Alan Sawyer
While many networks have spent the last week making high profile cuts, ABC kept most of its lineup together. One show that had some drama surrounding its renewal eventually continued as it should have was ‘The Conners.’ The comedy has consistently been the number two show on Wednesday nights, behind another ABC show, ‘The Goldbergs,’ and with solid ratings.
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Although the originator of the franchise, Roseanne Barr, has had her share of controversy over her role as the titular character in the since-canceled Roseanne revival, the renamed comedy has succeeded and increased the starpower in both Sara Gilbert and John Goodman.
While Rosanne has been mentioned in passing in other seasons, the executive producers say that they are going to have a more direct reference in the coming season.
Showrunners Dave Caplan and Bruce Helford told Cinemablend that nothing going to be off limits when it comes referencing Roseanne, so long as it is natural to the conversation.
“I don’t think there’s anything off-limits for us, and I say that sincerely,” Caplan said. “Because I think we take it on such a case-by-case basis where, in the writers’ room, we’ll say, ‘Well, is this a place that one of the characters would mention her?’ Would Dan refer to her because there’s something about the old marriage that pertains to his new marriage with Louise? Or would Darlene say it?
“And in an upcoming episode, she does say something. Because she was raised by the woman, and now she’s raising her own kids, so it’s natural. So I think we don’t shy away from it where we think it would be right and honest for the characters to mention her.”
Well that is a great first step to, perhaps, bringing some sort of credit back to Rosanne in the franchise.
The executive producers said that making more references to the past are becoming easier to do. And that they will continue to shine light when it seems right to do so.
“We don’t go out of our way to put a mention, obviously, in every episode,” Helford said. “It’s only when we all just kind of stop and look at each other and go, ‘You know, they would bring up Roseanne here at this moment, so we should do it.’ And we do it. It’s loving of the character, because the character was beloved, in her family and by viewers, and we try to keep it respectful to that. But yeah, there’s really nothing off limits about that. We really will discuss anything that pertains to the relationship between Dan and his wife, or the kids and their mom.”
