Roseanne: We Gather Together

Roseanne: We Gather Together
ABC
November 21, 1989
Sitcom
DVD
B

Danny Jacobson wrote this Thanksgiving episode, which juggles a lot of guest stars:

• Ned Beatty as Ed Conner gets more to do than most of the guest stars, from flirting with Crystal to arguing with Dan.
• Stephen Dorff makes his last appearance as Jimmy Meltrigger; they didn't really do much with his character, even less than they did with Chip.
• Luke Edwards makes his last appearance as Lonnie Anderson, with less to do than that; I can't remember if there's a Lonnie #3.
• J.J. Johnston, who's Jay Bryant here, had played a nameless man on The Bob Newhart Show and a Helicopter Pilot on M*A*S*H.
• Estelle Parsons as Roseanne's mother Beverly fights more with Jackie this time, especially about Jackie becoming a cop.
• John Randolph makes his last appearance as Roseanne's dad Al, the character soon killed off (I forget what season).
• Ann Wedgeworth, still looking good years after Three's Company, makes her only appearance as Dan's divorced mother Audrey, much later replaced by Debbie Reynolds!

I would've gone with a B-, but the various threads do come together in the end, and Goodman particularly impressed me, not just with Beatty, but with Barr.  (His "I've got a crush on you" shows why this character is so lovable.)  Also, replaying the Jackie & Beverly argument with just Dan's face during the closing credits is inspired, a fresh perspective on the scene.