Roseanne

Roseanne (previously Barr, formerly Arnold) was the star of the greatest sitcom about working-class America in the 1980s and 1990s before she irreparably damaged her reputation and career with her erratic social media. Roseanne captured and derived humor from the common struggles of middle-class suburban families, such as child rearing, making ends meet, and maintaining an occasionally rocky marriage, through the lens of a chaotic blue-collar family (consisting of Dan, Rosanne, Becky, Darlene, and D.J. Conner) headed by a domineering unapologetic matriarch whose parenting approaches are occasionally questionable, though almost always effective.

Despite being a hilarious comedy, this show never shied away from tackling contentious subjects that were often off-limits for sitcoms, including drug misuse, homosexuality, birth control, and masturbation. The program received acclaim from the start, garnered commendations to match, and maintained a committed audience all the way through its terrible climax. Roseanne created distinctive, fully realized characters that resonated with its viewers while puncturing reality in tense times.

Years: 1988-1997
Creators: Matt Williams, Roseanne Barr, Marcy Carsey, Tom Werner
Stars: Roseanne, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, Sara Gilbert, Michael Fishman, Lecy Goranson, Natalie West, Sarah Chalke, Emma Kenney
Network: ABC