Flyjet Blog

Roseanne Barr looks spiffier, John Goodman slimmer. But the mass-market plaid couch is a giveaway that ABC's "Roseanne" revival hasn't ditched its roots. The blue-collar Conner family and the times in which they live are at the heart of the reboot, just as they were for the hit 1988-97 sitcom inspired by Barr's stand-up comedy. The new "Roseanne" debuts 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday with an hour-long episode. The prospect of updating the comedy was exciting "as long as we were permitted to tell relevant and authentic stories" about working-class characters, said Tom Werner, a producer for both shows. That focus, noteworthy in the '80s when the show entered a relatively small TV universe, is still rare despite the swarm of broadcast, cable and streaming shows. Profitability aside, the industry has scant artistic regard for such fare. "Roseanne" failed to earn a best sitcom Emmy in its long run, joining snubbed shows about the non-...