Test Your ‘Roseanne’ IQ: Facts Most Fans Don’t Know About Iconic TV Show

Roseanne accumulated a lot of fans over the years it was on the air. The long-running series centered around the typical American family and money troubles were in many storylines. The matriarch was a blue-collar worker, yelled at her kids, had a cluttered house, and her opinions were unfiltered. If you were a fan, here are some facts you may not know about the show.

Sara Gilbert’s Special Treatment

Fans may recall the role of Becky Connor was played by a few different actors over the years. When Lecy Goranson pursued her education, she was replaced with Sarah Chalke. However, the same didn’t happen when Sara Gilbert wanted to go to college.

Producers believed her character, Darlene Connor, was so important that they jumped over hoops to accommodate Sara’s schedule. They worked overtime on storylines and got creative with the filming schedule. In fact, there were times when the actress filmed her scenes at a New York soundstage.

Roseanne Barr Fought For Gay Characters

At the time that Roseanne was filmed, gay characters were not really featured on television. It was controversial back then. Not wanting to ruffle any feathers, creator Matt Williams was against the idea of adding gay characters to the cast. However, Roseanne Barr fought to include them. Her passion stemmed from having a gay brother and sister in real life.

The series also featured several storylines that aimed to inform and educate viewers. We see a lot of real-life issues on today’s TV, but not back then. They dealt with financial despair, unemployment, workplace politics, teen sex, and domestic violence. There was also the inclusion of gay characters and there was conflict with Roseanne’s mom. It made the characters relatable and got people talking about controversial “hot topics.”

Roseanne: D.J. Connor Casting Drama

When deciding who should play D.J. Connor, Macaulay Culkin (yes, the one from Home Alone) was considered for the part. However, it ended up going to Sal Barone. However, there were issues with the child actor. He didn’t get along with co-star Sara Gilbert. The youngster also went through a growth spurt, which Fame 10 cited as the reason he was fired.

He would be replaced by Michael Fishman. Roseanne said that he looked like her family, was a little Russian boy, and was not like “all the other little Hollywood b**tards.”  Were any of these facts a surprise to you? Or are you a die-hard Roseanne expert?

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