There are many reasons why Roseanne is one of my favorite sitcoms of all time, but somewhere near the top of that list of reasons is the show’s contribution to Halloween pop culture. Every year that Roseanne was on TV, I looked forward to the show’s annual Halloween episode and it usually didn’t disappoint. The Connor family’s Halloween spirit put all other TV families to shame (except, perhaps, if we’re counting The Simpsons).
Seven out of nine seasons of Roseanne had Halloween specials, and they’re all compiled on this 186 minute DVD which gets regular play around my house this time of year.
There’s just something so comforting and familiar about this show; something so domestic that makes me feel right at home like so many years ago on those chilly autumn evenings when I’d get home from school and watch Roseanne while mom was making dinner. My older sister and I were just like Becky and Darlene–she the prissy popular one who got good grades, and me the weird, anti-social one who loved sports, comic books and being a smart ass. Dan and Roseanne were much cooler than my parents, though. I loved that Halloween was such a big deal to them, and that they went balls out every year. If I could pick any TV family to live with, it’d be The Connors, hands down.
The only special feature on this disc is a single-episode commentary by Roseanne herself, but in it she offers the following quote, which I just love:
“I just wanted to be on television so I could break all the rules of television, and the first rule that was very exciting to break was the one where they wouldn’t let you have a Halloween show. People don’t know that because it’s all over the place–everybody has a Halloween show nowadays–but back then they actually fought with us and said that people in the Bible belt didn’t want a Halloween show because it’s a Satanic holiday. I said ‘No they don’t, it’s about CANDY!’ So we always went way out on Halloween.”
So the next time you’re enjoying the annual Halloween episode of whatever your favorite show is, you can thank Roseanne for helping to pave the way and make it possible.
Welcome to the Tunnel of Terror
Classic.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iDsbAxhMIk
Spooky Screenshots
What is 31 DVDs of Halloween?
As a special feature for the Halloween Countdown, I’m showcasing 31 Halloween DVDs from my personal collection. I have a lot of Halloween-related and horror DVDs in general, but for this year’s countdown I’m only going to focus on my absolute favorites–the ones I consider 100% essential for my enjoyment of the holiday.
