Christmas With the Conner Family
The Roseanne show was with us for nine TV seasons and in that time many of us became attached to the Conner family. Not since the days of say Good Times had we seen a working family in a sitcom situation, going through real life issues such as living paycheck to paycheck, changing jobs, teen sex, family dynamic, drugs and so on. The show, starring hometown boy John Goodman, made numerous references to St. Louis and Chicago over the years.
Here is a Christmas clip running just under 10 minutes:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiDur1jpI3c[/youtube]
Not their best, although it includes the late Shelley Winters as Nana Mary. Winters was born in St. Louis in 1920.
Below is another clip from another seasons with Roseanne playing Santa in the mall. This clip shows the ongoing struggle between Roseanne and Darlene:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmm7kcgLJ7Y[/youtube]
In the end their relationship is still rocky but they’ve had some meaningful communication. Nothing earth shattering here, I just love the show.
Just another STL connection: the Metcalf Theater at SIU-Edwardsville is named after Laurie Metcalf’s father, an early administator for the university.
Yes, one of the all-time greatest TV shows, no question. My wife’s favorite Christmas present this year was the Season 5 DVD set I gave her.
Speaking of Laurie Metcalf, she dated my father-in-law when they were both teenagers. (She was an acting student of my grandfather-in-law, Illinois-born theater educator and director Ralph Lane.) I always kid my wife that Laurie Metcalf could’ve been her mom.