Entertainment

'Roseanne' Got Renewed For ANOTHER Season, So Get Ready For Even More Conner Family Drama

by Jamie Primeau
ABC/Adam Rose

Less than a week after the reboot premiered, Roseanne already got renewed for Season 11. TVLine reported the news on Friday, and given the massive ratings the show raked in on Tuesday night, it's not all that surprising. In case that's not enough, there's even more good news for fans of the Conner family: Season 11 will include 13 episodes, compared to the current season's nine.

In a press release on the network's website, ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey said,

"We’re thrilled that America has welcomed the Conner family back into their homes. 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."

According to that same press release, the Roseanne reboot became the biggest premiere of the entire TV season, drawing in millions of viewers — a 21.869 million average audience, to be exact.

Given the Roseanne reboot's approach of tackling politics, including references to the Trump administration, the show is receiving a divided reaction online — which only became more tense when it was revealed that President Donald Trump called Roseanne Barr himself to congratulate her on the ratings success. She deemed it "pretty exciting" and "very sweet" when interviewed by Good Morning America, though the internet expressed its fair share of outrage. (With some pointing out moments in the past when Trump didn't call people on the phone, including when he fired Rex Tillerson via Twitter.)

Regardless of how you feel about the show's political spin (or the polarizing real-life views of the titular actor), one thing is for sure: People can't stop talking about the show's comeback. And all of that buzz makes the renewal news less shocking. The hype around the show only continues to build.

While Barr may have controversial views, she's not the only person involved in the reboot — in fact, many of the original cast members returned for round two. They're bringing with them a range of perspectives and nostalgia. That includes John Goodman, whose character Dan Conner died in the final seasons, yet is back and very much alive. As seen in the ads leading up to the premiere, the series is tackling these parts of the show with a level of self-aware humor.

That same idea is also reflected in the decision to bring back both Beckys. As fans of the original know, Lecy Goranson and Sarah Chalke each took turns playing the eldest Conner daughter. And while Goranson is playing the actual Becky in the new episodes, Chalke is back as a woman named Andrea, who may hire Becky to be her surrogate. Seeing both actors on screen at the same time is like the ultimate gift for longtime fans of the series.

Back to those differing viewpoints, Sara Gilbert, who plays Darlene, recently talked to Variety about the show's political approach. She told the publication,

“I like this idea that you can be completely different politically and still love each other. When you start talking to people that you think are different than you are, there are nuances to what they believe. I just think no one is hearing each other anymore. So I would hope that even if we just get a few people to start talking to each other, then we can effect some sort of change.”

Whether or not it leads to real change remains to be seen, but there's no denying the show has already gotten people talking. And that's bound to continue when the show returns for a whole other season.