Roseanne was one of the most popular shows on television during its nine seasons on the air, and it made stars out of some relatively little-known actors. John Goodman played working-class and loving dad Dan Conner for all nine seasons, and while he’s better known now for his movie roles, he hasn’t forgotten his time on Roseanne. Goodman recently stopped by The Talk, and he had this to say about whether he’d be on board for a Roseanne reunion:
Oh, hell yes. The big ‘R’ [Roseanne Barr] and I did a pilot about five years ago that didn’t go anywhere, right on this very lot. But we were very happy working together. I talk to her every once in a while. But if we could get everybody together…
John Goodman was on The Talk to hype his new movie Kong: Skull Island, but he was happy to chat Roseanne. His appearance on the talk show actually reunited him with Sara Gilbert, who played his daughter Darlene Conner during the run of the show, and they reprised their characters for a fantastic little sketch as part of the episode. He clearly has fond memories of his time on Roseanne, and fans can take heart that he’d be willing to play Dan yet again.
Sara Gilbert was less enthusiastic than John Goodman about the possibility of a TV reunion, and for a pretty good reason. While she also clearly has good memories of Roseanne, she made the argument that any attempt to revive the series could run the risk of ruining the legacy of the original. Given the way the series ended back in 1997, I can see her point. After all, the show ended on the reveal that Dan Conner had died of a heart attack and Roseanne had become a writer as a way to deal with her grief. A reunion of the Conner family on screen would either have to bring Dan back to life, be set in a flashback, or take place in the great beyond.
Of course, John Goodman did go on to explain why Roseanne could be as relevant now as it was back in the late 1980s and 1990s, saying this:
The times are weird enough for the family. Our theme was, ‘We’re poor, but we’re not stupid,’ or ‘Just because we’re broke doesn’t mean we’re stupid.’ Yeah, they’d have a lot more to deal with right now. But yeah, that’d be a blast!
Roseanne would obviously look different in 2017 than it did in 1997, but the premise of a working-class family making the most of what they had and bringing the laughs while doing it could be as enjoyable nowadays as it was way back when. Although we may not get a Roseanne revival or reunion any time soon, we can at least think back on the show and even rewatch the John Goodman/Sara Gilbert sketch a few times. Check out our midseason TV premiere schedule to see all your small screen viewing options.
