Roseanne was a classic sitcom that ran from 1988 to 1997. This show depicted a classic family of five living the blue collar life in Lanford, Illinois. The show followed the different members of the family as they went through all the typical arguments and milestones of life. The show has many notorious lines and scenes that to this day still make people laugh. Although this show was filmed and aired around 20 years ago, families today can relate to it, and here are just ten reasons why.
1. The crazy, meddling Mother-in-Law.
The show was frequented by Roseanne's mother Beverly who was quite a character of her own. She was VERY opinionated and always had something to say to Dan about how he wasn't living up to his potential. This is still true for some families today because the mother-in-law feels no spouse is good enough for their child. They constantly feel the need to get involved and help, even if they're not needed. My family doesn't have this issue, and I am so happy we don't!
2. Your child's significant other of whom you don't approve.
Becky, the oldest child, is constantly changing relationships with boys. It seems that almost every season she has a new boyfriend, until she meets Mark, the older, rebellious boy she eventually falls in love with. Roseanne and Dan, naturally, hate Mark. Every time he comes over they try and fix his hair or tell him he's a loser. Again, my family has never really dealt with this situation but I know plenty who have. A lot of kids pick significant others to make their parents cringe, but yet again the fact is still true that no person will be good enough for a parent's child.
3. They're a hard-working family just trying to make it work.
Another thing viewers see is the constant struggle Roseanne and Dan have with maintaining a steady income. Part of the comedy that the show sees is the odd jobs they do. My favorite is when Roseanne's sister Jackie becomes a perfume specialist at the department store. That scene still makes me laugh every time it's on. Today, almost every family has gone through the stage in life where money is tight. It happens all the time and for some families it's a way of life.
4. Your sister is either your best friend or your enemy.
Roseanne and Jackie are extremely close and basically do everything together. Because they are so close, they bicker all the time, yet no matter what always make it work. Now, I don't have a sister but I do have a brother. Our dynamic isn't the same as theirs but we do bicker a lot, yet we still find a way to be friends. I know a lot of people who have sisters and some even have this dynamic. It's an amazing thing to see real sisters interact the way Roseanne and Jackie did.
5. Your father marrying one of your best friends.
This was one of the first major plot twists of the show. Dan's father married his best friend Chrystal. Yes they were both adults but to Dan it was extremely uncomfortable to see one his close friends become his step-mother. Today, it is completely average for an older man or woman to date and marry someone a lot younger. In some cases it was their child's best friends! It seemed that Dan's father created a new family dynamic that some American's felt the need to portray.
6. That one family member who doesn't fit in.
Roseanne and Dan have another daughter Darlene. She is the complete opposite of her sister and of the rest of her family. She almost doesn't even seem to fit in, yet when she comes up with a witty remark, we all see that she still is Roseanne's daughter. Every family has a "black sheep". Maybe it's your crazy uncle or a sibling that went through a phase that turned into a life style. Although they may not seem to fit in 100%, they still are family and are loved as such.
7. Parents relating with one child more than another.
It's obvious in the show that Roseanne easily relates to Becky, and Dan easily relates to Darlene. It's not because of favoritism, but merely because of interests. Becky likes shopping and Darlene likes sports. It's natural for a child to relate better to one parent as opposed to the other. I see this every day. Typically a son will better relate with the father where they play sports, and a daughter better relates with the mother who likes to get her nails done. It's just another one of those natural family dynamics.
8. Unemployment.
As previously stated, Roseanne and Dan have some job instability. They deal with multiple odd jobs and even unemployment. Our country is just coming out of a major recession where unemployment was a very real thing in some families. A lot of adults lost their jobs and still had a family back home to support. Just now are families starting to get back on their feet, just as Roseanne and Dan did once they opened the restaurant.
9. How traumatic high school is for the kid, but how hilarious it is to the parent.
One of the most infamous lines from the show, "Becky. Cut. The. Cheese." as said by Darlene. Becky embarrassed herself at a school assembly and thought that she would never get over it. Roseanne felt bad, but deep down thought it was hilarious. I can guarantee that something embarrassing like this happened to me in high school that my mother and father found hilarious. It's one of the growing pains a kid must go through in high school.
10. No matter how weird your family may be, you wouldn't trade them for the world.
Every family has their own quirks, but when it comes down to it, you wouldn't trade them for the world. It was shown in Roseanne and it is shown in my life.
