I just watched an amazing episode from ''Roseanne'''s second season, with writing credited to a pre-''Buffy'' Joss Whedon. In it, a heartbreakingly young Sara Gilbert, wearing a red-and-black plaid hunter’s cap as the Conners’ wary middle daughter, Darlene, was moping because she had a school assignment to write a poem. Her mother said, ''Poetry's kinda fun…you get to be creative and expressive.'' Darlene blasted back: ''I don't wanna be expressive. I couldn’t care less about poetry. I just wanna graduate high school so I can get on with my life so I can get a job and get out of this hellhole town!'' Long pause. Roseanne: ''But if you could be expressive, what would you say?'' Later, in hopes of forging a mother-daughter bond by revealing something of herself, Roseanne gave Darlene her own battered notebook of high school poetry—a beautiful, risky gesture. Lordy, I love this show.

Toting them up, I think ''Roseanne'' produced more outstanding episodes than ''All in the Family,'' but both shows will help get you through this political season, as comfort viewing and thought provocation.

''All in the Family'': A– ''Roseanne'': A

Originally posted Aug 20, 2004 Published in issue #779-780 Aug 20, 2004 Order article reprints
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