ABC Is Seriously Considering ‘Roseanne’ Reboot (Again) Without Roseanne
The cast and crew of ABC's Roseanne reboot, who lost their jobs when ABC canceled the series as consequence of star Roseanne Barr's series of racist tweets, might not be totally out of luck: ABC is considering rebooting the series...again...without Barr.
According to TMZ, producer Tom Werner talked with top network executives over the weekend, and ABC is very seriously considering rebranding the show to focus on Sara Gilbert's character, Darlene. The network has been trying to salvage the lost jobs, and TMZ adds that an announcement could come as soon as this week.
Still, the site adds that if ABC does proceed with the project, it might still be contractually obligated to pay Barr, who's an executive producer on the show. Still, the network could argue that the new show is a different one entirely, negating the agreement.
Gilbert teared up during a Monday (June 4) broadcast of The Talk, during which she said she agreed with ABC's choice to cut the show amid Barr's offensive bromides, even though Roseanne's cancellation came at a huge cost to those who were planning to work on another season.
“I would like to say that this has been a difficult week,” she said. "A lot of people have been hurt by this. I will say I’m proud of the show we made. [Roseanne] has always been about diversity, love and inclusion, and it’s sad to see it end in this way. I’m sad for the people who lost their jobs in the process."