‘Roseanne’ Reboot Reveals DJ’s Future, Military Background

The Roseanne reboot packed a lot of information into its first episode, and what DJ has been doing for the past 20 years was especially surprising.

The second-youngest member of the Conner family showed up to the family home for dinner during Tuesday’s first episode, bringing a special guest with him.

DJ’s (Michael Fishman) daughter rushes toward Roseanne (Roseanne Barr) and gives her a big hug while she and Jackie (Laurie Metcalf) bicker.

“It’s my little princess,” Roseanne says as she holds her granddaughter.

“Or senator, or doctor or captain of industry, because girls can be whatever they want to be,” Jackie interrupts.

“I want to train cats to bark,” the little girl says.

Jackie then greets her nephew DJ with an army salute and thanks the army veteran for his service.

“Thanks, but I’ve been off the force for three months.”

“Oh, I’ve been off the force for years but I can still taste the adrenaline,” Jackie says before asking about DJ’s wife.

“How’s the Mrs.? She win the war over there yet?” Jackie says.

DJ says not yet, and viewers get more details as Roseanne prays before dinner.

“Dear Lord, thank you for this food, and for bringing our son DJ home safe from Syria. Please protect his wife Gina and all of our troops still overseas …”

Before the reboot aired its first episode, executive producer Whitney Cummings revealed DJ married the African-American girl he once refused to kiss in the pivotal season seven episode, “White Men Can’t Kiss,” an episode where three members of the Conner family must look within their own issues with racism and bias.

The first episode also dove into Roseanne and Jackie’s estranged relationship prior to their reconciliation and showed the meeting of the two Beckys. The original (Lecy Goranson) meets new character Andrea (Sarah Chalke), who is interested in Becky being her surrogate.

Barr revealed on Twitter weeks before the premiere that the nine-episode reboot would tell a concrete story, as well as have individual stories per episode like other sitcoms, so we may get a glimpse at adult Gina in later episodes.

Roseanne airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.