‘Roseanne’ Star Michael Fishman Says Tuesday’s Episode Will ‘Alter Path’ of Conner Family

According to Michael Fishman, Tuesday’s new episode of Roseanne will mark a huge change for the Conner family as the series moves forward.

Fishman has been blogging about classic sitcom revival week after week for Entertainment Weekly. His insights and teases of the series arcs and behind-the-scenes action have given fans clues about where the show is headed. On Tuesday, he teased that the season’s second to last episode would be a significant one.

“Coming out of last week’s powerful show, this week takes another turn,” he wrote. “The shift in directions are made smooth by the direction we have on set.”

“This week’s episode, entitled ‘Netflix and Pill’ centers around the 45th anniversary of Roseanne and Dan. One of the real advantages of a show with this much history is people have seen this marriage last. Dan is planning the perfect celebration, but, of course, things don’t work out in the most unexpected way: There is a mystery in the house and everyone is a suspect,” Fishman added.

In the post, Fishman tipped his hat to Betsey Borns, the veteran writer who wrote the season’s penultimate episode. He also gave shout-outs to construction coordinator Randy Childs, key grip Otis Burkes and best boy John Colorado for making the filming process run smoothly.

“With leadership from UPM Joan Van Horn, production supervisor Nancy Sprow, production coordinator Tiffany Soliah and spearheaded on stage by first assistant director Amy Brown,” he added.

Fishman promised a heavy conversation between Darlene and Dan in the episode as well, with the two lamenting the trials and tribulations of parenting. He explains that Becky’s schemes will conflict with Darlene’s in some interesting ways.

“You’ll definitely see something at the end of this episode even I didn’t expect,” he promised.

As the show’s first season back on the air comes to a close, ABC Entertainment President Channing Dungey has promised that it will move away from overtly political themes to focus more on family dynamics. The classic sitcom revival pulled in ratings that TV executives rarely dare to dream of these days, and much of that was credited to the show’s political leanings. The star and creator, Roseanne Barr, was very public in her support of President Donald Trump, and her character on the show was as well.

However, Dungey says that this will be a less essential part of the series moving forward. According to a report by Deadline, the network executive admitted that the season premiere “did touch on some of that in the first episode in a very funny way,” but it didn’t stray from a characteristic conversation between Roseanne Conner and her sister Jackie.

“That said, having touched on that in the first episode of the season,” Dungey said that seaon 2 — or 11, depending on how you count — will focus more on “family trials and tribulations.”

“We at ABC have not had as much success with [multi-cam comedies] traditionally as competitors,” she pointed out. “Roseanne changed the game in that respect.”