The Conners lacks Roseanne’s bite

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This article was published 14/10/2018 (2572 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Conner family has to adjust to life without Roseanne. The Conners is already doing so.

ABC’s sitcom (Tuesday, 7 p.m. CST), a spinoff rising from the ashes of the Roseanne revival’s May cancellation, is missing a major asset, fired series namesake Roseanne Barr, along with the sharp, controversial political bite (and PR headaches) that characterized her return last spring as a U.S. President Donald Trump-supporting conservative.

Nevertheless, it’s better than might be expected after an emergency star-ectomy.

The Conners keeps much of what’s best about the original classic — the sarcasm, blue-collar grit, topical issues and schmaltz-free emotion — as it evolves into a more traditional family sitcom, one that still focuses on the oft-neglected working class.

ABC screened two episodes for TV critics: Tuesday’s première, which immediately addresses matriarch Roseanne Conner’s absence — we’re not allowed to say how she exits, although co-star John Goodman accidentally let slip in an interview that she died — and a later episode, featuring a guest appearance by Johnny Galecki as the estranged husband of Darlene (Sara Gilbert), the Conners’s daughter.

Not surprisingly, the spinoff, which shares much of the Roseanne cast and crew, has a familiar look and pace. The scene is still the well-worn home of the financially struggling Conners, and that shabby couch is never going anywhere. There’s sadness and seriousness, but still plenty of laughs, some out loud.

Barr’s departure, however, has shifted the centre of gravity, and Goodman’s Dan and Gilbert’s Darlene assume larger roles in her absence. Goodman ably grounds Dan — initially struggling without his best buddy and wife — with an added dose of gravitas. Gilbert shines, as Darlene carries on her mother’s tradition of withering sarcasm while revealing an occasional glimpse of vulnerability that signifies emotional strength, not weakness. She misses her mom, but Darlene, the mother of two, must fill her shoes.

As Darlene’s older sister Becky (Lecy Goranson), aptly tells her: “You’re the obvious choice to take over for mom. You already live here and you’re a scary little tyrant.”

The Conners obviously misses Barr’s searing comedic perspective, delivered in trademark flat affect and punctuated by a devastating cackle. But the new show looks like it can survive without her, since Roseanne really was a strong ensemble comedy, with supporting characters well-honed, recognizable and beloved after its initial nine-season run (1988-1997) and this year’s revival.

Laurie Metcalf, a marvellous actor, imbues Roseanne’s sister Jackie with a touching and hilarious sense of confusion, as her sibling yin is gone. Who will she spar with now?

D.J. (Michael Fishman), the youngest Conner sibling, still lives primarily on the periphery, but his role may be bolstered by the return of his wife, Geena (Maya Lynne Robinson), who was serving in the U.S. army in Afghanistan last season.

Geena, a churchgoer who brings a shipshape, buttoned-down military discipline, leavens the loss of Roseanne’s challenging voice and seems like a worthy match for the disorderly, hardly pious Conners, but she comes from a different strain of conservatism in the way she challenges the lax Conner household.

The only misses come from guest stars. David’s new soulmate (Juliette Lewis) is too over-the-top as a nonsense-spouting hippie, and Darlene’s potential new love interest (Justin Long) arrives right on cue as if he’d been ordered from Amazon.

The Conners confronts real-world challenges, one of the most appealing traits of Roseanne in storylines about health-care costs, addiction, teen sex and divorce.

But with Barr’s departure, the new comedy mostly avoids the conservative-liberal battles of its predecessor, and it’s probably better off not trying to replace her unique perspective. It doesn’t make any effort to find a substitute for Roseanne’s position as an ardent supporter of Trump — which will likely displease many fans.

But others now may want to join the Conners, whose sharp insults are softened by an underlying love, as they still gather around the kitchen table. It’s not going to be a cultural phenomenon without the woman once at its centre, but it seems likely to be a comfy, enjoyable place to sit down for a meal.

— USA Today