Why it's wrong to attribute Roseanne's big ratings to politics

The Hollywood Reporter

"As a TV show, Roseanne hasn't suddenly become a mouthpiece for the alt right and any interpretation of the premiere that pretends it's a validation of a need for conservative TV is absurd," says Daniel Fienberg, adding: "Or, put a different way, Roseanne, a show that was once of its moment, came back as a show of a new moment and just as there was an audience for the show when it was at its peak, there was clearly an audience waiting for the show now." Fienberg expects that the big takeaway from the Roseanne revival will be to create shows about Trump supporters, or shows "about bridging gaps between Trump supporters and their estranged Trump-hating families (or Hillary supporters and their Trump-loving families). You can already bet that somebody in ABC's halls of power is wishing they had a new season of Last Man Standing ready to premiere after Roseanne next week or, failing that, hoping that they might convince Jonathan Taylor Thomas that America is ready for more Home Improvement. But Roseanne is not a conservative show."

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• Roseanne's huge ratings prompts "soul-searching" from TV insiders who think it "revealed the untapped potential of comedies that provide realistic portrayal of blue-collar America"
• Sara Gilbert was "in shock" by the ratings: "There are no words because the words all sound cliche"
• Roseanne's progressivism and Roseanne Barr's personal beliefs might've created passionate interest on both sides
• ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey attributes the big ratings to a combination of nostalgia and politics
• Dungey says she was taken aback, but “I’m not quite ready to pull that trigger at this moment" on a Season 2 renewal
• Fox News stars celebrate Roseanne's ratings: "The 'Proud Deplorable' SMASHES expectations," tweeted Sean Hannity
• Rush Limbaugh wonders if pro-Trump shows will become a network trend
• A market-by-market comparison reveals Roseanne beat Will & Grace even in big cities like New York and L.A.
• Roseanne revival was good, but not because of Roseanne Barr
• John Goodman wasn't expecting massive viewership
• Becky's surrogacy storyline is problematic
• A warning: Reboots tend to fade after nostalgia factor wears off -- Will & Grace's demo audience has dropped substantially