The original Roseanne series was groundbreaking in its portrayal of a working-class family dealing with real-life struggles, but its final episode left many viewers feeling unsatisfied. After nine seasons of relatability and humor, the show’s conclusion in 1997 took a turn that caught fans off guard. The highly-anticipated finale, which revealed that much of the later seasons had been a fictionalized version of Roseanne Conner’s life, felt disconnected from the show’s original spirit. Let’s dissect why Roseanne‘s final episode fell short and failed to provide the closure fans had hoped for.
The Jarring Plot Twist
The final season of Roseanne introduced a dramatic shift in tone, as the Conners won the lottery and suddenly had to navigate the complications of newfound wealth. While the show had always been about the everyday struggles of a blue-collar family, the shift in their circumstances left fans feeling distanced from the characters. By the end of the finale, Roseanne reveals that much of the season—and even earlier plotlines—was a work of fiction she had written to cope with Dan’s death from a heart attack. This revelation that the events didn’t really happen felt like an abrupt and unnecessary twist that devalued the emotional investment fans had made in the series.
Straying from the Show’s Core
One of the most beloved aspects of Roseanne was its honest, sometimes brutal portrayal of working-class life. The characters faced financial hardships, marital problems, and parenting struggles that resonated with viewers. However, the final season and its twist-ending abandoned this core premise in favor of a more surreal, far-fetched storyline. The focus on the Conners’ wealth and Roseanne’s sudden role as a writer disconnected the show from its roots, leaving viewers to wonder why the relatable, grounded approach that had defined Roseanne was suddenly discarded.
Character Development Cut Short
The final episode not only rewrote the events of the last season but also altered key character arcs that had been built over the years. The audience had watched Dan Conner’s ups and downs and felt invested in his journey as a loving, sometimes flawed, but always supportive husband and father. By revealing that Dan had actually died earlier in the series, the show erased much of the emotional growth and struggles he had gone through, and his sudden death felt anticlimactic. Similarly, other characters’ developments, such as the relationships and personal growth of the Conner children, were undermined by the revelation that much of what viewers had seen was fictionalized.
A Disconnect from the Audience
One of the biggest reasons the finale fell flat was its betrayal of audience expectations. For nearly a decade, Roseanne had prided itself on being a show that was about “real life.” Fans tuned in because they saw themselves and their struggles reflected in the Conners’ lives. The twist-ending pulled the rug out from under viewers, making them feel like the show had strayed too far from its roots. The sudden shift from a grounded family sitcom to a more existential, almost meta-narrative confused and frustrated many who had followed the series since the beginning.
Conclusion: A Finale That Didn’t Fit
Ultimately, the final episode of Roseanne failed because it didn’t stay true to what made the show special. By introducing a convoluted plot twist and rewriting the history of the characters, the show distanced itself from the authenticity and relatability that had earned it such a loyal following. While Roseanne remains a beloved part of television history, its finale stands as a lesson in how even the most iconic shows can stumble when they lose sight of what made them great.
