Why the Cancellation of “Roseanne” is More Monumental Than You May Realize
After premiering to deafening buzz and utterly astounding ratings just 2 months ago, ABC abruptly canceled the revival earlier today following outrage over a racist tweet composed by star Roseanne Barr. In the current climate, it may seem like the only logical and moral way to address Barr’s behavior, but it’s actually unprecedented.
By the Numbers: Why Roseanne’s Cancellation is So Shocking
The ratings success of the Roseanne revival was hands down the biggest story of the 2018–2019 television season. Within a week of its hourlong premiere on March 27th, the opening pair of episodes had been watched by 27.3 million viewers and had reached an 8.1 rating in the advertiser-coveted 18–49 year old demographic. These are mammoth numbers for a scripted series and are reminiscent of a bygone era before the number of cable networks proliferated, DVRs became so prevalent, and so many viewers shifted to streaming.
Of course, the ratings subsided in the following weeks, with the seventh episode (the last of which there are full ratings available for) garnering 15.8 million viewers and a 4.6 18–49 rating. But these numbers are still gargantuan. We won’t know exactly where Roseanne ends up in the overall ratings for the season for a couple of weeks, but it will end up in a tight race for 1st place with CBS’s The Big Bang Theory and NBC’s This is Us. It is thus no surprise that ABC renewed the series for a longer 11th season and made it the centerpiece of its presentation earlier this month in which it hawked its 2018–2019 lineup to advertisers.
In light of its success, the abrupt cancellation of the series by ABC president Channing Dungey this morning following a horrifically offensive tweet by its star Roseanne Barr sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry. No doubt the decision was wholly justified, but it was also unprecedented in the history of television and a clear sign that times are truly changing.
In Historical Context: Why Roseanne’s Cancellation Is So Singular
Immoral behavior by a television star is hardly new. However, in all cases in the past one of the following statements was true:
- The immoral behavior was largely hidden from the public until long after the show went off the air (e.g., The Cosby Show).
- The immoral behavior was addressed by the offending party being fired and the show continuing without them, no matter how integral they were to the show (e.g., House of Cards, Two and a Half Men, Transparent.)
- The immoral behavior was minimized, excused, or accommodated by the network until the show was no longer a cash cow (too many examples to count.)
In line with these historical patterns, ABC’s response to Roseanne’s abhorrent tweet would have involved ousting the star and continuing on with the show or distancing themselves from her behavior but allowing the show to continue. The swift and unequivocal cancellation of a fresh-out-of-the-gate blockbuster is unprecedented.
It’s important to note, however, that what is not unprecedented is Roseanne Barr’s abhorrent behavior. Since her days as a stand-up comic that preceded the 1988–1997 run of the original iteration of Roseanne, she has courted controversy, offended many, and proven extremely difficult to work with. Nevertheless, a combination of critical acclaim and mammoth ratings meant Roseanne’s initial run persisted to its natural end (being canceled after its 9th season, which was heavily derided by critics and rejected by viewers).
Admittedly, Roseanne’s behavior became much more unhinged and offensive in the two decades that followed the show’s initial cancellation. Her unapologetic support for the ugliest sides of Trumpism and her incessant retweeting of conspiracy theories made many skeptical (correctly as it turns out) that she was currently fit to anchor a high profile series. But it was partly her controversy that made ABC want to bring her back. We are living in times of profound political and social division and Roseanne’s headline-grabbing stances — not to mention Roseanne’s working-class themes and refusal to shy away from uncomfortable material — were pointed out as something that could possibly create real dialogue.
The Current Sociopolitical Climate: Why Roseanne’s Cancellation is a Watershed Moment
One of the things that is so interesting to me is that the official statements from the ABC Entertainment President and the creative forces behind the show suggest that somehow Roseanne’s latest Twitter tirade finally crossed the line. The truth is Roseanne has been violating the basic tenets of civil discourse, responsible dissemination of information, and — dare I say — human decency for ages. I suspect that the difference was that these latest comments, with their crystal clear racist and Islamophobic messages, simply would not be tolerated in the era of #MeToo and growing resistance to the Trump Doctrine.
The decision to cancel Roseanne was undoubtedly driven by two factors, which are not mutually exclusive. The first is the moral factor. As calls for inclusion and fair treatment mount, there was likely a decision that there was simply no place for Roseanne (or Roseanne) in the current climate and that continuing to keep the series on the air would be a stain on the reputation of the network and its leadership. The second factor is the business one. There was undoubtedly consideration of the lost revenue (not to mention the gaping hole in ABC’s fall line-up) that the cancellation would bring. However, ABC’s leadership appears to have decided that the inevitable boycott caused by not canceling the show may cost them more in the long-run.
Regardless of the relative strength of the moral and business factors in determining the series’ fate, the fact that the executives’ moral stance was so strong and/or the fear of boycott was so powerful provides arguably the most compelling evidence yet that Hollywood is truly ready to draw a hard line against bad behavior.
The First Amendment: Why the Inevitable Backlash Against Roseanne’s Cancellation by the Right Fundamentally Misunderstands Freedom of Speech
The backlash by fans of the series, right-wing commentators, and “free speech advocates” has already begun with the general theme being “Roseanne was canceled because the star supports Trump!” This is simply not the case. In large part, Roseanne was given a second chance because she supports Trump. She is a recognizable name who had a distinct perspective from the majority of Hollywood and had a fantastic vehicle to bring that perspective to the masses. However, she squandered it. As with virtually all Trump supporters, she let her true colors be seen. She had every right to espouse her repugnant rants and ABC has every right to take her show off the air as a result. That’s how freedom of speech works. The goal is not to create a world where offensiveness is spewed without consequences; the goal is to create a world where the right to be offensive is protected right alongside the right to protest someone for being offensive.
Many of those who are against Roseanne’s actions have expressed feelings of sadness and frustration that the show as a whole had to be canceled due to her behavior and that the excellent ensemble (who are by all accounts fine people) is out of work. The reason the show was canceled is because by its very design you can’t separate Roseanne from Roseanne. And the reason that the excellent supporting cast, particularly the immensely gifted John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf, and Sara Gilbert, will continue to have a career in Hollywood while Roseanne Barr will not is because contemporary audiences are wise enough to separate the Roseanne supporting cast from its monstrous star.
Read more from this author about watershed moments in TV history here and here.
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