"Roseanne" is that rare sitcom that not only maintains its quality over multiple seasons, but actually gets emotionally richer as it does so. Despite all the offscreen chaos--the divorces, the much-publicized fights among the writing staff, the plastic surgery--Roseanne (the actress) drove her show forward with a clear vision and commitment to the show's characters, with excellent results. The big arc for the season is Roseanne Connor's pregnancy (which coincided with Roseanne's own), but two other subplots provide memorable episodes: The troubled marriage of Roseanne's sister Jackie (Laurie Metcalf) and Fred (Michael O'Keefe) and the equally troubled relationship between Roseanne's daughter Darlene (Sara Gilbert) and her boyfriend David (Johnny Galecki), who's moved into the Connor house and becomes a sort of adopted son.
As ever, the show superbly balances serious issues (drug use, infidelity, abortion, racism) and more obviously comic material (nudist neighbors, inappropriate erotic dreams, and absurd turns with classic sitcom moms and a daffy homage to "Gilligan's Island"). The key is that "Roseanne" never offers an easy solution. Roseanne is adamant about a woman's right to choose, but has a meltdown at the possibility that she might have to make such a choice herself; Roseanne tries to keep Darlene and David together, but that may not be the best option for either of them. This moral and emotional complexity--combined with smart writing and top-notch performances--made "Roseanne" one of the all-time top sitcoms. Featuring guest appearances by Sharon Stone, Ellen DeGeneres, Traci Lords, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Danny Masterson, as well as recurring appearances by Martin Mull, Sandra Bernhard, Estelle Parsons, and Shelley Winters. And of course, John Goodman, as Roseanne's husband Dan, continues to be as essential to the show's success as Roseanne herself. "--Bret Fetzer"