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‘Roseanne’ Spinoff ‘The Conners’ Picked Up By ABC With No Roseanne Barr Involvement
Deadline ^ | June 21, 2018 | Nellie Andreeva

Posted on 06/21/2018 6:19:34 PM PDT by EdnaMode

It’s official: ABC has given a 10-episode series order to The Conners (working title), a spinoff of Roseanne, for fall 2018. The spinoff will take over the Tuesday 8 PM slot on the ABC schedule that was vacated when Roseanne was suddenly canceled following a controversial tweet by star and executive producer Roseanne Barr. (Roseanne‘s order had been for 13 episodes.)

Barr will have no financial or creative involvement in the new series after reaching a settlement with series producer Tom Werner. The Conners will feature the rest of the Roseanne revival cast, John Goodman (“Dan”), Laurie Metcalf (“Jackie”), Sara Gilbert (“Darlene”), Lecy Goranson (“Becky”) and Michael Fishman (“D.J.”), who will reprise their Conner characters.

“I regret the circumstances that have caused me to be removed from Roseanne,” Barr said in a statement. “I agreed to the settlement in order that 200 jobs of beloved cast and crew could be saved, and I wish the best for everyone involved.”

It is unclear how exactly Barr’s character will be written off but ABC describes it as “a sudden turn of events.” On the new show, after a sudden turn of events, the Conners are forced to face the daily struggles of life in Lanford in a way they never have before. This iconic family – Dan, Jackie, Darlene, Becky and D.J. – grapples with parenthood, dating, an unexpected pregnancy, financial pressures, aging and in-laws in working-class America. Through it all, the fights, the coupon cutting, the hand-me-downs, the breakdowns – with love, humor and perseverance, the family prevails.

“The Conners’ stories demonstrate that families can always find common ground through conversation, laughter and love. The spinoff will continue to portray contemporary issues that are as relevant today as they were 30 years ago,” ABC said in a statement.

Added cast members John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, Lecy Goranson and Michael Fishman said in a joint statement, “We have received a tremendous amount of support from fans of our show, and it’s clear that these characters not only have a place in our hearts, but in the hearts and homes of our audience. We all came back last season because we wanted to tell stories about the challenges facing a working-class family today. We are so happy to have the opportunity to return with the cast and crew to continue to share those stories through love and laughter.”

I hear the actors, who all had two-year deals for Roseanne, recently signed new one-year contracts for the spinoff, keeping them at the same salaries, believed to be around $300,000 an episode.

The writing-producing team that had been in place for Season 2 of the Roseanne revival are set for The Conners after new deals with the writers a number of whom got raises I hear. Tom Werner executive produces alongside Sara Gilbert, showrunner Bruce Helford, writers Dave Caplan and Bruce Rasmussen as well as Tony Hernandez. The series is from Tom Werner and his Werner Entertainment, a tweak from the credits of Roseanne, which was produced by Carsey-Werner.

Because of the circumstances under which ABC canceled the Roseanne revival, the network’s executives had been adamant that they would only proceed with a spinoff series if Barr has absolutely no involvement — creative, financial or any other. After a deal with Barr, the network had seven days to pick up the spinoff, which it did. In anticipation of an order for the offshoot, ABC held off on announcing a replacement for Roseanne on its fall schedule.

“Tom Werner and Roseanne Barr have reached an agreement that will allow Werner Entertainment to produce a spinoff of the Roseanne series for ABC without Barr’s further creative or financial participation,” Werner and Barr said in a joined statement.

Added Werner, “We are grateful to have reached this agreement to keep our team working as we continue to explore stories of the Conner family.”

Immediately after the May 29 cancellation of the Roseanne revival — ABC’s highest rated and most watched series last season, the producers behind it started mulling a spinoff without Barr. The writers bounced around ideas and the creative team met with ABC on June 4. The network quickly jumped on board if the new series could be done without any Barr financial interest. After a couple of weeks of back-and-forth, an agreement between Werner and Barr was reached, paving the way to a pickup.

Roseanne was created by Matt Williams, based on a character created by Roseanne Barr. The fact that the follow-up series does not feature Barr’s character Roseanne Conner, rights to which she is said to maintain, made it easier to hammer out an agreement with her.


TOPICS: Arts/Photography; Chit/Chat; Society; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: abc; doa; roseanne; roseannebarr; spinoff; theconners
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Can't wait to see the ratings for this.
1 posted on 06/21/2018 6:19:34 PM PDT by EdnaMode
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To: EdnaMode

No Roseanne, no show.


