Roseanne sacrificed storytelling for temporary headline-grabbing cultural currency

Esquire

ABC's Roseanne revival, says Justin Kirkland, "invented a poorly constructed vehicle designed for headlines, and it's called that creation Roseanne Conner." He adds: "The whole process started in the premiere with a politically charged episode. Roseanne's political leanings didn't track, but showrunners assured viewers that moving forward the series wouldn't rely on politics to tell the Conners' story. But for a show that argues that it would shy away from politics as the season went on, this nine-episode collection has covered the following topics: natural disaster relief, the opioid crisis, undocumented workers, racism toward Middle Eastern people, insurance coverage, elder care, divorce, surrogacy, multigenerational caregiving, physically punishing your child, genderqueer children, gun rights, the presidential election, and the lacking resources from the Veteran's Association. If you're keeping track, it's a bit mind-boggling. For any fan of the old show comparing series notes, it's full-on perplexing."

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