to revolve increasingly around the character of Roseanne Connor. Seasons seven and eight had their moments; but during those seasons, the show was a shadow of its former self. The writing wasn't at the same level as it had been before; and, the show was not as funny.

During seasons seven and eight, the show began to do more episodes which featured sketches and parodies. This did not work well for a show like "Roseanne," which was sitcom. Sketches do not belong on a sitcom.

If seasons seven and eight were weak, season nine was awful. In fact, most of season nine was outright unwatchable. During its final season, "Roseanne" became the Evil Knievel of shark jumping. I won't divulge the changes which were made to the show during the final season; but if somebody had told me about the changes ahead of time, I would not have believed that person until I had seen the changes for myself.

To summarize, the first six seasons of "Roseanne" were definitely worth watching. During those first seasons, the show earned a loyal viewer-ship. Some viewers might not mind seasons seven and eight; but, season nine is hardly worth the bother. "Roseanne" deserves to be remembered for what it achieved. It is unfortunate that the series stayed on the air for too long.

It's strange that a revived television show is a breath of fresh air from most of the crap out there. This show felt nestolgic and new at the same time. Highly enjoyable and a show most working class families can relate to.

...unless they find some ways to advance the characters, it won't last very long I think it would have worked better as a reunion TV movie as opposed to a new season.

One word - Cringe worthy. Not wasting time reviewing this. Something this low level will stop itself