Tag Archives: Channel Ten

Comedy, FRONT

Can ‘The Conners’ Survive Without Roseanne?

Lecy Goranson and Sara Gilbert in The Connors.  (c)ABC

Can Roseanne survive without Roseanne?  That’s the one big question on everyone’s tongues when it comes to the Roseanne rehash titled The Conners.  When Roseanne returned to screens earlier this year, it did so with a major political vengeance and brought in millions of viewers.  That version of the show retained its original biting humor and comedic look at working class living and offered a touching nod to the original. 

Then Roseanne went on a ambien induced twitter tirade that saw her make offence and racist comments about former Obama administration adviser Valerie Jarrett and suddenly ABC cancelled the show and cut all ties with its namesake thus leaving an entire staff of cast and crew suddenly out of a job.

The news also meant that here in Australia, Channel Ten pulled any unaired episodes off its schedule.

So as it goes, that didn’t last very long and show made a quick return to our screens, now titled ‘The Conners’ and did so without Roseanne allowing instead the series to land safely on the shoulders of John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf and Sara Gilbert.  Yes, Roseanne is gone and without adding spoilers, how she goes and the ripples it causes, continue throughout the first four episodes.  But don’t assume that’s the new tone of the show.  Roseanne’s absence causes the first episode to go to some dark places as Dan comes to terms with just what happened, how it happened and who was responsible but the overall tone remains the same blue collar family comedy, just with less political/pro trump propaganda that littered Roseanne’s reboot season.

As noted, Goodman, Metcalf and Gilbert come front and centre to take charge while Lecy Goranson (Becky) continues to improve with each and every episode.  It’s just a shame that Michael Fishman’s DJ Connor is kind of tossed to the side like an unwanted salad that came with your parma.  As a staple from the original series, he kind of had to be there but aside from his war veteran wife and daughter, Fishman retains the least amount of scenes of the core cast per episode.  

So long story short….The Conners works incredibly well without Roseanne.  There is an absence though you’re not distracted by it.  No beat was missed from Roseanne to The Conners and it’s a testament to the entire returning cast and crew who became unemployed off the back of one single cast member.

Premieres Thursday, 22 November From 7.30pm with a Double Episode on Network TEN

Channel 10, Drama, TV

Gillian Anderson’s Crisis Comes to ONE on Wednesdays

Crisis stars Rachel Taylor and Gillian Anderson. Source: Provided
Crisis stars Rachel Taylor and Gillian Anderson. Source: Provided

The Gillian Anderson/Rachel Taylor led political drama Crisis, has been given an Australian premiere date and channel move with Network Ten opting to air the drama on it’s digital channel ONE right after the Commonwealth Games has finished.

Crisis, set in Washington D.C, follows the students at Ballard High School which educates the children of the powerful – International diplomats, Elite CEOs and even the President’s son but disaster strikes when, on a field trip, the bus, teachers and children are taken hostage leaving the powerful and influential at the mercy of the kidnappers.

Like most, I’m a sucker for a great plot twist and Crisis offers up quite a few in the first episode – don’t worry, no spoilers here – and add that with a barreling pace and a cast full of familiar faces (Aussie darling Rachel Taylor, Gillian Anderson, Dermot Mulroney – to name a few) and the handful of episodes available for preview to me, were enough to keep me somewhat intrigued to see more.

While Crisis’ take on the kidnapping/political genre is fresh, the ample amount of plot twists and and story pace seemed to negate any form of character development and character credibility that I found Crisis falling into the same trap that swallowed up similar shows such as Hostages – you find yourself at a point not being able to remember names, traits or even really care about them.  This could be why Crisis was pulled off air only half way through it’s premier season in America.

When it comes to the cast, while i’m still a fanboy from her X-Files days, as a corporate CEO negotiating a family crisis, Anderson’s ability to flawlessly elevate every single scene she’s in is still as strong as her days spent at Agent Dana Scully chasing little green men.  This doesn’t bode well for Rachel Taylor (playing an FBI Agent on the case to find the missing children) who is easily out-acted by the many scenes she shares with Anderson.

Who kidnapped these children?  What do they want with them? Will anyone die?  Catch the premiere episode of Crisis starting Wednesday, August 6th, 8:30pm on ONE.