2 posted on 06/21/2018 6:25:43 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj ("It's Slappin' Time !")
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To: EdnaMode
Gonna be some awesome dialogue:

"Hey, let's have gay butt sex."

"Yes, that's inclusive. Also, let's kill Jews because we love muslims"

"Not like Trump, he's' a jerk" (canned laughter) I need another beer.

"But don't forget to recycle!" (little kid throws beer bottle into a recycling container with obamas picture on the side) *audience - awwwwww*

3 posted on 06/21/2018 6:26:14 PM PDT by Sirius Lee (In God We Trust, In Trump We MAGA)
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Comment #4 Removed by Moderator

To: EdnaMode
This iconic family – Dan, Jackie, Darlene, Becky and D.J. – grapples with parenthood, dating, an unexpected pregnancy, financial pressures, aging and in-laws in working-class America...wow - ground-breaking concept - think I'll stay with "That 70's Show" - or maybe "Father Knows Best".....
5 posted on 06/21/2018 6:27:26 PM PDT by Intolerant in NJ
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To: EdnaMode

I doubt if anyone will watch


6 posted on 06/21/2018 6:28:01 PM PDT by McGavin999 ("The press is impotent when it abandons itself to falsehood."Thomas Jefferson)
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To: EdnaMode

Since President Trump’s inauguration I’ve only turned my TV on to watch Roseanne. Count me out.


7 posted on 06/21/2018 6:28:51 PM PDT by glenduh
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To: EdnaMode

Place your bets:

- died
- escaped to England via the Emergency Tunnel
- was actually a ghost and didn’t know it
- was only ever an aural hallucination of schizophrenic math-genius Dan
- staged her own murder to frame Dan, will return in last episode


8 posted on 06/21/2018 6:28:54 PM PDT by jiggyboy (Ten percent of poll respondents are either lying or insane)
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To: EdnaMode

Wait...so it’s going to be all about how a family sticks together through thick and thin and whatever? Well...that’s ironic. No “we didn’t like what you said so we’re kicking you out of the family”? Why not call it the The Hypocrites?


9 posted on 06/21/2018 6:31:54 PM PDT by ZinGirl (kids in college....can't afford a tagline right now)
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To: EdnaMode

Roseanne was the centerpiece from whom the other actors revolved

What do they have now......Darlene’s liberal snark
The transgender kid running around in a tutu
The sister without her comic foil....Roseanne

Etc

Epic Fail


10 posted on 06/21/2018 6:34:48 PM PDT by Guenevere (The wrath of God has come upon them at last.....)
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To: EdnaMode

it’ll sink like a stone.
But ABC will try everything they can to keep it around.


11 posted on 06/21/2018 6:39:57 PM PDT by Kozak (DIVERSITY+PROXIMITY=CONFLICT)
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To: EdnaMode
The ratings?


12 posted on 06/21/2018 6:40:11 PM PDT by BBell (not drinking, just a smart a$$)
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To: jiggyboy

People are suggesting that Roseanne’s character can die in surgery.


13 posted on 06/21/2018 6:40:23 PM PDT by EdnaMode
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To: BBell

gee I thought it was going to make it.


14 posted on 06/21/2018 6:47:26 PM PDT by the_daug
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To: BBell

15 posted on 06/21/2018 6:48:03 PM PDT by Kartographer ("We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.")
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To: jiggyboy
Place your bets:

- died

- killed herself when she realized how horrible, evil, and bad Donald Trump (hisssssssss!) is
- was killed by one of those horrible militant Trump supporters
- lost her health insurance only because of those horrible Trump policies and contracted a fatal disease
- was struck down by the universe for not fighting climate change or whatever
- went to insult (special guest star) Valerie Jarrett and was inadvertently annihilated simply by being in the presence of such utter greatness

16 posted on 06/21/2018 6:50:39 PM PDT by Lonely Bull ("When he is being rude or mean it drives people _away_ from his confession and _towards_ yours.")
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To: EdnaMode

Seems a lot of emphasis on “through love and laughter.”


17 posted on 06/21/2018 6:57:27 PM PDT by chief lee runamok
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To: EdnaMode

It will suck! It’s going to be like doing the Seinfeld show without Jerry.


18 posted on 06/21/2018 6:58:19 PM PDT by martinidon
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To: EdnaMode

This’ll go over like a lead balloon. One season then gone...


19 posted on 06/21/2018 6:59:22 PM PDT by Magnatron
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To: martinidon

Honeymooners without Jackie Gleason.


20 posted on 06/21/2018 7:00:09 PM PDT by caltaxed
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