'Roseanne' Revival Wins America Upon Arrival

This Tuesday the Roseanne revival had a double episode premiere on ABC.

23 million viewers tuned in for the beloved sitcom's return.

21 years later, it is fresher than ever and back in the top spot!

30 years ago Roseanne changed television with its realistic portrayal of an unapologetic working-class family with the matriarch as its star. It was feminist, body-positive, outspoken about gay rights, domestic abuse, and much more. Roseanne originally ran for 9 seasons on ABC from 1988-1997 and was led by stand-up comedian Roseanne Barr, who became an advocate for pushing the boundaries of television censorship.

A great sitcom can make you feel right at home, and by episode 2 of the Roseanne revival the cast already feels lived-in. One thing that hasn't changed all this time: the struggle is still real. Darlene has lost her job and is forced to move back in. Becky wants to become a surrogate to make ends meet, which brings up discussions about a woman's right to decide what she wants to do with her body. The show's writers solve Dan's "death" with help from Roseanne's hilarious deadpan delivery. Aunt Jackie still changes careers every season and is now Lanford's-leading life coach. Tensions arise when she stands up for her political beliefs, which contrast with her Trump-supporting sister Roseanne Conner. The show, aiming to portray people's perspectives on opposing political parties of today and its affect on relationships. If nothing else, the revival serves the purpose for bringing to broadcast TV the character of gender non-conforming Mark, Darlene's son who dresses in clothing traditionally ascribed to girls. The sitcom addresses a grey area of masculine and feminine and if those concepts hold meaning. It seems like Roseanne, once again, is changing the landscape of TV.

There was a substantial amount of comfort and optimism that I felt after watching the Roseanne revival. The end result is that the show still speaks the truth and isn't afraid to keep pushing boundaries. Relevant subjects are being talked about and exposed, instead of ignored or sugar-coated. That's what makes Roseanne necessary for America right now. This sitcom is not living in the past - it's living in the future. As a result of its massive ratings, it has the power to change viewer ideologies on gender, women's issues, sexual orientation, body image, race, social class, and so much more.

It was announced just yesterday that ABC has ordered a second season of the Roseanne revival which is set to air 2018-2019 and I'm thinking of buying an afghan to celebrate!

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