ABC Considering Desperate Move To Reboot 'Roseanne' with a Liberal Twist
A new proposal may be in the works to reboot “Roseanne” with the focus being around her more liberal daughter Darlene, according to a report from CNN.
Roseanne’s show quickly got pulled from ABC’s lineup earlier this week after the titular star tweeted some racist prattle about former Obama apparatchik Valerie Jarrett and then tried to blame it on Ambien.
However, the network still wants those sweet, sweet ratings — even if the star that got them isn’t around anymore.
“The talks with production company Carsey-Werner, which owns the show, are preliminary, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter,” CNN said about attempts to revive the show.
“But the idea is definitely enticing to ABC. A re-reboot could help keep many of the “Roseanne” cast and crew members employed.
“Many critics have bemoaned the fact that more than 200 people lost work when the sitcom was cancelled on Tuesday due to Barr’s racist and bizarre tweeting.
“TMZ first reported on Friday that ‘the powers that be at ABC are exploring the possibility of re-branding the show and focusing on the character Darlene instead of Roseanne.”
Now, there’s nothing in particular that would stop ABC from producing a Darlene-centric spinoff that would be successful. I’ve always kind of liked the character, played by Sara Gilbert, particularly her ur-Daria Morgandorffer deadpan sarcasm.
However, turning “Roseanne” into a Cousin Oliver-tastic make-work program for the cast and crew of the show that have been shunted due to Roseanne Barr’s idiocy sounds like possibly the worst idea anyone could have come up with.
Part of the problem is that the show was successful because Roseanne showed a working class Republican in a positive light. It turned out the person who was playing her character was crazy. That’s not the cast and crew’s fault, and I feel sorry for them. That being said, it’s not like Michael Richards’ agent got to manage Jason Alexander as restitution for the money that they lost due to Richards’ infamous racist rant.
Basing the show around Darlene — probably the most liberal character on the show aside from Roseanne’s sister, Jackie — also sounds more like an apology in addition to a make-work program. The thing is, by the apology, you’ve removed what was essentially the one thing that made the reboot successful.
Oh, and by the way — for any liberals who might think that a liberal-friendly reboot would be the best way to give the finger to Roseanne, consider that she would likely benefit financially no matter whether the show succeeded or failed.
“Barr has a significant financial interest in the series, and there is concern that a new iteration that would benefit her financially would be a non-starter for everyone involved,” Variety noted. CNN said that “(d)epending on the terms of Barr’s contract, the production company may have to buy out her stake in the show.
I literally don’t see any way this is a good idea, no matter whether where you reside on the political spectrum. “Roseanne” is over. It’s done for. It’s Zima. Allow it a funeral and let’s move on.
I feel bad for anyone affected by Roseanne’s stupid tweeting. This all being said, why would you make things worse with a show that simply exists to provide jobs and to apologize for letting Barr back into the public spotlight? It’s not the first time that ABC and its subsidiaries have shown their willingness to chase bad ideas with money, but it certainly is one of the worst.
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