‘Roseanne’ Revival Already Renewed for Another Season
Following an initial 18 million viewers, months of national conversation and an additional 3 million DVR streams, ABC has officially decided its Roseanne revival will be canceled. Oh, wait – *checks notes* – the other thing...
Even as another round of Roseanne was seen as a foregone conclusion after Tuesday’s premiere netted an astounding 18.2 million viewers, ABC made the news official on Friday. “We’re thrilled that America has welcomed the Conner family back into their homes,” said ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey. “The show is as fresh and relevant today as it was when it left the air 21 years ago. We can’t wait to see what the Roseanne team has in store for next year.”
Less clear is how many episodes might comprise the revival – which marks an eleventh season for the series that previously ended in 1997 – as ABC has only ordered nine episodes for the current run. Dungey’s use of the words “next year” also leave it unclear if Roseanne might return for a more traditional broadcast scheduling this fall, or stave off Season 11 until 2019, like everything else.
Monday’s two-part premiere has generated both controversy and praise, as emphasis on the central character – and the comic who portrays her – supporting Donald Trump has garnered attention from the President himself. Many have argued that Roseanne presents a sanitized version of political vitriol, without addressing any of the real underlying issues that came to define its blue-collar perspective.
All the same, revivals are clearly here to stay. NBC’s Will & Grace revival was renewed for a third season earlier this month, and similar returns of Murphy Brown, Mad About You and more are in order. Stay tuned for the latest in the meantime.
Gallery: The 20 Best TV Show Revivals, Ranked