Roseanne: The Complete First Season

Abrasive standup comic Roseanne Barr changed the face of television in 1988 with the debut of her eponymous sitcom, which surprised critics and delighted viewers with its realistic portrayal of a working-class American family living in the heartland. Barr played Roseanne Conner, a plastics factory worker who, along with her hard-working contractor husband Dan (John Goodman), maintained a modest home in Lanford, Illinois with their children Darlene (Sara Gilbert), Becky (Lecy Goranson), and D.J. (Michael Fishman). When they weren't grappling with everyday problems, Roseanne and family—along with her unmarried sister, Jackie Harris (Laurie Metcalf)—frequently yielded to common temptations, which made them uniquely sympathetic to TV audiences. The series' tone was established in the pilot, “Life and Stuff,” when Roseanne is asked to deal with Darlene's barking in school. “We're in the Money” focused on the dilemma faced by many families just getting by: Roseanne and Dan promise that they won't blow his $500 advance but can't help themselves from doing just that. Goodman gets the spotlight in “Dan's Birthday Bash,” when he fends off a jerk who picks a fight during a celebration at the Lobo Lounge (a familiar locale for the series). “Saturday” must have seemed familiar to Roseanne's working-class audience members, with its depiction of Dan and his buddies gassing as he works on his truck, while Roseanne and her girlfriends stay inside to talk about Jackie's love life. Metcalf's character is the focus of “Toto, We're Not in Kansas Anymore,” which finds the Conners in a tizzy when Jackie fails to return from the market after a tornado rips through Lanford. The first season ends with a cliffhanger of sorts after Roseanne, annoyed with management at her workplace, quits her job. Barr was, in some ways, a polarizing figure; many people thought her humor was unnecessarily coarse, although she argued that the show accurately represented blue-collar families and the challenges they faced. The debate would rage for years, but during most of that time Roseanne occupied a lofty position in the network ratings—bolstered no doubt by an impressive list of guest stars, including George Clooney, Bruce Willis, Frances Fisher, and Ned Beatty. The 23 episodes of the 1988-89 season, perhaps more so than any that followed, demonstrate why. DVD extras include interviews with Barr and Goodman, bloopers, highlights, and more wisdom from the domestic goddess. Recommended. (E. Hulse)