‘Roseanne’ Reboot Will Feature a Gender Non-Conforming Grandson & Family Political Divisions

The 1990s sitcom, Roseanne, which featured a working-class family, is returning to television in a whole new way. For those who missed one of the most-watched shows in television history, Roseanne is about a blue-collar family, the Conners, and the ups and downs of everyday life. According to an interview, it sounds like LGBT actress Sara Gilbert, who plays Roseanne’s daughter Darlene, was at the helm in bringing the show back together and seems to be key in incorporating some new characters and story lines.

With this new reboot, the show will inevitably talk about current issues like politics. Gilbert said the new episodes show a family “that is divided by politics but still filled with love.” The character of Roseanne, now a grandmother in the new reboot, will have voted for Trump and will clash with family and friends in her views.

Roseanne Bar, who plays Roseanne, said, “It was the working-class people who elected Trump. I felt that was very real and something that needed to be discussed.” Barr did speak in favor of Trump in the past, but the show’s producers say the show does not take a political stance.

Michael Fishman who plays Roseanne’s son DJ, explains why showcasing a divided family is important for television today. “We have the conversation about why we don’t agree,” Fishman said. “That dialogue is kind of missing.”

Perhaps, one of the most relevant ways the family will disagree in the upcoming season is by the fashion choices of Roseanne’s grandson, Mark, who will be played by Ames McNamara. McNamara’s character likes to wear stereotypical girl’s clothing and this causes a conversation among the family.

Gilbert was adamant to point out that Mark is not transgender or gay. “I don’t want to pigeonhole him and say just because he dresses this way, that’s the only thing about him,” Gilbert told EW. “He happens to dress that way but he’s an amazing, creative, brilliant kid, which you will see, and so is the kid, Ames, who plays him.”

The decision to make the character of Mark like traditional girl’s clothing was meant to showcase how many children behave in their like for clothing that is not stereotypically associated with their biological gender.

“This is a show that’s always been able to represent the world and talk about it without being so issue-heavy. We can do it through the dynamics of the family,” Gilbert said.

The show is set to premier in March, and we look forward to seeing how the show incorporates modern society and families into the mix.