Be Reel: Roseanne, and Her Awful Family

Roseanne, and Her Awful Family.

Roseanne, takes place in Illinois in the late 80s up through the 90s, focusing on a blue collar, working class family. It is the first show of its kind to focus on the “family values” of an imperfect family. Rather than a show about a perfect nuclear family, who has the quirky embarrassing dad, and the stay at home mom etc., it’s more along the lines of a hard working (yet annoying) mother, and the lazy (yet caring) father, and their 3 kids, each falling into a specific teenage trope. It is undoubtedly bizarre and intriguing but also sort of mind numbing to watch. It, at first just seems like any other family oriented show, however it’s quickly revealed this family does not function, at all.
Within the first episode, Roseanne’s youngest daughter Darlene, gets a slip about a parent teacher conference because she barks like a dog in class, apparently a sign of at home issues. Roseanne and her oldest daughter, Becky fight over her lame backpack. Dan (her husband) fight over who should fix the sink. Roseanne fights with her boss in order to leave early to go to the parent teacher conference. She argues with the teacher about her daughter’s behavior. She comes home and argues with Dan over sharing domestic workload. Every other episode is one much like the first, constant trailer-park bickering, nagging, and carelessness that makes the show practically unbearable to watch. The second episode focusing on money values and integrity, both of which this family lacks. Dan gets money for fixing drywall, and the family (especially the kids), wanted something special after paying bills. However, the family decides to save the money for future bills so they can go debt free, but oh no, not with this family. After chastising Darlene about lying earlier in the episode both Dan and Roseanne take the leftover money, and each secretly buy themselves a selfish gift. Of course, when they’re outed by their kids, a huge tiresome fight goes on. Rinse and repeat these wishy washy “morals” and endless squabbling for the next 21 episodes.
Somehow, this show ended up being one of the top watched shows of all time in the 90s. Subjectively speaking, I cannot understand how this happened other than people leaving their television on while it aired. Objectively speaking, it was a show made by a female comedian, that wasn’t the same wholesome family show that was always on air. It covers heavy topics, like a salesman dying in their home, issues with growing up and self identity and homosexuality. However it is still so incredibly draining to watch, I could not make it past the first season. I would ultimately rate this good in terms of production, but bad in terms of personal taste.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x24roes