In a well-crafted re-boot of her 1990s-era sitcom, Roseanne Barr re-emerged on the nation’s cultural radar earlier this year with much buzz and good ratings. The new “Roseanne” made a huge debut on American screens with unexpected drama to follow. Ms. Barr lost her spot on the new show following an untoward public remark, and the remaining production was rebranded as “The Conners.”
Ms. Barr had considerable appeal in her role.
Nielsen Media Research numbers now reveal that “Roseanne” — starring Ms. Barr — was the most-watched series of 2018, besting such powerhouse shows as “The Big Bang Theory,” “America’s Got Talent,” and “NCIS.”
When Roseanne was actually starring on her namesake program — which included positive mentions of President Trump and conservative values — the show easily pulled in 20 million viewers.
“That’s right, folks! The most watched series in 2018 is’t even on the air any more. The ’Roseanne’ revival pulled in huge numbers during its first season back on ABC, and it was well on its way to dominating the broadcast audience,” noted a TV Guide analysis.
“Roseanne Barr’s offensive tweet about Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett got her fired from the series and Roseanne was subsequently canceled. A spin-off, ’The Conners,’ has not been able to pull in the same massive numbers,” the industry publication said.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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