Like A Virgin

A six star season, but the DVD set itself could have been better
Season three of Roseanne doesn't revolve around any particular overriding story arc, but the kids are definitely beginning to grow up. As in almost every season, there are quite a few changes taking place in all of the characters' lives, but the show's greatness mainly lies in the "real life" way that each situation is handled and in the raw emotions and interactions of the characters, not in the situations themselves.

"The Test" is a great season opener as Roseanne and her family wait for the outcome of her home pregnancy test. There are some precious moments, such as when DJ asks if he was an accident, and Roseanne tells him that he was a surprise, the difference being that "an accident is something that you wouldn't do over again if you had the chance, but a surprise is something you didn't even know you wanted until you got it." The girls show their selfish side, trying to make a case for not having the baby even before the test is complete. Becky goes as far as asking...

Groundbreaking Season, But The Shoddy DVD Treatment Continues
The 1990-1991 third season of "Roseanne" was clearly the season where the show really defined itself. While the first two seasons were good, especially the second, the third was the first Perfect Season, and it was also when the show really started to take risks and tackle heavy issus with amazing skill, all the while remaining laugh out loud hilarious.

The first episode of the season was "The Test," and it was test in many ways. It was the first episode to air after Roseanne's National Anthem incident, where she pissed off most of America and was called a disgrace by President Bush (quite ironic considering how his son is running the country these days). Fortunately, the incident was forgotten and "Roseanne" continued to roll along smoothly, turning out some of the finest episodes of the whole series. Who doesn't love "Like, A Virgin," in which Darlene is caught making out with her friend Brian on the couch? And who could forget the classic Halloween special, "Trick...

WHERE ARE THE COMMENTARIES?
I'm delighted that the uncut episodes of ROSEANNE are being issued afterthe snafu of the first season. But, WHERE ARE THE COMMENTARIES? Before Anchor Bay decided to release the show on DVD, Roseanne spoke to HomeMediaReatiling ([...]) on March 27, 2004 and said:

"Roseanne said she would be happy to create extras for a DVD package. She's particularly keen on providing commentary tracks and promises to come clean on the notorious behind-the-scenes conflicts between cast and crew. "I would totally do commentary for it, because I remember almost every show and what was going on," she said. "I would say, `Well, this is where such and such was fired.' There are good stories." And yet she maintains, "We always had fun, the cast. We always had great fun every day on that show."

We're going into the third season and still no commentaries. You'd think someone who controllled the show so completely as Roseanne did would be proud to talk about her struggles and triumphs on...

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