Review: ‘The Conners’ Are Back

For the record, I was one of the millions of folks who tuned in and championed last year’s highly successful reboot of ABC’s “Roseanne.”

I was also, one of those who absolutely condemned and hated her off-camera antics and tweets that got the show cancelled. She, like most of my comedic idols, was literally one of my central role models in terms of career and onstage style.

It hurt and annoyed me to no end that, also like some key former idols of mine, she (for many reasons) chose to go down a dark personal and political path that not only sunk her career upswing, but also the show and the livelihoods of the hardworking people on the revived (and very funny) show.

Thankfully, this latest and, apparently, viewer-inspired reincarnation, “The Conners” is not only sturdier than the original, it’s smarter, stronger, more dramatic and even funnier.

Look, with the likes of Laurie Metcalf, John Goodman and James Pickens Jr., the show has never suffered from a lack of talent in terms of acting. And with Roseanne Barr no longer creatively or financially involved, the new series has even more room to spread out its often prodigiously thoughtful, fearlessly funny and often engaging dramatic writing.

The pilot directly deals with the loss of the former character perfectly, while exquisitely addressing a terrifying and very current epidemic. It did what it historically does best. And in doing so, had us laughing (almost, ashamedly so) while further showcasing even more of an already hugely gifted and sometimes overlooked cast.

The show is ripe with timely future story-lines, all the while keeping the jobs and integrity of over 200 of Hollywood’s best and brightest gainfully employed.

They packed more laughs and grins in that opening episode than many other currently running shows I’ve seen this season, and we’ve still yet to see their renowned Halloween episode?

The Conners are definitely back and as a viewer, so am I.