ABC’s speedy cancellation of “Roseanne” on Tuesday sent shockwaves through the entertainment world.
To many, the show’s successful revival — and its 18 million viewers! — was proof that audiences were hungry for working-class American families on-screen.
With the cancellation of both the revival and reruns of the original (still available on Amazon Prime), critics and Twit-ics wondered: Was that the end for stories for and about struggling working-class families?
Not at all.
“Roseanne” may have been the best-known of the genre, but it’s far from unique. Families like the Conners are all over TV if you know where to look.
As “Speechless” star Minnie Driver pointed out on Twitter after “Roseanne’s” cancellation, “We too make a show about a middle-class family, come and watch us instead.”
Netflix’s “One Day at a Time” revival, NBC’s “Superstore,” Showtime’s “Shameless” and “SMILF,” CBS’ “Mom,” ABC’s “Speechless” and “Fresh Off the Boat,” and Paramount’s upcoming “Yellowstone” focus on similar characters and issues.
Sure, they’re less buzzy than “Roseanne,” which dominated the wider cultural conversation with its monster ratings and nostalgia factor. It’s hard for newer shows to compete with such an iconic set and cast.
But nostalgia isn’t everything. The Conners will always be there, as long as you can still revisit old episodes. But the TV world is a lot bigger than the show’s iconic couch, and there’s a wealth of similar characters and stories to sink into — with less Twitter-active stars, at that.