The premiere of “The Conners,” a spinoff of the popular and canceled “Roseanne,” did not go over very well with fans of the original program — nor with Roseanne Barr herself.
Writers dealt with Barr’s absence — ABC had fired her over a controversial political tweet some deemed racist — by killing off her character from an opioid overdose.
The new show lacked the bite and authentic feel of the original series.
Barr’s absence was felt every minute of the new sitcom, which is little more than just another sanitized, interchangeable half-hour comedy to add to the heap of worthless trash Hollywood is currently pushing.
What's next for The Conners? Early cancellation. pic.twitter.com/iE4C40gb0f
— Pimp Master Broda (@PimpMasterYoda1) October 16, 2018
I pledge to not watch #TheConners tonight, or ever.
??♂️??♂️??♂️
— Austen Fletcher (@fleccas) October 16, 2018
I can't be the only one who thinks this new #TheConners sucks without Roseanne. Snoozefest so far ?
— Kelsey Goodwin (@kelseyg2010) October 17, 2018
I bought Roseanne the complete series. 9 seasons, 222 episodes. Every week when #TheConners come on, I'm watching 1episode. I will still be watching @therealroseanne long after The Conners is forgotten. BTW, Roseanne died from the knives in her back!
— Stormy (@stormyskeyes) October 17, 2018
Sad. I'm sure ABC will claim they were raising drug awareness. No…you made fun of opiate addiction&made your point humiliating her character. #theconners
— Cat (@Catheri78563590) October 17, 2018
Roseanne Barr herself added her voice to the wave of fans talking about “The Conners” by releasing a joint public statement with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, on whose podcast she has appeared in the past.
“While we wish the very best for the cast and production crew of ‘The Conners,’ all of whom are deeply dedicated to their craft and were Roseanne’s cherished colleagues, we regret that ABC chose to cancel Roseanne by killing off the Roseanne Conner character. That it was done through an opioid overdose lent an unnecessary grim and morbid dimension to an otherwise happy family show,” the statement began.
It continued, “‘Roseanne’ was the only show on television that directly addressed the deep divisions threatening the very fabric of our society. Specifically, the show promoted the message that love and respect for one another’s personhood should transcend differences in background and ideological discord. The show brought together characters of different political persuasions and ethnic backgrounds in one, unified family, a rarity in modern American entertainment. Above all else, the show celebrated a strong, matriarchal woman in a leading role, something we need more of in our country.”
The statement ended, “Our society needs to heal on many levels. What better way for healing than a shared moment, once a week, where we could have all enjoyed a compelling storyline featuring a witty character — a woman — who America connected with, not in spite of her flaws, but because of them. The cancellation of ‘Roseanne’ is an opportunity squandered due in equal parts to fear, hubris, and a refusal to forgive.”
In true Roseanne fashion, Barr also hopped on Twitter following the premiere of “The Conners” to assure fans that though her character was dead, she was still very much alive.
“I AIN’T DEAD, B******!” she wrote.
Check out a clip from the premiere of “The Conners” below:
Join the Discussion
COMMENTS POLICY: We have no tolerance for messages of violence, racism, vulgarity, obscenity or other such discourteous behavior. Thank you for contributing to a respectful and useful online dialogue.